FLASHUPDATE WEEK 16 TEAM NOTES/Wednesday, 19 Dec. 2007
Compiled By FlashUpdate Editor Bob Harris
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ARIZONA CARDINALS
At 6-8, only one hope remained for Arizona: If the Bears could beat the Vikings on Monday night, the Cardinals at least stood a chance to make the playoffs. 
But the Vikings' 20-13 victory ended the Cardinals' hopes. Now it would appear that avoiding a losing record is the goal. Heading into this week, beating 3-11 Atlanta and 3-11 St. Louis -- both home games -- will allow for an 8-8 finish. 
But as Arizona Republic staffer Bob McManaman suggested Tuesday, finishing .500 is no cause for celebration. 
"That's not something we'd be happy with," first-year head coach Ken Whisenhunt said. 
According to McManaman, the Cardinals are mad about where they are. They expect more. 
"That, to me, is encouraging," the coach said. "You'd certainly rather see that than apathy from guys who don't care, who are just trying to play it out." 
For the second consecutive week, the Cardinals didn't look all that motivated, but Whisenhunt said his team will not lack emotion in the final two games. Apathy won't be tolerated. 
Let's hope not. ... 
Other notes of interest. ... As Republic staffer Kent Somers noted Monday, Anquan Boldin didn't look like a guy whose status wasn't determined until shortly before Sunday's loss to the Saints. 
Boldin caught six passes for 83 yards to lead the Cardinals in both categories. Boldin didn't play the previous week after suffering a dislocated toe against Cleveland two weeks ago. 
"You just see the toughness he brings to this football team," Kurt Warner said. "If Q is doing what he's doing, it's just like, get him the ball. He's one of those guys who is going to find a way, and he's going to spark your team. ..." 
Larry Fitzgerald heads into the final two games ranked second in the NFC to the Cowboys' Terrell Owens in receiving yards (1,166), is tied for fourth in catches (83) and is fifth in touchdowns (eight). 
Fitzgerald is playing with a groin strain while Boldin has a sore hip to go with the dislocated toe. 
Both figure to be listed as day-to-day throughout the final two weeks, although Whisenhunt said Monday that he did not plan to deactivate either to get some rest. 
"No," the coach said. "We're working on trying to develop some consistency, trying to develop an approach. That's the way were going to play, the way we're going to approach practice, the way we're going to approach games, and obviously, that's the kind of players that we want. ..." 
Edgerrin James' 84 rushing yards boosted his season total to 1,052, the second consecutive season he had surpassed the 1,000-yard mark. He is the first Cardinals running back to do that since Ottis Anderson in 1983 and '84. 
James wasn't exactly scheduling a celebration after the game. 
"Getting to 1,000 yards rushing for a season doesn't mean anything when you lose," he said. "That's all I'm going to say about that. ..." 
For what it's worth, James left Indianapolis the year before the Colts won the Super Bowl, but coach Tony Dungy made sure James received a ring just like his former teammates. Dungy said James deserved it for his seven years in Indianapolis. 
James doesn't plan to wear it, but he appreciated the gesture. "I'll cherish that forever," he said. "I'll put it up high, and hopefully someday I'll match it. ..." 
Warner's 21 touchdown passes are the most in a season by a Cardinals quarterback since Neil Lomax had 24 in 1987 in St. Louis. No quarterback in the team's Arizona history had more than 20 until this year. Lomax had 20 in 1988. ... 
According to Republic columnist Dan Bickley, the new coaching staff is extremely grateful for Warner's competitiveness, his guts, his accuracy and how he selflessly mentors Matt Leinart, even though it hurts his own interests. 
With no other viable options at quarterback, Warner has played this season with a torn ligament in his non-throwing arm, a wrenched knee and an assortment of other ailments. When he left the Superdome on Sunday, he had an assortment of nasty welts on his forehead. 
Still, Bickley suggests there's an unmistakable feeling that the coaching staff is disillusioned with his tendency to turn the ball over. While the interception on Sunday (his 15th of the season) was not his fault, he was charged with a key fumble when stripped from behind. 
It led to the Saints' final touchdown and prompted a heated sideline exchange between Warner and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. 
"People always make a big deal out of (that stuff)," Warner said. "But for us in the locker room, it's no big deal. It's passion. It's fire. It's all those things tied into one, with a bunch of guys trying to compete. That's really all it was. I don't make any big deal out of it. And maybe someday we'll laugh about it." 
Warner also added that Haley came over and asked if the quarterback was still mad, implying that the coach said something very inappropriate. ... 
For the record, Warner has 30 fumbles in 28 games with the Cardinals. While Whisenhunt defended Warner's fumbling tendencies after the game, it's enough for some observers to believe the job will again be handed to a healthy Leinart next summer. ... 
According to Pro Football Weekly, the Cardinals feel they can get by without tight end Leonard Pope, who is out for the rest of the season after dislocating his right ankle in the Week 14 loss in Seattle. Team insiders who have watched both Pope and rookie Ben Patrick in practice all season believe Patrick can catch the ball and run with it every bit as well as Pope, who had developed into a pretty dependable target (five TD receptions) for Warner before going down for the count. 
While it's still possible the Cardinals might look for a tight end in free agency this offseason, PFW believes that's become much less of a priority because of the solid progress both Pope and Patrick have made. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Kurt Warner, Tim Rattay, Tim Hasselbeck 
RB: Edgerrin James, Marcel Shipp, J.J. Arrington 
FB: Terrelle Smith 
WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Bryant Johnson, Sean Morey, Jerheme Urban, Steve Breaston 
TE: Ben Patrick, Troy Bienemann, Tim Euhus 
PK: Neil Rackers 
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ATLANTA FALCONS
Talk about your ups and downs. ... Bill Parcells appeared all but certain to become the Atlanta Falcons' vice president of football operations -- a role that would have put him in charge of finding the next coach for a team rocked by the suspension and imprisonment of Michael Vick and the sudden resignation of Bobby Petrino. 
FOXSports insider Jay Glazer and ESPN's Chris Mortensen first began reporting the story Tuesday night. 
The New York Daily News and NFL Network insider Adam Schefter both reported on Wednesday morning that Parcells was on the verge of accepting the job, with only a few details to be worked out. 
"I think I probably will do it," Parcells told the Daily News. "The job description is to be the football operations overseer. We still have a little work to do, but I don't think it's anything major. I don't expect any real deal-breaker. I don't think there will be any major hangups." 
Except there was. In the form of another suitor. 
The Falcons announced Wednesday afternoon that their pursuit of Parcells ended. The team's media relations department released the following Wednesday afternoon: 
"Late last night it was revealed to the media by a source outside the Falcons that we were close to reaching an agreement with Bill Parcells to lead the club’s football operations. 
"Prior to the information becoming public, we had reached an agreement in principle with Parcells, and we met with him this morning to complete the contract. At that time, we were made aware by Parcells that he was considering a revised offer from the Miami Dolphins. He later informed us that he would not be signing a contract with us. 
"We remain committed to looking at every option for building a championship-caliber team for our fans. I have stated we will leave no stone unturned in doing so, and this effort is one example of that. We gave it our best shot, and it didn’t work out. 
"We will continue down the same overall path, proceeding with plans to hire a general manager and a head coach. We will identify and consider every strongly viable candidate for these positions, with the goal of hiring the best. Rich McKay remains President of the club and will retain general manager responsibilities until a new GM is hired. 
