Raider Hater Going Forward36

Here is the State of The Nation.

This being Super Bowl week, that is what we will focus on. Here is the schedule for the week.

Tuesday: A look at all of the coaching moves made thus far in the offseason.

Wednesday: A Look at my top 50-26 of my All-Time Super Bowl Moments.

Thursday: 25-1 of my All-Time Super Bowl Moments.

Friday: A preview of Super Bowl XLIII

Saturday: Thoughts on the Hall of FAme Class of 2009.

Going forward this is the plan for the off season.

Mondays: A Breakdown of the Key Off-Season Moves of the Week.

Tuesdays: Top 50 Players at Each Position Continues with The Hater Countdown Series.

Wednesdays: A Raider Hater Editorial.

Thursdays: Draft News.

Fridays: Random Thoughts.

This will carry us through the Draft in April and we’ll figure out where to go from there. So tune in tomorrow for my look at the 11 coaching vacancies, their replacements and the two jobs still available.

NFL Championship Weekend Preview

Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals

Eagles Special Teams: The Eagles kicking game has been very good in the playoffs. David Akers has been perfect and punter Sav Rocca has done a masterful job in games where that was a big factor. The Eagles have not gotten a lot out of the return game and could certainly use some extra points in this game.

Cardinals Special Teams: The punt game has been good, and Neil Rackers has been okay. He has missed both attempts over 50 in the playoffs though. They have gotten nothing in their return game, particularly on punt returns. Like Philadelphia, in a game that figures to see 20+ scored by both teams, they could use great field position in this game.

Eagles on Offense: The most important thing for the offense right now is the health of Brian Westbrook. If he is not at least on the field and drawing attention, this offense becomes a lot more vanilla. The offense has struggled so far in the playoffs, with no rushing game and Donovan McNabb throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. They have gotten great play from their defense, turnovers and one big play on offense in each playoff win. They will need more consistent offense and longer drives to keep a potent Cardinal offense off the field.

Cardinals on Defense: Arizona has gotten five sacks and forced nine turnovers in their two playoff wins. They are getting great play up front and it is enabling their playmakers in the secondary to do just that. If they can pressure Donovan and take DeSean Jackson out of the game, the loss of Westbrook will be a huge deal. They have not had anybody else step up on offense this year. Look for Arizona to put five defensive backs on the field and dare Philadelphia to run the ball.

Cardinals on Offense: The Cardinals have not run the ball quite as well as you may think in the past couple of weeks, but they have at least shown a committment to the ground game. It will be significantly tougher to stick to that against the Philadelphia run defense, which is far superior to those of Atlanta and Carolina. If Kurt Warner has time and all three of his 1,000 yard receivers healthy, he should have success against even a good Philadelphia secondary. Eli missed some open receivers last week, if Warner connects on those opportunities the Cardinals could shock the world.

Eagles on Defense: This unit has carried Philadelphia this far and will have to put in their best effort to go one game further. They are not playing an inexperienced turnover prone QB this week, or even a shaky Super Bowl MVP missing his favorite target. More importantly they are playing a far superior wide receiver corps to the ones they’ve seen thus far in January. They have the cornerbacks to cover them, if they can get a pass rush. They have just one sack in the playoffs. The Eagles will take away the run game fairly easily, the key will be what they do against the best passing attack in the NFL.

Summary: Anybody want to take the under on number of times that Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt reminded the Cardinals they were underdogs at the Wild-Card Eagles? The key to this game is the first quarter. If Philadelphia can establish a run game and overpower the Cardinals early it could be over. If Arizona can overcome the jitters and come out of the first quarter with a lead, the butterflies will go away and they’ll be able to just play their game. I think Kurt Warner will keep a level head in this game and actually play well against the Eagles defense. They haven’t played an offense that was really clicking in two months, when New York beat them 36-30. Since then they’ve beaten Cincinnati, Cleveland, Washington, New York without Plax twice, Arizona at home, a dismantling Dallas team and the Vikings. This week they face an offense with all of their weapons and a QB who’s been here almost as often as McNabb. The same McNabb who is 1-3 in this spot and who’s only win was over Michael Vick in the freezing cold. The dome will be loud and Arizona will win a track meet.

PREDICTION: Arizona 34, Philadelphia 24

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Ravens on Special Teams: The Ravens have been pretty good on special teams, especially considering they have an OLB returning punts. I’ll recommend again that they put Ed Reed back for punts at least a couple of times in this game.

Steelers on Special Teams: The Steelers played their best game of the season last week and that returned a kick return for a TD. Something which they hadn’t done all season. They could use another one this week.

Ravens on Offense: I believe this is the worst offense in the history of Championship Games. I know the 2000 Ravens were epic bad, but they at least had a veteran QB. The numbers from last week are mind boggling and probably speak to the fact that this unit has no business playing in this game. A QB can only not lose you the game for so long. Flacco is completing far less than half of his passes and throwing for less than 150 yards per game. I know he hasn’t turned the ball over, but how long will that be true if he plays that poorly against the league’s number one defense. Their run game has been equally bad, averaging as a team just 2.7 yards per carry and most of that is on one 48 yard run by McGahee.

Steelers on Defense: They will put eight in the box and double-team Derrick Mason, who has half of the receptions for the team this postseason. They will probably blitz a little less than often and just pray that Flacco tries to beat them. The Steelers defense gave up more than 17 points just 5 times this season and only twice in the second half of the year.

Steelers on Offense: They need to run the ball as often as they did last week, when Willie Parker had 146 yards on 27 carries. They won’t get the yards as easy this week, but Chris Johnson is similar to Parker and he was having great success against a possibly slowing down Ravens veteran defense. They also need to try to stretch the field more than Miami or Tennessee did against Baltimore. Look for them to use the pass early to set up the run.

Ravens on Defense: Playing as well as any defense I”ve seen since the same team in 2000. They’ve done almost nothing wrong in the last two weeks, despite getting no help from their defense. Saying they will have a good outing is somewhat obvious, but will it be good enough if they have their backs against a short field a couple of times this week. Can they depend on missed field goals and fumbles in the red zone for a second straight week?

Summary: I just refuse to believe that the Ravens can go to the Super Bowl with the pathetic effort they put on offense last week. They played the game to not lose instead of to win on that side of the ball and I don’t think that will work against a much more prepared for this level of game Pittsburgh team. The Ravens are still a QB away from being a Super Bowl team, but at least they have that guy on the roster now. Joe Cool just isn’t ready to win this game yet.

PREDICTION: Steelers 21, Ravens 10

Divisional Playoff Weekend Preview

Baltimore Ravens @ Tennessee Titans

Ravens Special Teams: A special teams play would be huge for either of these teams. Tom Zbikowski had a nice return last week and may be there best shot at a big return, unless the Ravens are able to put Ed Reed back for punt returns which would be a great move.

Titans Special Teams: The kick game is amongst the best in the league. Rob Bironas was perfect inside of 40 this year and hit 28 field goals overall. Craig Hentrich is a Pro Bowl Punter. Chris Carr is their best returner and he’s a pretty good one. They are not great at kick coverage.

Ravens on Offense: As I said last week, Joe Flacco is not going to beat a playoff defense. He was terrible against Miami and now has to face the markedly better Titan secondary. That means that somehow the Ravens will have to find some success against the Titans rush defense. They should use Leron McClain early and set up a possible late game home run by Willis McGahee.

