The New England Patriots (8-5) have survived unfamiliar bumps week after week and can clinch the AFC East by winning. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-4), with an impressive victory over the Panthers, tied them for first place in the NFC South, and as linebacker Derrick Brooks said, "We aren't interested in whether or not people think we're for real."
The Bucs do seem real, with Chris Simms developing into a quarterback who does not outreach himself and Cadillac Williams running hard before and after he is hit. The Bucs' sharp defense held the Panthers to 276 yards.
In routing the Bills, the Patriots almost lost quarterback Tom Brady, who hurt a shin trying to make a block on a slippery field and also has an injured shoulder. Will he play?
PHOTO: AP
Coach Bill Belichick said, "Brady's fine."
Brady's take: "It's a rough game."
It may also be a cold-weather game, and when the game temperature is 2?C or lower, Brady's record is 14-0.
PHOTO: AFP
Kansas City (8-5) at
New York Giants (9-4)
At a time when these good teams are fighting to reach the playoffs, the Giants have come up with injuries that may make the difference in this game.
In beating the Eagles in overtime last Sunday, the Giants stayed a game ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East. Despite losing a shootout to the Cowboys, the Chiefs remained alive in the AFC's crowded wild-card race.
Against the Eagles, the Giants lost both offensive tackles to injuries, and if one more offensive lineman had been hurt they would have had to fill in with a defensive lineman. Those offensive linemen are better, although not 100 percent, but middle linebacker Antonio Pierce and defensive tackle William Joseph are out with ankle injuries.
Pierce was the quarterback of the defense. Now, in a mass shuffle of linebackers, Nick Greisen moves from the weak side to replace him in the middle. Greisen faces new demands and new techniques, but he said, "Linebacker is linebacker, football is football."
But these linebackers must contend with a Chiefs' offense that gained 493 yards against the Cowboys and saw Larry Johnson rush for 143 yards, his sixth straight 100-yard game.
Denver (10-3) at Buffalo (4-9)
After a scare from the Ravens, the Broncos stretched their lead in the AFC West to two games.
The Bills are a bad team playing badly. In their blowout loss to the Patriots, they were held to eight first downs, 14 yards rushing and 183 yards total. It was their fourth straight loss and their sixth in seven games, and now quarterback J.P. Losman has an injured passing shoulder so Kelly Holcomb will start.
As tailback Willis McGahee said, "It's a lot of chaos."
San Diego (8-5) at
Indianapolis (13-0)
The Colts have won 11 straight games at home and are favored over the sometimes-explosive Chargers, but there is an overriding factor. With their division title, playoff berth and home-field advantage throughout, do the Colts pull out all the stops and try to achieve the NFL's first-ever 16-0 season or do they rest their starters, especially the injured ones, for the playoffs?
There are arguments both ways. Playing the starters exposes them needlessly to injuries. Not playing them could hurt their timing and momentum, especially since the Colts will have a bye week before first playoff game.
Coach Tony Dungy seems to be playing it both ways. He faces an immediate decision because linebacker Cato June (groin and knee) and defensive tackle Corey Simon (foot) are below full strength.
"We don't have to put them back if they're not 100 percent," said Dungy, his eyes on the playoffs. "It's one of the luxuries we have now. Going 16-0 would be great, but it's not the most important thing. We're going to play to win and go from there."
Still, Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison and the other healthy starters may get a few series or quarters off, but don't expect them to miss games.
As Simons said, "Guys want to go out there and play." And James said, "Rest? I'll rest when I'm through playing football. Right now, it's a groove that we're in and we just want to keep going."
Last week, the Colts beat the Jaguars as Manning passed for 324 yards. The Chargers, who had won five straight games, were upset by the Dolphins despite running 88 plays in almost 40 minutes of possession.
Were the Chargers looking past the Dolphins? Maybe. The loss hurt badly because the Chargers trail the Jaguars and the Steelers for the AFC's two wild cards, and they must still play the Chiefs and the Broncos.
Coach Marty Schottenheimer, trying to refocus the Chargers, said of last week, "This game doesn't define the season."
Pittsburgh (8-5) at
Minnesota (8-5)
The Steelers hammered the Bears last week, rushing 190 yards on a muddy, almost-frozen field after averaging 84 yards rushing during a three-game losing streak. Jerome Bettis is running with the power of old and Ben Roethlisberger, with a splint and glove on his injured right hand, is passing well enough.