"We will be making no further comment on the Parcells matter. ..." 
In case you missed it, Bill Cowher turned down a similar overture from Falcons owner Arthur Blank last week. 
The most interesting aspect of this story might be the fact that McKay will remain on as general manager, a role he still seems all but certain to lose before all is said and done. ... 
Moving back onto the field. ... The Falcons players, to a man last week, seemed to support the naming of Emmitt Thomas as the team's interim head coach in the wake of Petrino's resignation, but that support apparently didn't extend to the field at Tampa Bay on Sunday. 
As SI.com insider Don Banks noted, Atlanta's 37-3 surrender to the Bucs wasn't the way Thomas probably dreamt his first game as an NFL head coach would unfold. 
The offense has been especially offensive. As Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer Steve Wyche put it: "The Falcons' offense has been the equivalent of Shaq at the free-throw line. ... 
According to AP sports writer George Henry, Sunday's game was all Thomas needed to gauge weaknesses. A 29-year coaching veteran and former standout cornerback with Kansas City, Thomas believes the Atlanta players have strayed far from the basics. 
"Don't try to do anything you're not capable of doing," Thomas said on Monday. "Take care of your responsibilities first and then run to the football. That's all football is: blocking, tackling, running and catching. We've got to get back to that." 
But as Wyche noted, such multi-tasking has been a challenge. 
Once the top rushing team in the NFL, in part because of Vick, Atlanta averages 92.4 yards per game (25th in the NFL). The passing attack has improved from last in the league last season, but it has been the team's most sporadic part. Three different quarterbacks have completed 291 passes for 3,007 yards and 12 touchdowns. In comparison, Tom Brady has passed for 4,235 yards and 45 touchdowns. 
The Falcons also have had seven turnovers returned for scores, including Ronde Barber's 29-yard interception of Redman for a touchdown on Atlanta's third offensive play Sunday. 
"We couldn't get in a flow," Chris Redman, who had a 0.0 passer rating in his second start, said. "With anything, I don't think guys felt real comfortable. We were trying to establish a tempo and we never really got into it. We weren't there together as an offense." 
Though Redman is coming off a bad game and two tough starts (27-of-55 passing for 332 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions) he will remain the quarterback, Thomas reiterated Monday, because he gives Atlanta the best chance to win. 
In other words, coaches have seen enough of Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich. 
According to Wyche, Petrino's resignation, days' worth of venting and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson's partial absence to interview for the Duke job, completely threw preparation for Sunday's game out of whack. So the abysmal showing -- four turnovers, 27 passing yards, 0-for-9 on third down -- didn't come out of nowhere. 
But this demise seems as if it has been in the works for months. 
The offensive linemen on the roster are more suited to zone blocking, but are being asked to drive people. Injuries weakened that line and rookie guard Justin Blalock faded to the point where he's been benched. 
The Falcons have allowed 43 sacks -- sixth most in the NFL. 
No real rotation has materialized between tailback Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood. The role of fullback Ovie Mughelli, signed to a five-year, $18 million contract, might be the biggest mystery on the team. 
Third-year wide receiver Roddy White has blossomed, but tight end Alge Crumpler has not been himself because of injuries and the scheme, and veteran free-agent acquisition Joe Horn has just 24 catches. 
"I just think it's putting a hat on a hat and blocking people and running tough," Thomas said. "That's what we're going to stress this week." 
Other notes of interest. ... Crumpler did not catch a pass for the first time in 74 games in which he played. Of Redman's four completions, one each went to Laurent Robinson, Dunn, Michael Jenkins and White. 
White needed 5 yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He still needs one more yard to reach the milestone. ... 
Thomas expects Norwood to play against the Cardinals this week despite a sore knee. ... 
And finally. ... The NFL fined five Falcons for various displays of support for their incarcerated quarterback. The league has confirmed that Crumpler, cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston and receivers White and Horn have all been fined for "uniform violations." 
With the exception of Horn, who was fined $7,500, each player was hit with a $10,000 penalty for actions during the team's 34-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints on December 10. 
Hall and Crumpler each wore black eye strips with writing on them recognizing Vick. 
White displayed a "Free Mike Vick" T-shirt under his jersey after scoring a touchdown, a message Horn assisted with by pulling up the wide receiver's jersey. Hall carried a poster of Vick onto the field during introductions and taped it to the back of the bleachers on which players sit. 
Vick was sentenced to 23 months in jail on federal dog-fighting charges the morning of Atlanta's game with the Saints. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Chris Redman, Byron Leftwich, Joey Harrington 
RB: Warrick Dunn, Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling 
FB: Ovie Mughelli, Corey McIntyre 
WR: Roddy White, Joe Horn, Michael Jenkins, Laurent Robinson, Adam Jennings 
TE: Alge Crumpler, Dwayne Blakley, Courtney Anderson 
PK: Morten Andersen 
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BALTIMORE RAVENS
As Baltimore Sun staffer Jamison Hensley framed it Monday: "In what has been perhaps the most miserable season in their history, the Ravens had lost a handful of starters before and their share of gut-wrenching games. 
"But they always talked about never losing their pride ... until now." 
Unable to hold a 10-point halftime lead, the Ravens did the unthinkable, losing to the previously winless Miami Dolphins, 22-16, in overtime at a half-empty Dolphin Stadium Sunday. 
Hensley added: "The Dolphins managed to sidestep history, and the Ravens tried to absorb their place in infamy. ..." 
After the game, head coach Brian Billick was defensive when asked if this loss was an embarrassment. 
"I'll bank on character anytime," Billick said. "It doesn't mean a lot to [the media] sometimes, but it does to me. I'll count on character on this team." 
But does he really count on it? 
Faced with fourth-and-goal and 12 seconds left in regulation, Billick said he was tempted to go for a game-winning touchdown instead of the tying field goal. But he didn't. 
"All or nothing in our circumstance, why not?" Billick said. "But we had just driven the length of the field, and there are some things to be drawn from going into overtime and doing those things. Yeah, it would have been fun to try." 
"I wanted a chance (to go for the touchdown)," said Willis McGahee, who ran for 104 yards on 29 carries. 
The Ravens, though, had another shot to win in overtime when they drove 54 yards and sent Matt Stover onto the field. But Stover missed wide left because he "overkicked" it. 
Two weeks ago, the Ravens nearly became the first team to knock off the unbeaten New England Patriots. Now, they're trying to swallow one of the most humiliating games in their existence. ... 
It won't be easy. ... 
Determined to keep the team's focus on winning, Billick remains committed to starting Kyle Boller over Troy Smith despite the former first-round pick suffering a mild concussion Sunday. 
"In my opinion, Kyle clearly gives us the best chance to win the game," Billick said. 
In Miami, Boller completed 10 of 19 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. With Boller, the Ravens converted seven of 13 third downs (54 percent). But he was knocked out of the game by a forceful hit from defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday in the fourth quarter. 
In his second NFL appearance, Smith led the game-tying, 59-yard drive in the final seconds of regulation and helped the Ravens get in position for the potential game-winning field goal in overtime (albeit with just one pass, a 4-yarder, in OT). 
Billick, though, isn't tempted to start the Heisman Trophy winner. 
"Kyle played very well and deserves the opportunity to continue to grow and get what he might out of these last two games," Billick said. 
Boller complained of blurred vision after the hit and still had a headache Monday. Billick stressed that he wouldn't start Boller if the quarterback has any lingering effects. 