Titans on Defense: With Haynesworth and Vanden Bosch both healthy the Titans defense should be able to interrupt the Raven O. McClain does his best running up the middle and he’s a big powerful runner, still it’s difficult to imagine him running through Haynesworth and that big Titans line. Tennessee does not create great pressure, though eliminating the run game is often enough to create the illusion of pressure on a QB. In the pass game Cortland Finnegan will man up with Derrick Mason and try to force Joe Flacco to find somebody else to throw the ball to.

Titans on Offense: It could read like a carbon copy of the Ravens offense. They are not going to ask Kerry Collins to carry the load here. The difference between he and Flacco is that Collins has a lot of playoff experience, including a Super Bowl Start. His best success in the pass game will come in the 10-15 yard range and especially to his tight ends. Their run game will be a polar opposite of Baltimore’s. They will use rookie Chris Johnson early and hope to catch Baltimore off guard with his explosiveness. If they can get a lead then they will use LenDale White to protect it.

Ravens on Defense: Look for Baltimore to try to exploit the absence of Pro Bowl Center Kevin Mawae by blitzing up the middle with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Both will also be key in the pass game. Lewis will often be assigned to cover Bo Scaife, the Titans leading receiver, and Reed will roam free and hope to get another playoff interception and hopefully touchdown. The Ravens are not going to give up big run plays easily either. They have been incredible against the run in recent weeks and are not likely to lose their focus in this one.

Summary: I could regret repeatedly going against the Ravens, but I’m going to do it again. These two teams match up so evenly on the field that you have to go to the sidelines to differentiate them. There stands Jeff Fisher with a home playoff game and I have to believe that’s going to be a difference maker here. This should be almost a mirror-image of their week 5 game. Not a lot of points or yards, but some big hits and lots of trash talking. Great January football.

Prediction: Titans 13, Ravens 10

Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers

Cardinals Special Teams: We didn’t see much out of Arizona’s Special Teams Unit last week, other than a very good performance from punter Ben Graham. The Cardinals struggled some in kick coverage.

Panthers Special Teams: John Kasay had another very good year, missing just 3 kicks. Punter Jason Baker was also consistently reliable. Not much happens in the return game when the Panthers play. They don’t have a great return game, but they are very good on coverage.

Cardinals on Offense: Arizona can only hope to run the ball as well as they did last week against Atlanta. The law of averages says it is unlikely. They face a much better, though not great, defense in Carolina this week. Look for Kurt Warner to put the ball up 38-45 times and find some success. Anquan Bolden’s status is still uncertain, but the Cardinals will still have Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston so the pass game will be fine.

Panthers on Defense: Carolina is not quite as good on defense as you might think from reputation. Julius Peppers had a resurgent season and came up with 14 sacks, but nobody else had more than six. They also don’t create a lot of turnovers. They will need to in this game. If they have success stopping the run, which they should, they have to make Warner regret airing the ball out constantly.

Panthers on Offense: There game plan will be similar to that of Atlanta last week. The difference is that Jake Delhomme is not a rookie and will not allow the Cardinals to get off the ball as quickly as they did against the Falcons.  DeAngelo Williams will have more success running the ball than Michael Turner did last week and Carolina will mix in rookie Jonathan Stewart. They had over 2,300 yards combined. Delhomme will take shots downfield for Steve Smith every chance he gets. Roddy White had 11 catches last week against Arizona, if Steve Smith does the same they are in trouble. The effect of Mushin Muhammad can not be underestimated in this game either.

Cardinals on Defense: Regardless of the snap count, the Cardinals need to hope to be as good on the line as they were last week. That opens up the opportunities for guys like Antrel Rolle and Rodgers-Cromartie to make plays in the secondary. If Carolina gets desperate Delhomme tends to try to force the ball to Steve Smith, who often bails him out. The Arizona secondary needs to try to play the ball better than Smith in those situations.

Summary: Arizona has struggled going to the East Coast all year. They don’t just lose, they’re awful. Bolden being limited isn’t going to help and neither is the fact that they are playing such a well-balanced and experienced team. The two things that surprised me last week from Arizona, the run game and the defensive line, will not be as good this week and thus neither will the Cardinals.

Prediction: Panthers 24, Cardinals 20

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants

Eagles Special Teams: Kicker David Akers and punter Sav Rocca both had great weeks in Minnesota last week. It will tougher sailing this week in the swirling winds of the Meadowlands. DeSean Jackson had a 60+ yard punt return last week and could be a difference maker in this game.

Giants Special Teams: They have the league’s oldest kicking duo in Jeff Feagles and John Karney, but both had very good years. One of the consequences of the Plax issue is that the Giants have quit using Domenik Hixon on kick returns which is a shame because he is there most explosive guy on that unit. They may want to turn to him in this must win game.

Eagles on Offense: They will need a better output from this unit this week. McNabb played okay last week, but his numbers are somewhat padded by the long screen pass near the end of the game to Westbrook. Speaking of Westbrook, he goes from the frying pan into the fire. He struggled last week against the Vikings and now must go against another top 10 rush defense. He has had success against the Giants in the past. In the passing game, McNabb needs to stretch the field more. His leading receiver last week was back-up tight end Brent Celek.

Giants on Defense: Part of the problem with the Giants lately is their sudden inability to pressure the QB. Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka are great pass rushers but have not had great success against Philadelphia this year. This is an underrated defensive unit, top 10 in every category, but the offense’s fall off recently has hurt the defense. They were used to playing a very short game as the Giants offense eats up a lot of clock. When the offense is off the defense falls off. One player in particular who needs to play better in January than he did in December is linebacker Antonio Pierce.

Giants on Offense: New York will obviously benefit from the return of Brandon Jacobs, the teams leading rusher. They will also give plenty of touches to Derrick Ward who also went for 1,000 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Eli Manning will have to make some plays in this game as well. He has yet to find a number one that he trusts as much as Plax. Somebody has to step up in this game.

Eagles on Defense: The Eagles are no strangers to pressuring the QB. They do it well and in a variety of ways. It will be an interesting side note on this game to see whether Jim Johnson or Steve Spagnuolo is better at finding ways to catch a very familiar offense off guard. With no number one receiver to cover look for Asante Samuel to simply cut off a side of the field on Manning and hope that he forces one under pressure.

Summary: This should be a very competitive game as always. Neither team has a distinct advantage, because both know each other so well. I think the Eagles do more better right now than New York though. The Eagles are peaking at the right time, winning 4 of 5 and there is no intimidation going to the Meadowlands, because they do it every year. The Giants will be able to run the ball, though not as consistently as they’d like and big plays will be available downfield for McNabb and the Eagles.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Giants 17

San Diego Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Chargers Special Teams: Much has been made about Mike Scifres performance against the Colts last week and for good reason. He put all six punts inside the 20. In a game like this in Pittsburgh, a good punt game is a must. On the downside, with Darren Sproles likely to carry the ball more, he probably won’t be used in the return game.

Steelers Special Teams: Jeff Reed continues to be a very good kicker, especially considering the environment he kicks in. The same can not be said for punter Mitch Berger, who has a very strong leg but put just 19 of his 66 kicks inside the twenty. The Steelers do not have  return man who makes plays, but they make up for it with a great coverage team.

