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Week 17: Titans enter calm before storm
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Titans 31, Cowboys 0: Maybe there was something discomforting about the
Titans' first-half performance Monday night. Steve McNair showed the effects
of being unable to practice full time last week. Titans coach Jeff Fisher
probably should have waited to reward Bruce Matthews on the tackle-eligible
play that backfired. Whatever, these are the Titans. Seldom do they play
artsy football. But seldom does anybody play artsy against them. Whatever
message Fisher delivered at halftime to his players, it was received. The
defensive onslaught that followed in the third quarter surely made all future
playoff opponents uncomfortable. The Titans are the Super Bowl favorites
entering the postseason, but McNair needs the bye to get healthier. The one
element that's missing from his game this time a year ago is his ability to
make plays with his legs. I think Tennessee is going to need McNair's
scrambling to go the distance. Eddie George also looked like he could use the
bye week to rest up; backup Rodney Thomas looked more explosive than George. The Cowboys have a lot to ponder, but they can
start now.
|  | | Marshall Faulk has literally carried the Rams. |
Rams 26, Saints 21: There has been little doubt in my mind that Marshall Faulk is the NFL's best player. I just struggled with the idea on whether the league MVP can come from a team that doesn't make the playoffs. This issue is all but settled . No matter that the Rams lost last week in Tampa Bay, Faulk literally carried the Rams across the finish line by scoring 11 TDs in the last three games. His 220 yards on 32 carries Sunday came against a hard-hitting Saints' defense that has shown some vulnerability against the run in recent weeks. Great drama as the Rams walked off the field; Bears kicker Paul Edinger booted a 54-yarder to beat the Lions, giving the defending Super Bowl champs an opportunity to defend their title. And that's a good thing for the NFL. The Rams' defense even showed up, playing perhaps their finest game when they most needed it. It didn't hurt that Faulk and Co. kept the ball for more than 37 minutes. I thought Rams coach Mike Martz called a terrific game, and Trent Green also delivered some big throws after Kurt Warner was hurt. This makes for an interesting rubber match in New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs. Why do I get the feeling the Giants are rooting for the Saints?
Packers 17, Bucs 14 (OT): I love Martin Gramatica's feistiness, but imagine how he feels, knowing that two missed field goals - including a 40-yarder with nine seconds left - cost the Bucs the NFC Central division title. Despite the defeat, the Bucs can take some pride in how they battled. Down 14-0, on the road, wind chill of minus-15, and they outplayed the Packers in the second half. In fact, Bucs QB Shaun King wasn't pretty but he was more efficient than the Packers' Brett Favre. King threw for over 200 yards with no interceptions; Favre was under 200 with two picks. But I must applaud the Packers. They finished the year with a four-game sweep against all four NFC Central rivals - which certainly will propel them into an upbeat off-season. First-year coach Mike Sherman answered a lot of questions about his qualifications, and punctuated it with a courageous disciplinary decision to deactivate wide receiver Antonio Freeman in a game with playoff implications. Sherman's coordinators, Tom Rossley on offense and Ed Donatell on defense, were excellent. And how about offensive line coach Larry Beightol again getting his troops ready? This line dominated the Bucs - rushing for 135 yards and allowing just one sack of Favre. In overtime, the Pack took the kickoff and then rammed it down the Bucs' throats with DeMond Parker finishing up for an injured Ahman Green, who had another stellar game (74 yards rushing, 78 receiving on nine catches). Ryan Longwell's field goal to end it was his way of telling Gramatica that the wrong kicker is going to the Pro Bowl.
Ravens 34, Jets 20: This was very good comedy, two former Buc QBs playing as if they were still in Tampa Bay uniforms. Vinny Testaverde and Trent Dilfer are two good men. They are not very good quarterbacks, not at this stage anyway. Testaverde was suicidal with five turnovers. Dilfer was less than 100 yards again with two more interceptions and just one pass completion of seven yards to a wide receiver. The Ravens' defense had its trouble on a record-setting day but they also made big plays, none bigger than cornerback Chris McAlister's backbreaking 98-yard interception return. Instead of perhaps going up 21-12 at the half, the Jets trailed 20-14. But you can't pin it all on Vinny. Take away two punt returns for TDs by Jermaine Lewis and it's a tie game. Assuming that Tennessee takes care of business Christmas night, the Ravens do have some concerns. Their pass defense does have some holes and their pass rush can disappear at times. Do you realize the defense was on the field for 95 plays Sunday? Dilfer also did nothing to regain the confidence of anybody in Baltimore. Nevertheless, a 12-4 season is nothing to denigrate. It shall be interesting to see Mike Shanahan and the Broncos come to town.
Dolphins 27, Patriots 24: This couldn't have been any bigger for Miami. Can you imagine their morale going into the playoffs had they lost this game, and thus the AFC East title? But down 24-17 midway through the fourth quarter, the Dolphins proved that they are worthy champs because they beat the Bills, Colts and Pats on the road down the stretch. Jay Fiedler may have had his finest moment at QB. Banged up, in a slump, playing again without WR Leslie Shepherd, and forced by the New England defense to throw the ball, Fiedler was 12-for-12 on third downs. The Dolphins' defense had a troublesome performance but future brothers-in-law Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor had big interceptions. Put it this way - the Dolphins found a way to win for Dave Wannstedt, even if it was a delayed victory after the bizarre 35-minute break that forced both teams back on the field for one final play. How does that happen? The Pats (5-11) may have been a disappointment but they did not lie down.