It's worth noting that Boller wasn't able to practice Wednesday. ... 
The Ravens were without tight end Todd Heap (strained hamstring) and wide receiver Demetrius Williams (high-ankle sprain) in Miami and chances are both men will continue to miss time. Williams was not able to practice Wednesday. 
Billick was noncommittal on whether Heap or cornerback Samari Rolle (shoulder) would be available Sunday, but emphasized neither man wasn't imminently going to be placed on injured reserve. 
"Until we put them on IR, we're obviously hoping that there's some opportunity to play," Billick said. "They want to. We've had those discussions with them: 'Look, we're at the point in the season, do you want to go on IR?' Neither one of them are at that point. 
"They want to play these last two games. So, right now, that's where we'll proceed. Hopefully, both will be available this week, but we won't know until we get into the week. ..." 
And finally. ... In an article published after Sunday's game, SI.com insider Don Banks wrote: "I know it was reported last week that Billick was told by Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti that his job was safe for 2008, but I wonder if the humiliating loss to the Dolphins -- Baltimore's franchise-worst eighth in a row -- could change the dynamics? 
"Could Bisciotti change his mind and make a run at either Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett or Bill Cowher? I get the feeling the Ravens' coaching situation still might have some fluidity to it. ..." 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Kyle Boller, Troy Smith 
RB: Willis McGahee, Musa Smith, Mike Anderson 
FB: Le'Ron McClain. Justin Green 
WR: Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Devard Darling, Yamon Figurs, Demetrius Williams 
TE: Daniel Wilcox, Quinn Sypniewski, Todd Heap 
PK: Matt Stover, Rhys Lloyd 
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BUFFALO BILLS
Once again, there will be no postseason for Buffalo, a franchise record eighth consecutive year where the Bills will watch on television as 11 other teams try to prevent New England from winning another Vince Lombardi Trophy. 
As Rochester Democrat & Chronicle staffer Sal Maiorana suggested, it's hard in this day and age in the NFL to miss the playoffs eight years in a row, but the Bills have done it, and Detroit and Arizona are about to join them. 
So Maiorana explained, "Now that it's official, the Bills have set their sights on a new goal: Finishing 9-7 and building some momentum for 2008. ..." 
But there are certainly reasons for optimism. The notion of young offensive prospects like Marshawn Lynch and Trent Edwards developing alongside talented veteran Lee Evans would be chief among them. 
Edwards and Lynch are the first rookie tandem to reach 1,000 yards passing and 800 yards rushing since 1989. If Lynch goes over the 1,000-yard mark, the rookie duo will become only the fourth tandem to post 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing. 
The last rookie tandem to do so was Detroit running back Barry Sanders (1,470) and quarterback Rodney Peete (1,479) in '89. 
Only three rookie Bills running backs have reached the 1,000-yard mark: Joe Cribbs in 1980 (1,185), Greg Bell in 1984 (1,100) and Terry Miller in 1978 (1,060). Thurman Thomas rushed for 881 yards in 1988. 
According to Pro Football Weekly, sources say Edwards is among the most engaging quarterbacks ever to play for the Bills. Edwards' intelligence, charisma and general perspective on issues away from football emanates on a daily basis in Orchard Park, and it's clear that Buffalo has a quarterback of a rare variety. 
According to the Buffalo News, Edwards is proving to be one of the best finds in the third round. 
Edwards' numbers in his rookie season are among the best for quarterbacks drafted in the third round. His four wins are the most since Chris Chandler produced nine in 1988, and Edwards is the second third-round quarterback in 40 years to throw for 1,200 yards as a rookie. 
Among third-round quarterbacks, Edwards' seven starts are more than San Diego's Dan Fouts in 1973 (six) and Cincinnati's Ken Anderson in 1972 (four). 
Of course, having great potential and fulfilling it are two different things. Both Edwards and Lynch will need strong sophomore seasons to seal the deal. ... 
Getting back to last week. ... Lynch walked out of the tunnel and into snow- and wind-splattered Cleveland Browns Stadium with an astonished look. Growing up in Oakland, Calif., the rookie running hadn't experienced anything like this. 
"It looked like something I saw on the Discovery Channel on the North Pole," Lynch said. "That's kind of how it felt." 
According to News staffer Rodney McKissic, Lynch and his teammates were warned about the wintry conditions expected for Sunday's game against the Browns, but nothing quite as extreme as what they actually encountered. 
"Even the footing going forward wasn't very good," head coach Dick Jauron said. "It was just treacherous out there and it got progressively worse." 
Aside from its final possession, the Bills' offense couldn't move the ball. It finished with only 232 yards of total offense, a 3.6-yard average per play while converting just 3 of 16 (19 percent) on third down. 
"We were slipping and sliding," Lynch said. "There was not too much going with the offense." 
In conditions like this, there wasn't going to be much variety. Edwards threw to five different receivers but completed just 13 of 33 passes for 124 yards. 
"It was either the receivers' steps were not what we worked on all week or my footwork wasn't what I worked on all week," Edwards said. "It may have been a combination of the wind and the conditions. It wasn't like the ball was coming out of my hands [funny] and making others miss." 
Said Roscoe Parrish, who didn't have a reception: "It was hard to run our routes because we didn't have any grip on the field." 
Lynch managed to grind out 82 yards on 21 carries but Fred Jackson, who rushed for 115 yards on 15 carries in last week's win over Miami, had just 16 yards on seven carries Sunday. 
"It's impossible to pass the ball," right tackle Langston Walker said. "You try to run it, it's impossible to get footing." 
The Bills' offensive players, the bulk coming from the South and the West Coast, weren't used to playing in these kinds of conditions where the winds whipped around Cleveland Browns Stadium up to 43 mph with blowing snow and a wind chill factor at 16 degrees before kickoff. 
"It was at least 3 inches of snow and it was packed in," said Walker, who is also from Oakland. "It was muddy, it was cold, the wind was blowing. The field crew did their best, the refs did their best, but there isn't very much you can do in a game like that." 
Of their skill players, Lynch and Edwards are from California, Josh Reed is from Louisiana and Parrish is from Florida. Evans grew up in suburban Cleveland. Among the starting offensive line, only New Yorker Melvin Fowler grew up in the Northeast. 
"It doesn't matter if we were from the North Pole, these conditions were tough," Walker said. "It's one of those freak things you don't see very often. ..." 
Evans finished with four receptions for 36 yards on Sunday, his lowest total in December since a two-catch, 5- yard game against Denver on Dec. 17, 2005. 
Since 2004, Evans has been one of the league's top threats in December where he's enjoyed five of his nine career 100-yard games. 
Meanwhile, Sunday's game was the fifth fewest points scored in franchise history. 
The Bills have played in nine games where the teams combined for 12 points or less. Seven were played in Buffalo and the others were in Cleveland and Green Bay. On Oct. 16, 1977, the Bills defeated Atlanta, 3-0, in Buffalo for the lowest scoring game in team history. The Bills-Browns game was the lowest since Oct. 10, 2002 when the Bills lost to Green Bay, 10-0. ... 
Adding insult to injury. ... On Monday, the Bills' empty charter plane apparently skidded off the runway and got stuck in mud, forcing the team to ride back to Buffalo on the same buses that took them to the airport. 
"When we got to the airport at 9 o'clock [Monday morning], we realized we were not going to be able to get on the plane, so we turned the buses around," Scott Berchtold, the team's vice president for communications, said. 