Chargers on Offense: San Diego did not fare well on offense against the Steelers earlier this year. Points will not be easy to come by this time either. Philip Rivers continues to play well, in spite of the fact that his offensive line does not do a great job protecting him. That latter fact will be a problem against Dick Lebeau’s defense. San Diego will likely start Darren Sproles at RB and while he provides the potential from a big gain at any moment, it will be hard for him to carry the load against the big hitting Steelers defense. That means Michael Bennett will get plenty of looks.

Steelers on Defense: This is where they butter their bread. Nob0dy has looked good against this defense this year. They smother your running game and give you no time to throw the ball. They are the smartest defense in football as they seem to know what you’re going to do before you do it.

Steelers on Offense: Such glowing endorsements are not due this unit. I like Big Ben, but at the end of the day he had more turnovers than touchdowns and was sacked nearly three times per game. He has been very good at the end of games and that’s good enough for the Steelers, but it might not be good enough in a playoff game. The passing game is not helped by the fact that they have struggled to run the ball. Their leading rusher went for less than 800 yards and nobody averaged better than 4.2 per carry.

Chargers on Defense: This unit has played extremely well in recent weeks. They’re getting after the quarterback and making plays. They have improved quite a bit since the first meeting between these two teams, which could be scary for Roethlisberger.

Summary: As a caveat, I don’t think the Steelers are anywhere near as good as their record. They were 3-4 against playoff teams and two of those wins were over the Ravens, the second one very questionable. I think they were exposed by the Titans a couple of weeks ago and that will happen again this week.

Prediction: Chargers 24, Steelers 13

Looking Back at Wild-Card Weekend

Arizona Cardinals 30

Atlanta Falcons 24

The Arizona Cardinals won a playoff game on Saturday.

The game set up and played out as a tale of two quarterbacks. Kurt Warner was the aging veteran who went from MVP to maybe he should retire in just three short weeks. Matt Ryan was the rookie with ice in his veins who would be unfazed by the big stage and pick apart a weak Arizona defense. Those beliefs were challenged on the very first possession for the Cardinals when Kurt Warner hit Larry Fitzgerald for a 46 yard touchdown over two Atlanta defenders. He would soon add a 71-yard touchdown to Anquan Bolden that finally had the Cardinals fans and all of their doubters believing that they could be seeing the first home playoff win in Arizona Football History.

The game did not go as planned for Matt Ryan either. Though the rookie of the year did set a record for most completions by a rookie in a playoff game, it was his mistakes which will resonate for the next 6-8 months. Ryan was sacked in the end zone for a safety and turned the ball over three times. His fumble was returned for a touchdown by Antrel Rolle early in the third quarter, with Atlanta up 17-14, and changed the complexion of the game.

It may have been a mistake that can’t be measured in numbers that cost the Falcons the most. The Arizona Cardinals were clearly able to pick up a tip as to when the ball would be snapped. The Cardinals appeared to be offsides all day, as they were that much quicker off the ball than the Falcons offense. DE Bertrand Berry said on the Jim Rome Radio Show that Matt Ryan never changed his snap count. That is a clear rookie mistake and one that stifled the Falcon offense. Atlanta had just 60 yards rushing, in large part because the Cardinals were playing on their side of the line of scrimmage all day.

Who would have thought coming into the weekend that Edgerrin James would outrush Michael Turner? Not me. James had 78 yards rushing in what is likely his last home game as a Cardinal. The league’s second leading rusher, Turner, managed just 42 yards on 18 carries.

The QB match-up is less of a surprise. Warner proved once again why he is one of the most under-appreciated talents in the history of the game, going 19-32 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He threw one interception that bounced off a receivers hands. Ryan was far from bad, throwing for 199 yards and two touchdowns, but his turnovers loom as a very dark cloud over his first playoff game.

With Warner and James being the stars of the offense for Arizona, one has to note that playoff experience may have been an underrated factor going into this game. It won’t be easy for Arizona to have the same success in Carolina, but nobody gave them a chance this week either so who knows?

Atlanta can take solace in knowing that they best should be yet to come. They have a good coach, their franchise QB and an entire offense that looks set for a few years. With experience and some moves on defense they should be very good for the next 5-8 years.

San Diego Chargers 23

Indianapolis Colts 17

One Title. That’s what the Colts have gotten out of this nine year stretch of double digit victories. They have produced several hall-0f-famers, set records, and given their head coach security that he could work forever. Yet, they have just one title. The window is closing. Nothing lasts forever so you better take advantage of your opportunities. Just ask the Atlanta Braves. There’s no telling when it’s going to end.

A backup running back ran 22 yards through the Colts defense and once again ended the season of Peyton Manning and the Colts premature. Three MVP’s, one trophy. Not that Peyton was the reason the Colts lost. He wasn’t. The number reason for that was Darren Sproles. He finished with 328 all-purpose yards and has risen the question, are this year’s Chargers better off without LT?

It raises a question much older than that from Colts fans. Is it fair to have an overtime system where the MVP of the league never gets the ball in his hands with the game on the line? My opinion, if not stated before, is that this overtime system is the best fit for the NFL. The Colts had their chance to stop the Chargers. Of course, the officiating did them no favors. I don’t know that any of the calls were so bad that I’ll scream conspiracy, but the pass interference call was very close. The face-mask call on the play right before the TD may have deflated the defense which would explain the ease of the 22 yard scamper.

A somewhat improbable season continues for the Chargers. Nobody expected them to start 4-8 and once they did they were thought dead for the playoffs. They won all four games they had to win to get in and on Saturday night beat a playoff team for the first time all year. They have Sproles and their defense to thank for that.

The Chargers D held Indianapolis to just 17 points and one of those touchdowns came on the kind of bush-league crap only the Colts pull where they caught the defense switching personnel and scored on a 72 yard pass play. The Chargers atoned for that mistake when they sacked Peyton Manning on 3rd and 2 with time winding down to allow them another shot at overtime.

The Chargers now head east to Pittsburgh. The Colts will go home and try to figure out how, with so much talent, this team is only 7-9 in the playoffs in the Peyton Manning Era and has just 3 wins outside of the 2006 season.

Baltimore Ravens 27

Miami Dolphins 9

Ravens defenders caught almost as many passes as their receivers on Sunday. Ed Reed had as many touchdowns as the Dolphins. A Recipe for Victory in Baltimore.

The Miami Dolphins turned the ball over just 13 times in 2008, but thanks to an awesome performance from the Ravens defense, 2009 did not go so well. Chad Pennington threw four interceptions and they lost a fumble. Baltimore’s rookie head coach and rookie QB did what the Falcons could not. They won on the road in the playoffs, it was their 10th win in 12 games and their first playoff win in five years.

Miami’s season ends and they certainly have nothing to be ashamed of. After a 1-15 season in 2007 the Dolphins went 11-5 this year and won the AFC East. This game forces many to wonder if the fact that their schedule included the AFC and NFC West played a part in that turnaround.

The Ravens played Super Bowl caliber defense and special teams, their offense needs to earn those efforts this week in Tennessee.