Bears 23, Lions 20: Unbelievable, but appropriate. Most of the Lions' best moments came on the road, so this stunning defeat at the Pontiac Silverdome probably should not have surprised us. Brian Urlacher gets my defensive rookie of the year vote - his hit on a QB sack that KO'd Charlie Batch forced Stoney Case into the game. I'm not saying Batch would have won it, but an interception and fumble by Case gave the Bears hope. Bears coach Dick Jauron also got a focused week of preparation from his players, inspired by his decision to bench Cade McNown. Still, McNown performed well enough when Shane Matthews broke his thumb and gave Paul Edinger a chance to kick a heart stopping 54-yard field goal to change the landscape of the NFC playoffs.
Colts 31, Vikings 10: I'm not going to count the Vikings out, despite their obvious slump. They were still able to secure a bye and a home game. Teams can regroup. However, I must question Dennis Green's decision to force Daunte Culpepper into a start that could affect the QB's healing from a high ankle sprain. I know that when the game started, the Vikes technically still needed to win (the Bucs were alive in their Green Bay game), but Culpepper was clearly a one-legged passer. (However, it's possible Bubby Brister's week of practice scared Green into this move). The Colts' big three delivered the goods. Petyon Manning's four TD passes set a franchise record held by the great Johnny Unitas; Marvin Harrison thawed out with three TD catches; Edgerrin James won an NFL rushing title. The defense also continued to play well, though the Vikes were hardly inspired once the Bucs lost, which gave Minnesota their bye. The Colts cannot be dismissed as a Super Bowl contender. Too many playmakers.
Raiders 52, Panthers 9: Talk about a statement! Rich Gannon gave an MVP performance with five TD passes, but likely will have to concede to Marshall Faulk. I like the way Oakland took care of business to secure a bye and a home game. I like Ty Wheatley and Tim Brown. I like Charles Woodson, Eric Allen and Greg Biekert. I like Jon Gruden. I like the Raiders' chances, but I can't go to the bank with them. Actually, it's hard to go to bank with anyone in this wacky season.
Eagles 16, Bengals 7: Okay, it wasn't pretty, but did you really expect the Eagles to go 11-5, win a playoff berth, and get a first-round home game? The Eagles could have won more convincingly behind Donovan McNabb, but coach Andy Reid's experiment to give recent pickup Chris Warren the football backfired. Warren had just 42 yards on 15 carries and lost two fumbles. The Bengals competed but I had a problem with their game plan. Why did Scott Mitchell get 34 opportunities in a close game and Corey Dillon just 16? That's messed up.
Redskins 20, Cardinals 3: Good for Terry Robiskie. He got his first win and had fun doing it. He did it his way, with Jeff George on the bench (don?t pay too much attention to any denials regarding George). He utilized the talented Champ Bailey as a runner (a 7-yard TD) and a receiver (2-for-54 yards). Stephen Davis, who had taken a nosedive, rallied for a 120-yard day. Brad Johnson was solid, although he did throw two interceptions. Then again, the two picks were by Arizona's splendid Aeneas Williams. Surely, the Cardinals will not let this potential free agent get away. On the other side, surely Redskins owner Daniel Snyder can see that he must let George get away. One last thought on the Redskins: If Snyder had not fired Norv Turner and had provided the team with a dependable kicker, Washington would still be alive and in a Super Bowl hunt. Shame, shame.
Steelers 34, Chargers 17: They did their part, but the Steelers' consolation prize was a day in paradise of San Diego. The Chargers now must get busy - they must make an aggressive move to hire Norv Turner as offensive coordinator; they must cut Ryan Leaf loose; and they must hire John Butler as GM to find some players.
Falcons 29, Chiefs 13: Gunther Cunningham did not have a merry Christmas. Somehow, he must reinvent the Chiefs if he still has a job. The Falcons won, but blew the No. 2 pick in the draft. Here's what Dan reeves must do: Make some staff changes on offense, get some younger, hungrier coaches, draft a QB to develop, and figure out if he should go one more year with Chris Chandler. Oh, did anybody notice that Jamal Anderson (107 yards) went over the 1,000-yard barrier, a notable achievement in light of his injury, the Falcons' O-line and their overall play?
Giants 28, Jaguars 25: I'm almost certain I will cast my coach of the year vote for the Saints' Jim Haslett. I had the Giants going to the playoffs in my preseason picks. But Jim Fassel has gone way beyond my expectations with this team. He has brought Kerry Collins back to life, and Collins brought the Giants the home field advantage with his clutch throws in the fourth quarter. Don't forget now - Collins has taken a team (the Panthers) to an NFC title game, so he is not a babe in the woods. It might be easy to rationalize (since I picked Jacksonville) that had Jimmy Smith not been KO'd early in this game, and then the Jaguars would have won. But it was Giants safety Shaun Williams, who has had a terrific year, delivering the KO punch The Giants played hard, they rocked Smith and Fred Taylor. Defensive coordinator John Fox would be a great hire as somebody's head coach - you just wonder whether he'll get an opportunity when he seems so ripe for the moment. I am no longer underestimating the Giants' chances to win it all in the NFC.
Buffalo 42, Seattle 23: I wonder if Wade Phillips wonders what would have happened had he just played Doug Flutie at quarterback all season. I see no reason why the Bills would even consider cutting Flutie loose, do you? The Seahawks were pretty pitiful as Mike Holmgren enters the most important off-season of his GM-coaching stint in Seattle.
Broncos 38, 49ers 9: Did anybody think the Broncos would lose their final game at Mile High Stadium? WRs Rod Smith (who just might be a bona fide All-Pro pick) and Ed McCaffrey each surpassed the 100-catch mark. Brian Griese's shoulder injury still remains a big concern - the logical choice might be Gus Frerotte, who needs all the repetitions he can take to get ready for the Baltimore Ravens.
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