One last note, in case you missed it: Parrish's game-changing ability makes him valuable to the Bills, who signed the receiver/punt returner to a multiyear extension last weekend. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 
"It's a real good feeling, especially playing in a city where the fans support the team," Parrish said. 
Parrish leads the NFL in punt returns, with an average of 17.5 yards an attempt. He's third on the team in receiving coming into Sunday's game with 33 catches for 307 yards. He didn't have a reception against the Browns, or return any punts and kicks. 
Parrish is the Bills' career leader in punt return average at 13.76 yards. He has three touchdowns this season, one receiving, one rushing and one on a punt return. He's one of just 10 NFL players since 2000 to have TDs on a return, reception and rush in the same season. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Trent Edwards, J.P. Losman 
RB: Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, Dwayne Wright 
FB/HB: Ryan Neufeld 
WR: Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, Sam Aiken 
TE: Robert Royal, Michael Gaines, Tim Massaquoi 
PK: Rian Lindell 
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CAROLINA PANTHERS
As Charlotte Observer staffer Pat Yasinskas noted Monday, since Jake Delhomme went down with an elbow injury in Week 3, the Panthers have tried just about everything at quarterback. 
They went with David Carr, a five-year starter in Houston, and 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde, but couldn't find any consistency in their offense, which took a toll on the defense. Just when it seemed as if the Panthers were out of options and hope, they handed the ball to undrafted rookie Matt Moore. 
What followed was a 13-10 victory Sunday against Seattle in front of 51,288 at Bank of America Stadium. Behind Moore, the Panthers saved face and, maybe, some jobs. 
And as Gaston Gazette reporter Steve Reed noted on Tuesday, the big question after Sunday's win was this: Why didn't head coach John Fox go with Moore last week? 
Or last month? Or two months ago? 
According to Reed the answer is simple: Moore wasn't ready to play. 
In fact, the only reason Moore played on Sunday is because the Panthers were completely out of other options. Testaverde could barely walk and Carr's mental state appears to be an issue. 
And Moore didn't make mistakes. He ran the offense pretty well. He made good decisions and even checked down on a few routes to make some decent plays. 
But before we get too carried away, a few reminders: The Panthers simplified things dramatically on offense Sunday and didn't score any points until the fourth quarter. The defense kept the Panthers in the game and allowed the offense to continue to mix run and pass. If Carolina's defense had allowed seven or 10 points, Moore might have been forced to throw more and this might have been a different game. 
So, Moore's performance should be kept in perspective. 
"He's a guy we've been working with for a short time," Fox said. "He had a great week of preparation. The veteran guys were really good with him as far as in that preparation. Our offensive staff, Mike McCoy and Jeff Davidson, did an outstanding job. He had some rough spots, but he made some good throws. 
"We've seen him throw the ball. It's just when and where that is critical for a young quarterback. He operated pretty good today for his first outing." 
As Reed summed up: "What Moore has shown is he could be a viable backup next season -- or at least a guy who is worth cultivating. To think he's going to compete for a starting job next season is a little crazy. I'm willing to bet Moore will have his struggles the next two weeks and take his lumps." 
I couldn't agree more. ... 
In a related note. ... Moore and the Panthers will play host to the Cowboys on Saturday night. The Cowboys cut Moore after training camp and the Panthers claimed him off waivers 
"It will be fun," Moore said. "The Cowboys are a very good football team. We just have to go out there and prepare this week like we did last week and go out there and make plays. Everybody was making plays today. If we continue to do that the next two games, it should be exciting and we'll be alright." 
The Cowboys are 12-2 and coming off a disappointing 10-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. ... 
Other notes of interest. ... As Rock Hill Herald staffer Darin Gantt noted Monday, wide receiver Steve Smith had his most productive day in some time, catching eight passes for 72 yards, including three for 31 yards on the field goal drive in the fourth quarter which gave the Panthers the lead for good. 
It was the most yards he's had since gaining 136 on Oct. 14 in Arizona. 
"If you put the ball in my hands, I make plays," Smith said. "If you don't, I can't. That's the bottom line." 
Fox said there's been an effort to do so in the past, it just hasn't worked out. 
"We've tried to do that all season," Fox said. "Unfortunately we haven't been as consistent with the execution of it. Steve's been very patient. He's done a tremendous job all season in a tough spot. I was happy to see us be able to get him the ball downfield a little bit deeper than we have as of late. ..." 
The Panthers practiced Tuesday, which is a normal off day, because of the short week ahead of Saturday's game. ... 
Smith missed practice on Tuesday with an illness but returned Wednesday. Testaverde returned to practice after missing all of last week. Keary Colbert missed last week's game with an injured knee and his status for Saturday's game will be an issue again this week. He did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday. ... 
A few final items. ... According to Reed, DeAngelo Williams needs to be the starting running back. Reed explained: "What more does he have to do? Williams has game-breaking speed as we saw on Sunday's 35-yard run. DeShaun Foster can't seem to break a run longer than 15 yards. ..." 
Reed also believes Dante Rosario has good speed for a tight end. ... 
Also according to Reed, the fact that Fox played so many rookies last Sunday gives you the impression that maybe he feels some job security heading into next season. 
In a related note. ... FOXSports.com insider John Czarnecki, it's been getting back to GM Marty Hurney that Fox is blaming him for the Carr signing. 
No one really knows what owner Jerry Richardson is going to do regarding his head coach and general manager, but everyone knows that his son, Mark Richardson, is very unhappy with both men. The Panthers have had at least 20,000 no-shows for their past two home games. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Vinny Testaverde, Matt Moore, David Carr 
RB: DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams 
FB: Brad Hoover 
WR: Steve Smith, Drew Carter, Dwayne Jarrett, Ryne Robinson, Keary Colbert 
TE: Jeff King, Christian Fauria, Donte Rosario 
PK: John Kasay 
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CHICAGO BEARS
Monday night's loss to the Vikings sealed the deal in Chicago; the playoffs are officially a done deal for the Bears, who at 5-9 have secured their ninth losing season in the last 12. 
Now, the search for the great missing link on offense can begin. But as Chicago Sun-Times staffer Brad Biggs noted, having changed starting quarterbacks 33 times in the last 137 regular-season games with the promotion of Kyle Orton, that's obvious, isn't it? 
Not only had it been nearly two years since Orton started a game, it was that long since he's thrown a pass in the regular season. 
But head coach Lovie Smith was still confident in Orton's ability heading into Monday night's game. 
"I don't know if that's the proper way you would like for a quarterback to come in and have to play right away in the situation that we put him in," Smith said. 
"I've seen (him) for two years, working against our No. 1 defense each day, and he's gotten stronger with his body. He's mentally into it. I don't think it's too big for him. He's a guy that deserves to play and I think he'll play well." 
But did the coach really believe Orton had a chance to succeed? As Biggs suggested, with no running game to speak of -- the Bears mustered 32 yards on 17 carries -- this is what you get when you spin the quarterback carousel like this franchise. 
Orton completed 22 of 38 passes for 184 yards and was picked once, on a long bomb intended for Bernard Berrian late in the fourth quarter. "We didn't execute when we needed to," said Orton. 
Offensive coordinator Ron Turner said after Monday's game that Orton is expected to finish out the string. The premise being Orton had decent pocket poise; the whole offense is just broken. 
"We didn't give ourselves a chance offensively," Turner said. "Penalties, execution, missed assignments, a lot of things. It's kind of been like that all year." 