Philadelphia Eagles 26

Minnesota Vikings 14

Yes, Eagles Fans, Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb have won another playoff game. Still want them gone? Well, maybe, but not just yet. Not until they get their shot at the Super Bowl Champion Giants, a team they beat just a few weeks ago in a place where they won that game.

After being shut down for 3 1/2 quarters and held to 58 total yards, Brian Westbrook had his biggest play of the year, going 71 yards on a screen pass to score the clinching touchdown. The Eagles also got a big play from their key off-season acquisition when Asante Samuel did what he does, returning an interception 44 yards for a touchdown.

The much maligned Andy Reid is now 9-6 in the playoffs and for those keeping track that is better than Tony Dungy in the same span. Though he does lack that elusive ring. A goal which is still very much alive this season thanks to his teams victory on Sunday.

The Vikings worst fears were realized…they are still a Quarterback away. Though Tarvaris Jackson played well against Arizona and Detroit, his lack of growth was on full display against the Eagles aggressive defense. He finished just 15-35 for 164 yards. The Vikings got a good performance from Adrian Peterson and the defense played well for most of the game. All of that was negated by a terrible performance at the most important position.

Week 15 Preview

Don’t you love December football?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-4) @ Atlanta Falcons (8-5)

Announcers: Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger

Storylines: Two teams in the ultra-competitive NFC South look to bounce back from divisional losses and solidify some playoff standing.

The Bucs Should Win If: Monday was a fluke instead of a sign of the times. Tampa has to play exponentially better against the run than they did on Monday. They can not let Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood repeat the Panthers success against them, especially in what will be a rowdy Georgia Dome.

The Falcons Should Win If: Roddy White is able to capitalize on a Tampa defense that may attempt to overcompensate against the run. The Buc defense will not be embarrassed twice in a row. So Atlanta will need some big plays to pull out the win.

Pick: Falcons. Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense are improving by the week. Tampa Bay on the other hand seemed to be showing signs of slowing down last week.

Washington Redskins (7-6) @ Cincinnati Bengals (1-11-1)

Announcers: Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston

Storylines: The ‘Skins hope to take advantage of the first break in their schedule in quite some time to maintain some level of relevence. It is a must win game for them.

 The Redskins Should Win If: Two guys with ties to Miami get their game going. Former Hurricane Clinton Portis needs to be the center of attention on Sunday to take some of the pressure of a struggling Jason Campbell. Former Dolphin Jason Taylor needs to give Daniel Snyder some return on his investment and start playing up to his Hall-of-Fame credentials.

The Bengals Should Win If: T.J. Houshmanzadeh gets double digit catches. The Bengals can not beat the Redskins by playing conservatively. They will have to take shots downfield at their best playmaker.

Pick: Redskins. Nobody in the league needs a win any more than the Redskins this week. Not only to maintain playoff possibilities, but for the confidence of Jim Zorn and to make Clinton Portis happy for a week.

Tennessee Titans (12-1) @ Houston Texans (6-7)

Announcers: GUS JOHNSON!!! and Steve Tasker

Storylines: The Titans can lock up home-field advantage with a win over a team that they have traditionally dominated. It may not be as easy as it looks though.

The Titans Should Win If: Chris Johnson outrushes Steve Slaton. The Titans have struggled only when they are unable to be explosive on the ground. Chris Johnson should have plenty of opportunities this week, he can’t let this be a game where he doesn’t show up.

The Texans Should Win If: Matt Schaub is able to pick apart the 3rd ranked pass-defense in the league. It isn’t an easy task, but Schaub has played well over the past month and if Houston has any run game it will make his job a lot easier.

Pick: Texans. Yeah, going for the upset here. Houston is eliminated from the playoffs, which makes this their Super Bowl. They have played well which guarantees a great crowd and we know divisional games are where anything can happen.

Green Bay Packers (5-8) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9)

Announcers: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli

Storylines: Arguably the two most disappointing teams in the league. Green Bay still has a glimmer of playoff hope, that disappears with a loss here. The Jaguars hope to finish strong and maintain some sense of dignity.

The Packers Should Win If: Aaron Rodgers throws three touchdowns. The Packers best hope appears to be that this somehow becomes a shoot-out. They have a terrible run defense and have struggled to move the ball themselves for much of the season.

The Jaguars Should Win If: They can avoid falling two scores behind. Jacksonville can’t overcome adversity with their offense. They need to be able to run the ball and not put the game on David Garrard’s shoulders. Especially with his best receiver, Matt Jones, finally being suspended.

Pick: Jaguars. Look for MJD to have a big game here and put the Pack out of their misery.

San Francisco 49ers (5-8) @ Miami Dolphins (8-5)

Announcers: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan

Storylines: The Dolphins have been hot and can get one step closer to one of the best turnarounds in league history by knocking off the 49ers at home. The 49ers have played well in the past couple of weeks and look to add another big road victory to Mike Singletary’s resume.

The 49ers Should Win If: They keep Shaun Hill’s Jersey Clean. Hill has been very good since replacing JTO as starting QB. If given time he can make some plays against the Dolphins secondary.

The Dolphins Should Win If: Chad Pennington outplays Hill. Chad has quietly had his best season this year and if he can continue to complete 66% of his passes and avoid turnovers we may be watching the Dolphins play in January.

Pick: 49ers. Miami has been walking a tight rope for the past few weeks, eeking out victories over teams they’re supposed to be much better than. San Francisco is playing just well enough at this point to make the Dolphins regret a poor performance.

Seattle Seahawks (2-11) @ St. Louis Rams (2-11)

Announcers: Matt Vasgersian and JC Pearson

Storlines: Ummm….

The Seahawks Should Win If: Seneca Wallace and the Seattle Offense gets into a rhythm. They were there for 3 quarters last week and once they fell apart in the fourth, they were done.

The Rams Should Win If: Marc Bulger takes advantage of the worst pass defense in the league and actually, you know, connects on some plays downfield.

Pick: Rams. They’re at home.

Buffalo Bills (6-7) @ New York Jets (8-5)

Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf

Storylines: Both teams have hurt their chances with their recent slides, the Bills worse than the Jets. Both teams should play this one as an elimination game.

The Bills Should Win If: Somehow they’re able to get the ball deep to Lee Evans. The Jets have given up nearly 300 yards passing per game over the past month. The Bills will have to stretch the field, not just accept the underneath stuff and settle for a field goal on the scoreboard.

The Jets Should Win If: Brett Favre plays like he was prior to the Denver game. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown in two weeks and the offense has become anemic. They may not need many big plays to win the game, but they will to get back into a flow headed towards the playoffs.

Pick: Jets. Aside from the loss to Denver, the Jets defense has played well in the past two months. I don’t think the Bills offense will be able to score enough points to beat a Brett Favre who is backed into a corner.

San Diego Chargers (5-8) @ Kansas City Chiefs (2-10)

Announcers: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots

Storylines: You know the refrain by now. A Chargers loss means they’re done, a win may keep their slim hopes alive. Just ask the Talking Heads, they’ll tell you all the reasons the Chargers are still the favorites to win the West.

The Chargers Should Win If: LaDainian Tomlinson rushes for 100 yards. I know they’ve won games without LT coming up big, but not many of them. He only had 78 yards in their win earlier this season over KC, but many argue that was a game they were lucky to win.