The Vikings beat the Rams for their sixth straight victory and trail the Bears by a game in the NFC North (they meet Jan. 1 in Minnesota). In that span, the Vikings' defense has allowed an average of 15.5 points.
Atlanta (8-5) at Chicago (9-4)
The Falcons face an uphill climb to the playoffs, with games remaining against the Buccaneers and Panthers, and coach Jim Mora concedes, "We're in a dogfight, but it's better than not being in a fight at this time of year."
Quarterback Michael Vick suffered bruised ribs in the Falcons' Monday night victory over the Saints, but he will play.
The Bears' eight-game winning streak ended when the Steelers shredded their defense.
Coach Lovie Smith of the Bears said, "We haven't played like that all year."
Dallas (8-5) at Washington (7-6)
Both teams won last week with big plays, the Cowboys beating the Chiefs on a 1-yard fourth-down touchdown pass with 22 seconds left and the Redskins getting by the Cardinals on a 91-yard kickoff return.
The Cowboys can get big yardage because Drew Bledsoe (332 yards against the Chiefs) is sometimes still a dangerous passer. The Redskins' unpredictable offense will need ball control from Clinton Portis' running. The Cowboys have more firepower and the Redskins are down to one healthy cornerback.
Cincinnati (10-3) at Detroit (4-9)
A victory for the Bengals would clinch the title in the AFC North. The Bengals got a scare from the Browns, winning in a last-play field goal. Rudi Johnson's running (30 carries for 169 yards) saved the Bengals because Carson Palmer passed for only 93 yards in a fierce wind.
Wide receiver Chad Johnson shrugged that off, saying, "We can win any type of game."
The Lions lost in overtime to the Packers, they couldn't stop the run, and in the fourth quarter they couldn't score on three plays from the 1-yard line.
Philadelphia (5-8) at
St. Louis (5-8)
After four straight NFC title games, the Eagles are out of the playoff picture following an overtime loss to the Giants. The Rams' defeat by the Vikings was their fourth in the last five games, but rookie Ryan Fitzpatrick remains at quarterback.
Arizona (4-9) at Houston (1-12)
The Cardinals, with no running game, lost to the Redskins. The Texans lost to the Titans when they missed two field goals in the last four minutes.
Their losing streak is up to five, and center Steve McKinney said, "You kind of shake your head and ask who did we offend."
Carolina (9-4) vs.
New Orleans (3-10)
at Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The Panthers gained only 276 yards in bowing to the Buccaneers. The Saints' loss to the Eagles Monday night was their eighth in nine games, prompting the usually upbeat receiver Joe Horn to say, "It's very difficult because you think about `what if?'"
New York Jets (3-10) at Miami (6-7)
In the Jets' upset of the Raiders, they lost tailback Curtis Martin for the season to knee surgery and still rushed for 184 yards. The Dolphins, with an upset of the Chargers, have won three straight and still have an outside shot for the title in the AFC East.
Seattle (11-2) at Tennessee (4-9)
The latest notches in the Seahawks' nine-game wining streak are the Eagles by 42-0 and the 49ers by 41-3. The Seahawks have already started to rest their regulars for the playoffs. In the Titans' tough victory over the Texans, they gave up only 234 yards.
San Francisco (2-11) at Jacksonville (9-4)
In seven of their 13 games, the 49ers have failed to gain 200 yards. The Jaguars put up a good fight in losing to the Colts. They lead the AFC wild-card race, and their last three games are against the 49ers, Texans and Titans, with a combined record of 7-32.
Cleveland (4-9) at Oakland (4-9)
The Browns played tough in losing to the Bengals on a last-play field goal. The Raiders, after starting Marques Tuiasosopo at quarterback for one game, return to Kerry Collins and try to end a three-game losing streak. Home field makes the difference.
Green Bay (3-10) at Baltimore (4-9)
Before the season, this sounded like a great matchup. Both teams are trying, as witness the Packers beating the Lions in overtime while the Ravens almost upset the Broncos. The Ravens must stop Samkon Gato, the Packers' rookie tailback.
Not long after the regular season ends, coaching changes in the NFL will begin.
Many teams, including Oakland, Houston, Buffalo and New Orleans, have failed to meet expectations, and the coaches in those cities will likely not escape unscathed. It appears that the Texans' owner, Bob McNair, will fire coach Dom Capers, particularly after McNair's hiring Monday of Dan Reeves, a veteran former head coach, as a consultant. The team's general manager, Charlie Casserly, is also under fire now that the Texans (1-12) are almost certain to finish with the worst record in their four-year history.