And that's not going to change over the final two games -- even if they change quarterbacks again. 
And as Arlington Heights Daily Herald staffer Bob LeGere, Smith was backing off any perceived post-game commitments during his Tuesday afternoon press conference. 
"We're (still) deciding on all of our positions on who's going to start," Smith said when asked specifically about Orton starting Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. 
"But some of the positive things that Kyle did. ... For his first game to play, it's a tough environment (at the Metrodome). I thought he made a lot of good decisions, as far as checking the ball down." 
Considering 10 of Orton's 22 completions were to running backs Adrian Peterson (8) and Garrett Wolfe for a total of just 61 yards, there was some concern that Orton may have been overly conservative by checking down to the safe throws too often. 
Smith said he didn't agree with that opinion. 
"Most of the time, (when) you see a quarterback checking the ball down, he's taking what's there," Smith said. "Maybe the No. 1 and No. 2 options are covered. Maybe there's not enough time. That (the check down to the running back) is the outlet when the quarterback gets into trouble. ..." 
While it seems quite unlikely the team goes back to Brian Griese -- and they can't go back to the injured Rex Grossman, those facing the horrifying prospect of starting Chicago's quarterback in a championship game will want to verify Orton is the man before jumping off that bridge. ... 
Meanwhile, on the free-agent front, Pro Football Weekly reports that linebacker Lance Briggs and Berrian, the team's top two players eligible for free agency, might be allowed to walk. 
Team sources tell PFW the Bears believe Berrian will want more money than he's really worth and they are preparing to primarily revolve their passing game around the very promising talents of University of Miami products Devin Hester and Greg Olsen with veteran Muhsin Muhammad looking like a keeper at the "Z" spot for at least another season. 
Word is the Bears are increasingly intrigued by the pass-catching potential of Hester, who showed impressive glimpses late in the team's Week 14 loss to the Redskins. ... 
One other note of interest. ... John Gilmore was a surprise inactive, leaving the veteran tight end out of a game for the first time since 2003 and ending his string of 61 consecutive games played. 
Smith said the move was due to the need to an additional player on defense, but "I'd be lying to you if said I wasn't [frustrated]," Gilmore said. "I don't think anybody wants to put a sweatsuit on." 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Kyle Orton, Brian Griese, Rex Grossman 
RB: Adrian Peterson, Garrett Wolfe 
FB: Jason McKie, Lousaka Polite 
WR: Bernard Berrian, Muhsin Muhammad, Devin Hester, Rashied Davis, Mark Bradley, Mike Hass 
TE: Desmond Clark, Greg Olsen, John Gilmore 
PK: Robbie Gould 
=========================

=========================
CINCINNATI BENGALS
As Dayton Daily News staffer Chick Ludwig framed it Monday: "The San Francisco 49ers tried to give the game away. But the Cincinnati Bengals wouldn't take it. 
"So the 49ers accepted a 20-13 victory on Saturday night at decrepit, decaying Monster Park at Candlestick Point -- a fitting burial ground for the Bengals, guaranteed their first losing season since 2002. ..." 
San Francisco decided not to attempt a 42-yard field goal with 6:21 remaining, and gave the ball up on downs. The Bengals drove to the 49ers' 24-yard line, needing just 3 yards for a first down. But quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Chad Johnson couldn't hook up on two straight pass plays and the Bengals gave the ball back with 2:14 to go. 
The 49ers ran out the clock with the help of tailback Frank Gore, who gained 10 yards on third-and-9 at the two-minute warning. 
"I keep saying, 'execute,' but that's what it comes down to," Palmer said. "We're not very disciplined, and we don't execute very well." 
You don't say? 
At one point this season, the Bengals were 11-for-17 scoring touchdowns when they had a possession inside the opponent's 20-yard line. But since going 0-for-7 at Baltimore -- Shayne Graham made seven field goals -- the Bengals are 11-for-32 in scoring touchdowns in the red zone. 
"We've been a good red-zone team for years, but for some reason, this year, we've struggled there," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "We've been down there. Earlier in the year it was third downs, and now we've gone down the other way in red zone. It's never one thing, and all the things are happening." 
The Bengals were 0-for-2 in the red zone in San Francisco. ... 
Bottom line? A once-potent offense has been held to one touchdown or none in five of the past eight games, and the frustration is growing. Bratkowski said he has sensed players pressing, trying so hard to make a big play that they operate outside the system. Head coach Marvin Lewis alluded to the same thing Saturday. 
The Bengals rank third in the NFL in first downs and seventh in yards per game but only 13th in points per game. 
Palmer has thrown more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (14) since week three. The Bengals threw five deep passes Saturday but completed only one. 
Positives? Palmer threw the 100th touchdown pass of his career against the Niners and T.J. Houshmandzadeh set a franchise record with his 101st reception of the season. 
Palmer's 52-yard touchdown pass to receiver Chris Henry in the second quarter made him the fifth-fastest quarterback to reach 100 career scoring throws, while Houshmandzadeh broke Carl Pickens' team record with an 18-yard reception that kept alive the Bengals' chances to catch the 49ers. 
Only Dan Marino, Kurt Warner, Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning reached the century mark in touchdown passes faster than Palmer, who did so in 59 games. Daunte Culpepper and Brett Favre previously shared the No. 5 spot at 62 games. 
"That's obviously a great honor because those are some of my heroes, some of the guys I grew up watching and grew up rooting for and grew up idolizing," said Palmer. "So to be mentioned with those guys is a great honor." 
The touchdown pass to Henry stopped Palmer's streak of 87 passes without a touchdown. Palmer entered Saturday's game having thrown 74 passes without a touchdown, dating back to the fourth quarter of the Nov. 25 game against Tennessee. 
Henry's touchdown came on Palmer's 14th pass of the game and gave the Bengals a 10-7 lead. 
Palmer completed 19 of 31 passes for 252 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, with a passer rating of 97.8. 
Five of his completions went to Houshmandzadeh, the NFL leader in receptions, for 62 yards. Pickens set the franchise record with 100 catches in 1996 but Houshmandzadeh surpassed him with when he caught a short pass and added 12 yards after the catch to convert a fourth-and-5 with three minutes left to play. 
The Bengals would eventually turn over the ball on downs when Palmer passes intended to Chad Johnson on third and fourth down went incomplete. 
"We have a good play and then we'll give up a good play, whether it's offense or defense," said Houshmandzadeh, who also surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for the second consecutive season. "The good teams make good plays and continue to make good plays, and they eliminate the other team from making big plays. 
"We just aren't doing that. ..." 
Despite their ongoing struggles, it will be difficult for Fantasy owners to sit the team's top weapons this week. 
Through 14 games, the Bengals are ranked seventh in total offense -- No. 5 in passing and 23rd in rushing. The Browns, who will play Sunday at Cincinnati, are last in defense. 
One last note here. ... Cincinnati is healthy with their 53-man roster heading into Week 16, Lewis said on Monday. Nonetheless, Rudi Johnson (hamstring) and Henry (ankle) were both held out of Wednesday's practice. Their status bears watching. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Rowe 
RB: Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey 
FB: Jeremi Johnson 
WR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chad Johnson, Chris Henry, Glenn Holt, Antonio Chatman 
TE: Reginald Kelly, Daniel Coats, Nate Lawrie 
PK: Shayne Graham 
=========================

=========================
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Jamal Lewis went over 1,000 yards for the sixth time in his eight-year career, thanks to his 163-yard effort against the Bills in what Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Mary Kay Cabot aptly described as "the snow-globe game." 