The Chiefs Should Win If: Tyler Thigpen is able to make throws to Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzales. The Chargers are susceptible in the pass game and KC has had success when these two guys are focus points of the offense.

Pick: Chargers. I really want to go the other way and a Chief win wouldn’t shock me, because I actually don’t think the Chargers are much better than them right now. San Diego played motivated last week and had 10 days to get ready for the Chiefs.

Detroit Lions (0-13) @ Indianapolis Colts (9-4)

Announcers: Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick

Storylines: The Colts look to hold off their wild-card competition. The Lions are still looking for that elusive win.

The Lions Should Win If: {crickets}… alright, if the Lions QB can avoid turnovers and Kevin Smith is able to dominate the game, they have a puncher’s chance.

The Colts Should Win If: Hell is Hot. It will be even easier if their talented defensive ends are able to force Orlovsky or Stanton into 3 or 4 interceptions.

Pick: Colts. The Colt defense has been playing really well recently. The offense is still off a step, but that shouldn’t matter much in this game. They are also way too smart to overlook anybody.

Minnesota Vikings (8-5) @ Arizona Cardinals (8-5)

Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman

Storylines: The only meeting of the week between two division leaders. The Cardinals spot is secure, the same can not be said for the Vikings thanks to Chicago’s win on Thursday.

The Vikings Should Win If: They are able to hit Kurt Warner early. With little hope of getting a first-round bye, the Cardinals have little to play for. Fear of losing their franchise QB could turn them conservative in a hurry.

The Cardinals Should Win If: They are able to force Tarvaris Jackson to attempt more passes than Kurt Warner.

Pick: Vikings. Adrian Peterson should have a good game against the Cardinals defense and be able to protect the young QB. I know the Cards will play hard, I just think teams have a tendency to play too vanilla when they know they have more important games down the line.

New England Patriots (8-5) @ Oakland Raiders (3-10)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon

Storylines: The Patriots have been on the West Coast all weekend to avoid having to make the trip on consecutive weeks. They didn’t play all that well in Seattle last week, so we’ll see how this strategy works out. They would not make the playoffs as of now, a loss obviously can only hurt their chances.

The Patriots Should Win If: Their potpourri of linebackers plays well. They have young guys (Jerod Mayo and Pierre Woods) and not so young (Mike Vrabel and Junior Seau) starting. They looked confused last week and hope to have worked out all the kinks during the week.

The Raiders Should Win If: Zach Miller has a big day. He is the player most apt to take advantage of the previously mentioned linebacker problems. John Carlson had a nice week for Seattle in their near win, the Raiders should target him no less than 10 times.

Pick: Patriots. There are obvious traps here, but with Oakland running such a generic offense, the Patriots defense should actually find it fairly easy to adapt to.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-4)

Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms

Storylines: The two best defenses in football, for first place in the AFC North. A loss could take the Ravens out of the current playoff picture.

The Steelers Should Win If: They are able to get to Joe Flacco. This will be the biggest game of his career and he is playing the best pass-rushing linebackers in the league in Harrison and Woodley. He will need to accept the occasional sack and not make a poor decision.

The Ravens Should Win If: Ed Reed is the safety making plays instead of Troy Polomalu. The Ravens are certainly scoring more than they have in recent weeks, but that has as much to do with their defense as offense. They will have to find ways to give Flacco and maybe Matt Stover, as short of fields as possible.

Pick: Ravens. The biggest game in Baltimore in years and a team that defensively, feeds off that fire better than any.  I think they will force more mistakes and win a very good game.

Denver Broncos (8-5) @ Carolina Panthers (10-3)

Announcers: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross

Storylines: The Panthers can clinch a playoff spot with a win and some help. They can at least create some real seperation with the Saints already losing and the Bucs and Falcons playing each other. The Broncos clinch the AFC West with a win and if the Ravens beat the Steelers, the Broncos join the conversation for a bye.

The Panthers Should Win If: They are able to do what everybody thinks they will do. Run for 200 yards on one of the worst defenses in the league.

The Broncos Should Win If: The Panthers don’t turn all of those yards into touchdowns. Jay Cutler has been playing very well and will put up points on any defense. The Panthers can’t just outgain the Broncos, they have to outscore them.

Pick: Broncos. They have been very good on the road this year and the Panthers are just the kind of team to have a letdown after a great week. We saw on Monday that their are shots to be had downfield against Carolina and Cutler and Marshall, Royal are more equipped to exploit it than even Garcia and Bryant were.

NewYork Giants (11-2) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-5)

Announcers: Al Michaels and John Madden

Storylines: A bunch of off-field crap and what should be a great game with playoff implications for both teams.

The Cowboys Should Win If: They are able to get at Manning consistently. The Passing game was off last week and one of the keys for Dallas is to keep them out of rhythm. Especially since Brandon Jacobs isn’t playing, the Giants will be much easier to make one-dimensional.

The Giants Should Win If: Their receivers step up and play much better than last week. They can’t drop balls and run poor routes. They play a much softer secondary this week and they all, especially Hixon, need to take advantage of that.

Pick: Cowboys. I think Jacobs not playing is huge. They don’t have the power back in short yardage situations that they need which could result in a much less relaxed offensive unit.

Cleveland Browns (4-9) @ Philadelphia Eagles (7-6-1)

Announcers: Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski

The Browns Should Win If: They are able to find ways to get the ball in Josh Cribbs hands. He is the player most capable of an explosive play right now on the Browns roster.

The Eagles Should Win If: They stick to last week’s game plan and get the ball into Brian Westbrook’s hands 30 times.

Pick: Eagles. I don’t know if Andy Reid can keep running the ball, but it might not matter against the Browns.

Power Rankings: Week 13

NFC

1. GIANTS (1) The Clear Cut Favorite in the NFC, though maybe not by as much as people think.

2. BUCCANEERS (2) Very consistent. Do you think the Browns and Lions would love to have Garcia?

3. FALCONS (5)  Not intimidated by anybody and a steadily improving team.

4. PANTHERS (4) Some questions about Delhomme recently, but great defense and great run game.

5. COWBOYS (6) Romo makes all of the difference in the world.

6. VIKINGS (11) Easy favorites to win the North and have won 6 out of 8 now.

7. CARDINALS (3) Can this team win a road game? If not, they are fairly meaningless in the playoffs.

8. REDSKINS (7) Still very much in the hunt, but offensive woes are becoming more obvious.

9. EAGLES (12) Stayed alive, but very unlikely to make it.

10. SAINTS (9) A threat to win on any week, but not a threat in the playoff race.

11. BEARS (8) Could still make a late run, but it’s getting tougher.

12. PACKERS (10) Is there still a question about whether the Packers did the right thing?

13. 49ers (13) Of the Bottom Four in the NFC, they seem to have the most upside.