"We will wait until the end of the year before we make any determinations for next year," McNair said Monday at the news conference to announce Reeves's hiring. "None of us are happy with the performance of our team this year. We're all disappointed. It's very frustrating."
This is a crucial stage for McNair's franchise, with Houston the front-runner to earn the No. 1 pick in the draft. But even if the Texans land Reggie Bush, the Heisman Trophy winner, they will not turn things around unless they can build a solid offense around him and quarterback David Carr, the No. 1 pick in 2002, whose play remains erratic.
Reeves is being asked to evaluate the organization, and he made it clear that he will not undermine Capers. However, Reeves did not rule out returning to coaching if asked.
"Never is a bad word, to say you'll never be a head coach again," Reeves said at the news conference. "But am I actively looking? No. Did Bob call me and ask me if I was interested in being the head coach? No. He called and asked if I was interested in helping him by being a consultant."
Regardless of Reeves's role, Capers may have a difficult time convincing McNair to give him another season.
Frustration is also evident in Oakland, where the Raiders (4-9) are about to post three consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the owner, Al Davis, became involved with the team in 1963. Davis has never been shy about firing coaches, and Norv Turner's reputation as an offensive guru has taken a hit during his two seasons with the Raiders. Oakland was expected to have a potent offense after acquiring Randy Moss and LaMont Jordan, but the Raiders have averaged only 19.9 points a game.
Turner benched quarterback Kerry Collins against the Jets in favor of Marques Tuiasosopo, but on Wednesday, Turner announced he was returning to Collins for Sunday's game against Cleveland. It's too late for either quarterback to save the Raiders' season, and Davis may decide it is too late for Turner to save his job.
Both Buffalo (4-9) and New Orleans (3-10) have faltered badly after barely missing the playoffs last season. Considering what the Saints have endured in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, coach Jim Haslett may get another chance, but the Saints have not reached the playoffs since Haslett's first season in 2000.
"I would like to know something before the end of the season, but again, that's up to him," Haslett said to reporters on Wednesday, speaking of the owner, Tom Benson.
In Buffalo, Mike Mularkey may need his team to finish the season strongly to salvage his job. "I'm not looking at it like that," he told reporters this week. "My job is to get us to win these games, not for any other reasons."
JAMES WILLING TO REST
If Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy decides to rest his starters before the playoffs, it could cost Edgerrin James the NFL rushing title.
James enters today's game against the Chargers with 1,440 yards rushing, trailing only Seattle's Shaun Alexander (1,496 yards). Dungy said his starters would play today, but he may rest them the final two weeks, considering the unbeaten Colts (13-0) have already clinched the American Football Conference South title and home-field advantage for the playoffs.
James, who has won two rushing titles, said his main concern was winning the Super Bowl. "I've had it before," James said of the title, speaking in the locker room after last Sunday's victory against Jacksonville.
"If you can get a rushing title, that's cool, but we're not going to go out of our way," he said. "If coach says, 'Edge, I want you to go out and get the rushing title,' I'll accept every carry. But if he says, 'Edge, I want you to sit down,' I'll sit down."
James and Terrell Owens, the banished Philadelphia Eagles receiver, have the same agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Unlike Owens, James has enjoyed a controversy-free season, despite his unhappiness with the Colts for not signing him to a long-term contract.
But there is no guarantee that James will re-sign with Indianapolis after this season because of salary cap restrictions and his own expectations. If not, Dungy would undoubtedly miss him.
"He runs hard, picks up the tough yardage for us, he catches the ball out of the backfield, and he's the best pass-protecting good back I've seen, like Marcus Allen or Walter Payton," Dungy said.
THE YEAR-AFTER HANGOVER
Losing the Super Bowl leaves teams with a worse hangover than too much tequila. The Eagles became the fifth consecutive Super Bowl loser to miss the playoffs the following season, joining the Giants (2001), St. Louis (2002), Oakland (2003) and Carolina (2004).
Eagles safety Brian Dawkins blames a rash of injuries for Philadelphia's demise.
"For me, what happened this year, with this team, with all the injuries and stuff, I can't put too much into it," Dawkins said to reporters Wednesday.
"I don't know that we have to make significant changes," he said. "But I know we can trust that they upstairs will make the decisions that need to be made this off-season. I just want the guys to get back 100 percent, so that we can get to next year running full speed."
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