"One-thousand yards is a great accomplishment by any running back, but I'm just trying to win and do what it takes for this team to win," he said. "I know if I do well, this team will do well." 
Lewis attributed his season -- and his 34th career 100-yard game -- to his offensive line and the rest of his teammates. He's had three 100-yard games in his past four outings. 
"The offensive line played phenomenal," he said. "They come off the ball and try not to let defenses get penetration on us. I love running behind them." 
Lewis described Sunday's blustery weather as "the worst conditions I've ever played in. I've never played in the snow before like that. It was cold. I was trembling the whole first half. Every time we got on the field, there was a TV timeout." 
Lewis told Cabot he was excited when he woke up and saw how bad it was out. 
"I knew it would be one of those days where the team has to count on the offensive line and the production of the running back," he said. "I told all of the running backs to get ready." 
He said he welcomes putting the team on his shoulders. 
"I take it with open arms," he said. 
Despite the fact he was freezing, he loved the game. It showed, especially on his 26-yard run in the first quarter. 
"It was fun," he said. "I just kept trying to deliver the blow because I knew that we could wear them down and keep going." 
He credited his former coach, the Ravens' Brian Billick, with teaching him how to get ready for November and December. He also had back-to-back 100-yard games, the first time a Browns back did it since Lee Suggs in 2004. ... 
Now, as the Browns assume playoff-team personality, Canton Repository staffer Steve Doerschuk notes that Lewis is playing like a rushing champion. 
He won't win a rushing crown, as he did in 2003, but he might have contended had a foot injury not cost him two games. Lewis' 89.4-yard average for his 12 full games projects to 1,252 yards over 14. Pittsburgh's Willie Parker leads the NFL with 1,317 yards, with San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson next at 1,311. 
As it is, Lewis has 1,084 yards, seventh-best in the NFL, with a competitive 4.3 per-carry average. 
Here's one perspective of Lewis vs. the big cheeses. During the last five games, Lewis has 569 rushing yards, Tomlinson 578 and Parker 444. 
"It seems like, here at this time of the year, he's running with more abandon, more sense of purpose," head coach Romeo Crennel said. "He's being the bell cow as far as the running game goes and to a degree, as far as the offense goes. ..." 
One last note on Lewis. ... Whether the Browns decide to bring back the veteran for the 2008 season looks to be the story of the offseason in Cleveland. According to Pro Football Weekly, the Browns are likely to tender RFA Derek Anderson at the highest level; after that, the hot-button issue is whether to offer Lewis more than a one-year contract. 
Lewis will be 29 at the beginning of next season. ... 
Meanwhile, Braylon Edwards didn't set the franchise's season-TD record with former Brown Gary Collins on hand to see it, but he had a great day considering the conditions. He caught four passes for 64 yards, including a leaping, acrobatic 25-yarder that led to a Phil Dawson 49-yard field goal. 
"I couldn't believe he was catching those balls in those conditions," said Lewis. 
Said Bills cornerback Jabari Greer: "He made some tough catches in tough weather. He's been making great catches like that all year. I don't think their size had anything to do with it." 
Edwards said he didn't run his routes full-speed or full-depth, but, "I was just kind of finding my way and feeling my way and then using my body to get good position." 
He said conditions were so bad that it was hard to find the yard lines. 
"One play, the officials couldn't find the 45 and I was trying to help them," he said. "I said, 'There's the 45,' and it was really like the other 30." 
Collins said he didn't give Edwards any advice when they met before the game. "I wouldn't have liked Dante Lavelli giving me advice," he said of the former Browns receiving great. 
Also according to Cabot, Anderson struggled to get the ball into the hands of Kellen Winslow. They connected twice for 28 yards and missed on a handful of tries. 
"The ball was going all over the place," said Winslow. 
Winslow was covered by Bills safety Donte Whitner, the Cleveland native and former Glenville High and Ohio State star. 
"It was very tough conditions, and Cleveland dealt with it a little better than we did," said Whitner. "They have the kind of back that can deal with it. Jamal is a good all-weather back." 
Despite growing up in Cleveland, he said, "I don't remember this weather. It's the first time I played in conditions like this. ..." 
According to ESPN.com insider John Clayton, one of the great sights of the Browns' 8-0 victory over the Bills was the kicking of Dawson, who has been a star this year with his ability to make pressure kicks. 
Dawson made a 49-yarder on Sunday that stunned everyone. The wind in the one end zone swirled in a circular fashion. Dawson angled his kick to the left. The ball made a knuckleball-like move and hit the extended crossbar, similar to what happened on Dawson's game-tying kick against the Ravens in Week 11. 
The key for Dawson is that he knows the winds at Cleveland Browns Stadium and knows how to kick there. He said after Sunday's game if he had to make a field goal from the other side of the field, he could do no better than a 37-yarder. ... 
One last note here. ... This weeks' opponents, the Bengals, are ranked 28th in defense. They are 24th against both the rush and pass. The Browns rank 10th overall in offense. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey 
RB: Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright, Jerome Harrison 
FB: Lawrence Vickers, Charles Ali 
WR: Braylon Edwards, Joe Jurevicius, Tim Carter, Joshua Cribbs, Travis Wilson 
TE: Kellen Winslow, Steve Heiden, Darnell Dinkins 
PK: Phil Dawson 
=========================

=========================
DALLAS COWBOYS
As ESPN.com's Mike Sando reminded readers, Tony Romo tossed eight interceptions in Dallas' final five games last season, precipitating a first-round playoff exit for the Cowboys. He's been far better this season, but the thumb injury Romo suffered against Philadelphia makes it harder to dismiss his three interceptions. 
Sando went on to note that Romo finished the game -- "how could he opt out with girlfriend Jessica Simpson in attendance and wearing his jersey? -- but he clearly wasn't Mr. Right" in the 10-6 defeat at Texas Stadium. 
Romo completed 13 of 36 passes with no touchdowns and a 22.2 rating. 
Romo wasn't the only Dallas player hurting, either. Center Andre Gurode and defensive end Chris Canty left with knee injuries. Tight end Anthony Fasano left with a concussion. 
Terrell Owens had trouble holding on to the football, finishing with two receptions. 
While it's certainly no shock when good teams lose to well-coached division opponents. The Cowboys still might have the best team in the NFC, but for the first time this season, their offense has questions to answer. 
The good news? As Associated Press sports writer Stephen Hawkins noted, Romo is going to be OK and the Dallas Cowboys still are tied for the NFC's best record, with the inside track for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. 
So it wasn't exactly doomsday for the Cowboys when they dealt with defeat for the first time in two months. Things could have definitely been much worse. 
But with two games left in the regular season before a home playoff game, Dallas obviously isn't playing its best football. Players got a day off because the Cowboys play Saturday night at Carolina. 
Head coach Wade Phillips already knew what he was going to tell the team when they got back together Tuesday. 
"The sky isn't falling because of one game," he said. "But we know we've got to point toward the playoffs and a home game." 
What about his message for Romo, who was 13-of-36 for 214 yards with three interceptions? Romo had his team record streak of 17 straight games with a TD pass snapped and Dallas failed to score a touchdown for the first time since November 2004. 
"Just dust yourself off and come back," Phillips said. 