14. SEAHAWKS (14) Next year, they try again, without one of the best coaches of our generation.

15. RAMS (15) I actually think they’re the worst team in the NFC, but they have two wins

16. LIONS (16) I still think they could steal one from Minnesota or New Orleans

AFC

1. TITANS (2) Yeah it was the Lions, but the win was impressive enough to get back the top spot.

2. STEELERS (3) Incredible Defense.

3. RAVENS (4) Still a very good chance that this team wins the North.

4. JETS (1) Needed to get that win on Sunday to be an elite team

5. COLTS (6) There’s questions here, but they are very good at finding ways to win.

6. BRONCOS (7) Will win the West. If they can play at home like they have on the road, could be scary. 

7. PATRIOTS (5) Very easy schedule down the stretch, they’ll make the playoffs.

8. DOLPHINS (9) Easy Schedule, but they won’t make the playoffs.

9. BILLS (8) 2-6 in the past 8, wha’ happened?

10. CHARGERS (10) Only this high because they’re technically still alive in the West.

11. TEXANS (13) As has been the case the past couple of years, they’ll be optimistic next year.

12. JAGUARS (11) A lot of people thought they’d go to the Super Bowl. Oops.

13. BROWNS (12) What a waste of a season. Can’t even get Quinn ready for next year.

14. CHIEFS (16) Who Cares?

15. RAIDERS (14) Yep, the Raiders still suck. My post-season article on them is going to be sweet.

16. BENGALS (15) As bad as the Lions, Rams or anybody Else.

MVP

1. KURT WARNER (1) In a year without a clear-cut winner, it will go to the stat monster.

2. JAY CUTLER (3) Take Cutler off the Broncos, they have 2 wins.

3. PEYTON MANNING (4) Bad week, but he’s a media darling.

4. TONY ROMO (9) If the Cowboys make the playoffs, it will be because of him.

5. ELI MANNING (6) Doesn’t have huge numbers, but he’s proven to be a winner.

6. MICHAEL TURNER (8) A bigger reason for the turnaround than Ryan, who will be ROTY.

7. THOMAS JONES (-) Why is this guy on his fourth team?

8. BRETT FAVRE (7) Will likely get some votes from the heart.

9. MATT CASSEL (5) Can’t deny the impressiveness of what he’s done.

10. DEANGELO WILLIAMS (-) Any regrets about using that first pick on a RB?

Looking Back at Week 12

Pittsburgh Steelers 27

Cincinnati Bengals 10

Why the Steelers Won: For just the second time this season, the Steelers offensive line went the entire game without giving up a sack.

Why the Bengals Lost: On Cincinnati’s touchdown drive they were 3 for 3 on third down. They were 1-12 the rest of the game.

MVP: James Farrior had 11 tackles and led a dominant defensive effort by the Steelers.

What It All Means: The Steelers sweep the season series and are currently in line for a first-round bye. The Bengals put in their worst effort in a couple of weeks and looked completely outmatched in PIttsburgh.

Baltimore Ravens 36

Philadelphia Eagles 7

Why the Ravens Won: The Ravens defense allowed seven points and created 5 turnovers, turning those mistakes into 17 points.

Why the Eagles Lost: Trailing 10-7 at halftime, Andy Reid benched Donovan McNabb and turned instead to Kevin Kolb to lead the team. He did not inform the team of this at halftime and most players didn’t know until Kolb ran into the huddle at the start of the third quarter. The Eagles looked dejected from that point on.

MVP: Ed Reed set an NFL Record with a 108 yard interception return for a TD.

What It All Means: Good win for the Ravens, but the aftermath of this game will be focused on the Eagles. McNabb has been named the starter for Thursday Night against the Cardinals, which makes the move on Sunday even more curious. The Coach, QB and franchise seem to be in a state of shock and confusion at this point.

Houston Texans 16

Cleveland Browns 6

Why the Texans Won: Houston entered Sunday 32nd in the league in turnover ratio. On Sunday they won that battle 5-2.

Why the Browns Lost: The Browns used both QB’s both struggled. Meanwhile, Jamal Lewis was averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He had just 10 carries.

MVP: Kevin Walter had 7 catches for 93 yards and the game’s only touchdown.

What It All Means: Which coach from the Belicheat Tree gets fired first? Crennel or Weis?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38

Detroit Lions 20

Why the Bucs Won: Special teams was key for Tampa Bay. They had 230 return yards and scored a 70 yard punt return for a TD in the third quarter that provided a cushion.

Why the Lions Lost: Detroit QB’s were a combined 10/26 which led to too many 3 and outs early and let the Bucs not only get back into the game, but run away with it.

MVP: Veteran Ronde Barber had two interceptions in the game and both resulted in points for Tampa Bay.

What It All Means: The Bucs have won 3 in a row and are the quietest 8-3 team in the league. With it being more and more likely that they will make the playoffs, and Atlanta looking strong, the fact that every talking head in the world said that three playoff teams would come from the NFC East looks kind of stupid, huh? Oh and the Lions are going 0-16.

Buffalo Bills 54

Kansas City Chiefs 31

Why the Bills Won: Buffalo’s defense created 5 turnovers, Buffalo’s offense committed none.

Why the Chiefs Lost: This game was not a blowout until late, yet Larry Johnson had just 7 rushes.

MVP: Trent Edwards ran for 38 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 273 yards and another pair of scores.

What It All Means: Herman Edwards is one of the smartest coaches in the league. Despite never building a winner he keeps his job or gets a new one each year. Why? He always finds a scapegoat. This year it is Larry Johnson, who did make mistakes off the field, but has barely been used even when on the field. Herm will call him a distraction at the end of the year and get rid of him and lead the Chiefs to a 6-10 record next year.

Chicago Bears 27

St. Louis Rams 3

Why the Bears Won: The Bears run defense stiffened considerably on Sunday, allowing just 14 yards to the Rams.

Why the Rams Lost: This team needs torn down as they appear to have quit, as is testified to by the way they come out of the gate each week. They have been outscored 99-16 in the first half the last three weeks.

MVP: If not for the other Matt, Forte would be a lock for Rookie of the Year. He went for 132 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday.

What It All Means: The Bears are in first place and Kyle Orton appears healthy, which is good news for them. If they get into the playoffs they are a dangerous team.

New York Jets 34

Tennessee Titans 13

Why the Jets Won: They beat the Titans at their own game. They shut down the run and then ran it down the throat of the number one rush defense in the league. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington combined for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

Why the Titans Lost: The Titans ran the ball just 11 times partly because they once again found themselves in a hole. They punted on their first five possessions.

MVP: Brett Favre was 25-32 for 224 yards and two touchdowns.

What It All Means: The Jets last two weeks were the most impressive back-to-back wins by any team this season. They are playing lights out football and were the best team in the league in November. The Titans have some serious question marks as their run defense and offense has fallen off in the past three weeks. They may not be as strong as many think heading into the playoffs.

New England Patriots 48

Miami Dolphins 28

Why the Patriots Lost: Matt Cassel threw for 400 yards for the second straight week and the offense looked like the juggernaut that it was last season.

Why the Dolphins Lost: They got just 25 yards out of 8 wildcat plays.

MVP: Randy Moss had 8 catches for 125 yards and three touchdowns.

What It All Means: The Dolphins had been showing signs of slipping for a couple of weeks so this should have come as no surprise. The media of course loves the opportunity to slobber all over Belicheat and the Patriots, but before we crown them we should remind ourselves why Matt Cassel had to throw for over 400 yards two weeks in a row. Their run game is still very inconsistent and their defense is far below what it once was.

Minnesota Vikings 30

Jacksonville Jaguars 12

Why the Vikings Won: Minnesota scored two touchdowns off of Jacksonville turnovers in the first 1:30 of the game. This took the Jags completely out of their offensive game plan.