Romo had X-rays Sunday that were negative, and Phillips said there was only some swelling Monday. 
Romo was able to take part in Tuesday's walkthrough practice in preparation for Saturday's game against Carolina, but he didn't do more than lob the ball because of continued soreness with the thumb on his passing hand. 
"He said he felt better," Phillips said of his QB, adding that the bruising and swelling had gone down. According to the Dallas Morning News, Romo was wearing a heavy wrap after the session. It looked like bags of ice, held on with Ace bandages. There were also wires coming out of the wrap, which would indicate some kind of muscle stimulator being used on the thumb. 
And it might be working. ... Romo's hand was reportedly unwrapped and he was throwing passes in warmups before Wednesday's practice. While his condition will obviously bear watching in coming days, Romo seems to be on track. ... 
Meanwhile, Morning News staffer Calvin Watkins believes an offensive turnaround will require a simple step: Run the ball. 
The Cowboys certainly didn't run enough Sunday against Philadelphia. It was surprising because offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said he wants balance. 
That means run and pass with efficiency. 
How's this for balance? 
Of the Cowboys' 55 offensive plays, they ran 15 times. 
At one point in the second half, the Cowboys threw on 16 of 17 plays. 
"That's not the balance you want," Garrett said. "But you're trying to call the ones that give you the best chance." 
Romo went 8-for-16 for 94 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions during that stretch. 
Entering this week's games, the Cowboys had the fourth-best rushing offense in the NFL at 118.8 yards per game. Sunday against Philadelphia, Marion Barber tied a season low with seven carries. Starter Julius Jones carried seven times for a season-low 5 yards. 
"It's not my call," Jones said. "Personally as a running back, you want to run the ball and try to be as effective as you can. I don't know. All I can do is all I can do. It's whatever." 
As a team, the Cowboys rushed for a season-low 53 yards, the lowest output since gaining 58 against Detroit to close the 2006 season. 
Running the ball doesn't necessarily mean success. But it helps. 
Dallas has built its season on passing. It's why Romo is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. But as Watkins noted, with Romo struggling, the Cowboys needed help. ... 
As Fort Worth Star-Telegram staffer Rick Herrin noted, the visible frustration of the Cowboys' controversial-turned-team-oriented receiver made its first appearance Sunday. 
When Romo tried to throw an out pattern to Owens in the first quarter, Philadelphia cornerback Lito Sheppard intercepted the ball. 
Sheppard jumped the route and produced his eighth career interception against the Cowboys in the second quarter of the Eagles' 10-6 victory. Owens headed for the bench, sat down, took his gloves off and slammed them down. With receivers coach Ray Sherman standing in front of him trying to keep him calm, Owens began shouting in frustration. 
The Cowboys tried to get Owens involved, but three of Romo's passes in his direction were intercepted as the Eagles kept Owens blanketed most of the day. 
"There were some opportunities that we missed," Owens said. "I really didn't get too frustrated to the point that it took me out of the game. But I felt there were opportunities and we just didn't connect on them." 
The last time Owens was this frustrated against his old team, in 2006, he had his memorable shouting moment in Philly, yelling, "Why am I here?" 
In the first meeting with the Eagles this season, he had 10 catches for 174 yards and a touchdown and mocked the fans. 
But Sheppard made a repeat difficult. Owens also had a drop to go along with his lack of impact. 
"I just saw out there today we were having trouble getting the ball to him," owner Jerry Jones said. "When we did get him the ball, you saw him make some plays for us." 
Owens, who had a 19-yard catch, was frustrated by missed opportunities and lack of execution in the Cowboys' worst offensive showing of the season. 
In the past two weeks, Herrin notes, Owens has been more of a decoy than a demolition man in the secondary. He had five catches for 58 yards combined against Detroit and Philadelphia and no touchdowns. Owens suffered as Romo struggled with accuracy and an injured right thumb that slammed into a helmet in the third quarter. 
"I think it may have been good for us to lose this game," said Owens, who still needs one TD catch to set a club record with 15. 
Owens has remained happy even though his production has been limited at times this season -- as long as the Cowboys won. It'll be interesting to see what happens the next few weeks. ... 
Jason Witten became the first Cowboys tight end to reach 1,000 yards receiving in a season. 
Witten, who leads all NFL tight ends in receptions and yards, had eight catches for 113 yards. He has 88 catches for 1,068 yards this season -- both career highs. Witten has 340 career catches, a club record for tight end. 
And finally. ... Receiver Terry Glenn, inactive Sunday after returning to practice last week, will practice again this week and could play for the first time since two operations on his right knee before the season. 
"Hopefully will be a nice word," Phillips said. "Hopefully he could play some, play a little more the next week and be ready to go for the playoffs." 
If Glenn does play, don't expect him to handle a full workload. Given Patrick Crayton's work in his absence, it's safe to assume Glenn will work his way back into the lineup slowly over the next two weeks in an effort to prepare him for a more robust playoff role. ... 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Tony Romo, Brad Johnson 
RB: Julius Jones, Marion Barber, Tyson Thompson 
FB: Oliver Hoyte 
WR: Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, Isaiah Stanback, Terry Glenn 
TE: Jason Witten, Anthony Fasano, Tony Curtis 
PK: Nick Folk 
=========================

=========================
DENVER BRONCOS
As Rocky Mountain News staffer Jeff Legwold noted Monday, with the Chargers 51-14 rout over the Lions Sunday the Broncos "sliver-like postseason hopes" were formally shattered for the season. 
The Broncos have now missed the postseason in four of the last seven seasons, the last two in a row and have one postseason win since their Super Bowl win to close out the 1999 season. 
Legwold went on to note that head coach Mike Shanahan has already delivered the message to his team that he will be watching the last two games to see who is playing with interest in staying with the team. 
"Don't play hard, work hard, your chances of being back aren't very good," Shanahan said. 
The Broncos will face the AFC West-leading Chargers (9-5) in San Diego next Monday night and will close out the season Dec. 30 at Invesco Field at Mile High against the Minnesota Vikings. ... 
According to NFL Network insider Adam Schefter, the emergence of Selvin Young and wide receiver Brandon Marshall is going to wind up costing running back Travis Henry and wide receiver Javon Walker. 
With those young players establishing themselves, Denver will be able to try to save salary-cap money elsewhere this offseason. 
Henry has a $6 million option bonus that the Broncos must exercise by March. Chances are, Denver will not pick up the option and instead will try to restructure a new deal for Henry. 
It's a similar story for Walker, who is due a $5.4 million option bonus this offseason. Denver is not expected to pay that money and instead will try to see if Walker will sign off on a restructured deal. But Walker has said he is unwilling to restructure, setting up a financial staredown. 
In each player's case, he will have to decide whether he can get more money on the open market. Henry has two strikes against him and Walker has a knee injury that could require microfracture surgery. But there are meetings between the Broncos and both players coming. 
According to Schefter, how those talks go will dictate where each player will play in 2008. ... 
According to Pro Football Weekly, Young will continue to hold off Henry to remain atop Denver's depth chart the rest of this season. Henry is still working his way back into football shape following a three-week absence because of a knee injury. 
PFW added that durability issues are the only thing plaguing Young, who makes the sharp, downhill cuts the Broncos like so much. ... 
Meanwhile, whether or not he is starting for an injured Daniel Graham in the final two games, Denver Post staffer Bill Williamson reports that Tony Scheffler is in the mind-set that he is fighting for his future at the tail end of a disappointing season. 