Why the Jaguars Lost: Taylor and Drew combined for just 9 carries in the game.

MVP: The entire Vikings defense was terrific, Antoine Winfield had 11 tackles and a forced fumble.

What It All Means: It is officially over for Jacksonville. Minnesota is tied for first and host the Bears on Sunday Night with an opportunity to create some seperation.

Dallas Cowboys 35

San Francisco 49ers 22

Why the Cowboys Won: The Cowboys scored on long drives and on big plays and looked like the offense we expected to see all along.

Why the Niners Lost: Frank Gore had just 15 touches and continues to be the most criminally underused talent in the league.

MVP: First Moss and now TO. He had 213 receiving yards and a touchdown on Sunday.

What It All Means: The importance of Tony Romo can no longer be glossed over, yeah it was just the Niners, but remember the Romo-less Cowboys lost to the Rams. The Cowboys are firmly back in contention in the NFC and the return of Felix Jones, as well as figuring out how WR Roy Williams fits will make them an even more dangerous team.

Atlanta Falcons 45

Carolina Panthers 28

Why the Falcons Won: The Falcons not only ran the ball extremely well, but Matt Ryan played a fantastic game spreading the ball around and making no big mistakes.

Why the Panthers Lost: The Panthers committed 8 penalties and converted just 5 third downs.

MVP: Rookie Harry Douglas had 4 catches for 92 yards and a rushing touchdown.

What It All Means: The toughest division in football is far from wrapped up. The Falcons are very much alive in the division and three teams could easily come out of the South.

Washington Redskins 20

Seattle Seahawks 17

Why the Redskins Won: As Portis goes, so go the Skins. He had 143 yards rushing in this game.

Why the Seahawks Lost: They had just 22 minutes of possession. That means the Skins defense was much more fresh than the Hawks at the end of the game and it showed.

MVP: Despite his knee injury Portis had 143 yards on 29 carries.

What It All Means: Clinton Portis should be getting more MVP Love.

New York Giants 37

Arizona Cardinals 29

Why the Giants Won: The Giants started five drives in Arizona territory and all of them ended with scores.

Why the Cardinals Lost: They were unable to run the ball at all to compliment their potent pass attack. They ran for just 23 yards.

MVP: I said earlier in the year that I thought Domenik Hixon was good enough to make Plax expendable and he showed it again in a big game here, coming up with 270 all purpose yards.

What It All Means: I still think the Cardinals are good, but the Giants are clearly the class of the Conference as they won this game without Plax or Brandon Jacobs.

Oakland Raiders 31

Denver Broncos 10

Why the Raiders Won: The points came in bunches after a long drought for the Raiders they were able to catch the Broncos reeling for 21 points on just 18 plays in the second half.

Why the Broncos Lost: They couldn’t get up for this game? The Raiders at home? A chance to just about put the division to bed? A must win before having to travel to New York? For the third consecutive game at Mile High, the Broncos just didn’t seem to care that much.

MVP: Justin Fargas ran for 107 yards and set up both 4th quarter touchdowns.

What It All Means: The Raiders wanted this one way more than the Broncos and that definitely showed. Denver continues to be unable to overcome early mistakes. It happened against Jacksonville, Miami, New England and Oakland. If they turn the ball over before they score, they are unable to bounce back from it. Denver is going to win the West. But, it’s going to be with an 8-8 record.

Indianapolis Colts 23

San Diego Chargers 20

Why the Colts Won: Going for it on fourth down late in the game and throwing a 13 yard out route to Marvin Harrison was a very gutsy call that paid off with a win.

Why the Chargers Lost: They’re just not that good. They played their best game on Sunday and still got beat at home.

MVP: Peyton Manning threw for 255 yards and a pair of scores and was 4-6 on the game winning drive.

What It All Means: The Colts are a dangerous team right now and are building momentum for a playoff run. The Chargers are done and everybody that keeps waiting for them to turn it around shouldn’t hold their breath.

New Orleans Saints 51

Green Bay Packers 29

Why the Saints Won: New Orleans averaged an amazing 12 yards per pass play against a very good GB secondary.

Why the Packers Lost: Aaron Rodgers couldn’t keep up. In a shoot-out, his second half turnovers were key.

MVP: Lance Moore had 5 catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

What It All Means: The Packers are hanging on by a thread. But, so are the Saints.

Looking Back at Week 8

Baltimore Ravens 29

Oakland Raiders 10

Why the Ravens Won: Ball Control. The Ravens converted over 50% of their third downs and held the ball for 13 more minutes than the Raiders.

Why the Raiders Lost: Inconsistency. The Raiders have a good running game and a questionable pass game. So, they threw it twice as much as they ran. Russell looked good at times, stretching the ball more than he has to this point. He completed less than 50% of his passes though and led to far too many three and outs.

MVP: Rookie Ray Rice had 138 total yards.

What It All Means: The Ravens continue to be very good at home and are just one game out of first and still get the Steelers at home. This year is not a total waste for the Raiders, Russell is getting experience and they’ll get another top 10 pick.

Carolina Panthers 27

Arizona Cardinals 23

Why the Panthers Won: Efficiency. Delhomme was 20-28 for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns. DeAngelo Williams turned in a 100 yard performance and they committed only 3 penalties.

Why the Cardinals Lost: Inability to Finish. The Cardinals had a lead going into the 4th quarter, but turned it over twice in the period which led to 10 Carolina points.

MVP: Steve Smith had 5 catches for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Talking Heads aren’t saying it but Smith clearly stepped out of bounds on the 65 yard score, which was the winning touchdown. Will we have to  hear about that every week like the “ed Hoculi” Call? Probably not.

What It All Means: The Panthers are set as the greatest threat to the Giants. The Cardinals still can’t beat a good team on the road.

Dallas Cowboys 13

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9

Why the Cowboys Won: Protection. Of the Quarterback and the Ball. Against an aggressive Buc Defense the Cowboys gave up just one sack and committed no turnovers.

Why the Bucs Lost: Finishing. Jeff Garcia threw for over 220 yards and the Bucs made three red-zone appearances, but they settled for a field goal each time.

MVP: Zack Thomas had 8 tackles and was all over the field.

What It All Means: An important win for Dallas who looked like they could lose 4 or 5 in a row. Possibly the end of Brad Johnson’s career, as the Cowboys are prepping Brooks Bollinger to possibly start next week. The Bucs are starting to show their age on offense, they have not surpassed 20 points in over a month.

Washington Redskins 25

Detroit Lions 17

Why the Redskins Won: Offensive Stars. Jason Campbell went over 300 yards, 140 of them to Santana Moss. Clinton Portis ran for 120 yards in his fifth straight game.

Why the Lions Lost: Second half missteps. The Lions were in this game for a while. Then they punted on 4 straight possessions to start the second half.

MVP: Campbell was 23-28 for 283 yards and a touchdown. He has still not thrown an interception this year.

What It All Means: The Redskins look like last year’s Jaguars. That is good news for them, as they may finally win a playoff game. The Lions will almost certainly get a top 3 pick and their choice of a very talented QB Class. They look like they will sign Daunte Culpepper this week.

Miami Dolphins 25

Buffalo Bills 16

Why the Dolphins Won: With Buffalo eliminating the running game, Chad Pennington played his best game in years, throwing for 328 yards.

Why the Bills Lost: Fourth Quarter Mistakes. Trent Edwards and the Bills have made their hay in the fourth quarter this year. Against Miami they threw an interception, fumbled twice and gave up a sack in the end zone for a safety.

MVP: Ted Ginn Jr. had the best game of his career. Ginn had 7 catches for 175 yards.

What It All Means: The Dolphins remain a contender and a threat to beat anybody. The Bills have lost 2 of 3 and are starting to show some chinks.

New England Patriots 23

St. Louis Rams 16

Why the Patriots Won: Discipline. The Patriots were not called for a single penalty. St. Louis will argue it was actually officiating. They have sent, ironically, a videotape of several plays they claim are obvious penalties that were not called on the official. Of course, since Roger Goodell is Robert Kraft’s Bitch, it likely won’t matter.

Why the Rams Lost: No Steven Jackson. Won’t usually blame injuries, but missing their best weapon and getting no help from the officials they still nearly won in New England.

MVP: Veteran Kevin Faulk saw a lot of action due to injuries to New England Backs. He had 107 total yards and a receiving touchdown.

What It All Means: With the Cardinals losing and the Rams looking pretty good for a third straight week, they could actually still be in contention. The Patriots are back in first place and their schedule is about to start getting even easier. I still don’t think they’re a championship team, but getting much closer to being a lock for the playoffs.

New Orleans Saints 37

San Diego Chargers 32

Why the Saints Won: Drew Brees was not sacked all game and was barely pressured. That’s bad news for any opposing defense. He threw for 339 yards, his twelfth straight game over 200 yards.

Why the Chargers Lost: Live by Philip…With The Other LT being largely a non-factor this season the Chargers have placed all hope in Philip Rivers. He has played very well for the most part, but for the second straight week he throws a terrible interception on what could be a game-winning drive, by staring down Antonio Gates.

MVP: Brees. If the Saints make the playoffs, he is a lock for MVP.

What It All Means: Saints looked good, but with the depth of the NFC and the pending suspensions to their defensive line, they probably still can not compete. I’ve said before, you judge a coach in his second season. This is what you get with Norv Turner. The QB playing really well, but no defense.

New York Jets 28

Kansas City Chiefs 24

Why the Jets Won: In spite of Brett Favre. Number 4 was booed at home after throwing 3 interceptions and has now thrown 7 in his last three games to lead the league on the year. Brett looks far more like the struggling shell of a couple of seasons ago than Jets fans expected.

Why the Chiefs Lost: They started Tyler Thigpen at QB, Kolby Smith at RB and Mark Bradley at WR…how could they win?

MVP: Leon Washington had 274 total yards and 2 touchdowns.

What It All Means: Why did Brett Favre come back? It wasn’t to win a Super Bowl. The Jets weren’t contenders. He already has records. He came back to have fun. Therefore in his head he can justify constantly chucking balls up into double coverage. He’s a gunslinger after all. He’s hurting the Jets and has to start managing the game better. The Chiefs will be bad for the next 5 years. Minimum.

Philadelphia Eagles 27

Atlanta Falcons 14

Why the Eagles Won: Turnovers. The Eagles won that battle 3-1. One of their interceptions was in the End Zone and helped to solidify a hard fought victory.

Why the Falcons Lost: The Falcons forgot who they were. They threw the ball twice as much as they ran it. Michael Turner had 4 yards per carry and does better in second halves. They should have committed more to it as this was a close game throughout.

MVP: Brian Westbrook returned to the tune of 167 yards and two touchdowns.

What It All Means: As predicted, The Eagles are very impressive with Westbrook. If he stays healthy, the Eagles will end up a playoff team. The Falcons still can’t win big Road games, but played well.

Cleveland Browns 23

Jacksonville Jaguars 17

Why the Browns Won: Cleveland committed just one penalty in the game. They were also able to take advantage of a Jacksonville fumble in the fourth quarter to score the icing field goal. That was big as Jacksonville was able to drive late, but needed a touchdown and couldn’t get it.

Why the Jaguars Lost: They can’t get last years running game back. Drew and Taylor combined for just 53 rushing yards.

MVP: Shaun Rogers is starting to live up to the hype. He had nine tackles, a sack and a blocked field goal.

What It All Means: Cleveland has won 3 out of 4 to at least get back into the playoff conversation. Jacksonville is also 3-4, but has gotten no consistency going.

Houston Texans 35

Cincinnati Bengals 6

Why the Texans Won: Red Zone Defense. The Texans allowed just two field goals, and a fumble, in Cincinnati’s three red zone trips. Houston was the worst red-zone defense in the league coming in.

Why the Bengals Lost: After two okay starts, we are reminded that Ryan Fitzpatrick is Ryan Fitzpatrick. He averaged just 7 yards per completion and threw two interceptions.

MVP: Andre Johnson had 11 catches for 143 yards. He had 40 catches and over 500 yards in October.

What It All Means: Houston wins three in a row, but the teams they beat have 3 combined wins. Their schedule starts to get hard again now. The Bengals can’t get anything going and really have nothing to hang their helmets on.

New York Giants 21

Pittsburgh Steelers 14

Why the Giants Won: Pressure. Not only did the Giants have 5 sacks, but they pressured Ben into throwing 4 interceptions.

Why the Steelers Lost: No Control. There were the sacks, the turnovers and the fact that they were 1 for 10 on third down and 0 for 4 on fourth down.

MVP: No Osi. That’s Okay, they’ve got Mathias Kiwanuka. He had 3 sacks and a forced fumble.

What It All Means: The Giants continue to roll as the best team in the NFL, winning every kind of game they come across. I don’t want to say the Steelers are a fraud, but they have played two good teams and been beated at home both times, and looked terrible on offense in both games.

Seattle Seahawks 34

San Francisco 49ers 13

Why the Seahawks Won: The Seahawks got their best QB performance of the year from Seneca Wallace. He threw for over 220 yards and two touchdowns.

Why the 49ers Lost: No Consistency. The 49ers would drive a little and then punt. Or put together a good drive and settle for a field goal. Or just turn the ball over. The QB got benched, the TE got benched and the defense, which is supposed to be this team’s strong suit, gave up 34 points to a Seneca Wallace led offense.

MVP: Fullback Leonard Weaver had 116 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The fullback…great D Niners.

What It All Means: Nothing. Both of these teams stink.

Tennessee Titans 31

Indianapolis Colts 21

Why the Titans Won: 4th Quarter. The Titans scored 17 points in the final frame to pull away from the Colts in what was once a game highly in doubt.

Why the Colts Lost: Penalties. The Colts committed just 5, but 4 of them came on third down and gave the Titans a first down. That’s way too many second chances to give a good team.

MVP: Kerry Collins may have only thrown for 193 yards, but most of them came in the fourth quarter and when he was let loose finally, he made the most of it.

What It All Means: Many are calling this a statement game for Tennessee. These are the pundits who can’t see that the Colts just aren’t very good. The Titans could wrap this division up by Thanksgiving. Wasn’t it funny to hear Tony Kornheiser talk for 3 quarters about how the Titans were a fraud because of their schedule and the Colts were on their way back, just to see the Titans come storming back and win in convincing fashion? Pardon the Interruption Tony, But You Suck!