"I have to show I belong," Scheffler said. "It's that time of year. It wasn't a good year for us. I have to prove that I belong here for the future." 
Scheffler might get an extended opportunity to shine. Graham, the starting tight end, has a high ankle sprain. He didn't practice Monday, and he could be out the final two games. 
Shanahan said it will be a wait-and-see proposition for Graham's availability Monday night at San Diego. Graham, who was injured in Denver's 31-13 loss at Houston last Thursday, simply said, "I don't know." 
"For me, it really doesn't matter if Daniel can't go, I have to play well regardless," said Scheffler, who is tied for second on the team with 40 receptions this season. "I have to finish strong." 
Other notes of interest. ... Jay Cutler had a sore knee after being sacked five times in the loss to Houston. He was among the players to have an MRI done Friday morning but he is expected to practice this week. 
Brandon Stokley was inactive last Thursday because of a knee injury. One of the reasons Stokley didn't play was because of the short turnaround between games. He played the previous Sunday against Kansas City despite the injury and said he expects to be ready for the rest of the season. ... 
Marshall pleaded not guilty Tuesday to driving under the influence. The second-year receiver was arrested in downtown Denver early on the morning of Oct. 22, hours after the Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-28 in Denver. 
A jury trial has been scheduled for March 24. 
Also. ... Though the extent of the situation is still unclear, Profootballtalk.com has confirmed via multiple league sources that Marshall was involved in a "verbal altercation" on Monday with receivers coach Jeremy Bates. 
The talk is that Marshall at one point challenged the team to "cut me." 
That seems a bit unlikely, but there's no denying Marshall's turbulent nature is capable of causing him problems. Here's hoping he can rein it in a bit as he matures. ... 
Oh yeah. ... Marshall was fined $7,500 by the NFL for throwing snow into the stands while celebrating a touchdown in Kansas City. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Jay Cutler, Patrick Ramsey 
RB: Selvin Young, Travis Henry, Andre Hall 
FB: Cecil Sapp, Mike Bell, Paul Smith 
WR: Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Glenn Martinez, Javon Walker, Taylor Jacobs 
TE: Daniel Graham, Tony Scheffler 
PK: Jason Elam 
=========================

=========================
DETROIT LIONS
For the first time as quarterback of the Lions, Jon Kitna played a game without being sacked. But as Detroit News beat writer Mike O'Hara noted, that didn't mean the veteran quarterback wasn't feeling any pain after Sunday's 51-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers. 
Kitna's pain was where it hurts the most -- in the won-lost column, and the psyche. 
It was the Lions' sixth straight loss, dropping their record to 6-8. 
"Every loss hurts," Kitna said. "The culmination of six weeks, every loss hurts. You feel like you have the chance to win, and you come and have something happen like today. 
"They all hurt." 
Kitna passed for the Lions' two touchdowns, but he had five interceptions, his high as a Lion. His previous high was three, which he did three times in 2006 and once this year. 
O'Hara went on to note there was no consistency to the Lions' offense against the Chargers, even though the offensive line gave Kitna adequate time to pass, with a few exceptions. 
The offense was sluggish as the start, going three-and-out with incomplete passes on the first two possessions. 
On the first possession, rookie Calvin Johnson couldn't catch a high pass. On the second, Shaun McDonald was cutting to his left over the middle but dropped the ball with no Chargers defender near him. 
The Lions never got in position to convert a third-down situation on their third possession. Kitna's pass bounced off Johnson's hands for the Chargers' first interception. 
The Lions got their first first down with a minute left in the first quarter on a 13-yard pass to McDonald. Two plays later, they had their second first down on a short pass to Mike Furrey on the last play of the quarter. 
Any momentum the Lions might have been building disappeared on the first play of the second quarter. Kitna's pass over the middle was intercepted by Chargers linebacker Matt Wilhelm. 
The worst was yet to come for Kitna, and the Lions, later in the second quarter. Kitna was backpedaling away from the rush and tried to pass to his right. Linebacker Shaun Phillips got his hands up to deflect the ball, then caught it and ran 18 yards for a touchdown and a 27-0 lead. 
It was the first career touchdown for Phillips, a fourth-year player from Purdue. 
The Lions had planned to run the ball against the Chargers, whose run defense has been a weak point. The score got lopsided in San Diego's favor so quickly the Lions abandoned the run. They had only nine runs for the game -- five by Kevin Jones for 16 yards, and four by T.J. Duckett for 10 yards. 
One of head coach Rod Marinelli's favorite pet sayings is "pound the rock," which in part means he wants a team that is tough, violent and aggressive. But some of his players complained they lose aggressiveness and toughness when they are in pass protection so much. 
"It wasn't there," Marinelli said of the running game Sunday. "We had to put points on and try to open it up." 
In the end, News columnist Bob Wojnowski suggests, "The Lions' last stand turned out to be a dying, pathetic, choking last gasp. 
"There's nothing left of this team. Nothing but giant question marks now." 
Wojnowski went on to advise readers the Lions have shown such astounding regression in losing six straight, going from a giddy 6-2 to a ghastly 6-8, you have to question the futures of several key pieces now. 
But Wojnowski stresses the status of Mike Martz is the biggest question of all. 
There's just no consistency to the scheme, and that's why Wojnowski wrote "The experiment probably should end and Martz should be let go. He showed promise, but his complex offense isn't working with what the Lions have, and the wild fluctuations in the running game make it impossible to establish anything." 
Wojnowski has a point. Receiver Roy Williams, out with a knee injury, and Jones haven't progressed, and that's a concern. Johnson has struggled, dropping too many balls, and appears to be succumbing to frustration. ... 
And if Johnson is frustrated, he certainly isn't alone. Just ask any Fantasy owner who hoped even a modicum of consistency from the Lions offense. They succumbed to frustration long ago. ... 
In a related note. ... Pro Football Weekly points out there was some thought not too long ago that Duckett was not a good fit in the Lions' offense and was unlikely to return in 2008. 
But PFW added, "His recent running has been strong enough to suggest that he's perhaps more likely to return than Martz, who has been at odds with several people at the Lions' facility. ..." 
Kitna will remain starting quarterback the rest of the season. But there could be changes elsewhere. "Guys who have earned the right and give us the best chance to win will play," Marinelli said. 
And finally. ... The Lions put Williams on injured reserve Wednesday with a right knee injury, officially ending his season with two games left. 
After he was hurt earlier this month against Minnesota, Williams said he hoped to play in the regular-season finale at Green Bay. He had 63 receptions for 836 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games this season. 
In four NFL seasons, the first-round pick has 244 catches for 3,650 yards and 28 scores. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Jon Kitna, J.T. O'Sullivan, Dan Orlovsky 
RB: Kevin Jones, T.J. Duckett, Aveion Cason, Tatum Bell 
FB/HB: John Bradley 
WR: Calvin Johnson, Shaun McDonald, Mike Furrey, Troy Walters 
TE: Sean McHugh, Casey Fitzsimmons 
PK: Jason Hanson 
=========================

=========================
GREEN BAY PACKERS
According to Green Bay Press Gazette staffer Pete Dougherty, any thoughts of drastically cutting some key starters' playing time the last two weeks of the season to get or keep them healthy for the postseason went out the window when the Dallas Cowboys lost to Philadelphia on Sunday. 
Dallas' defeat put the Packers back in the hunt for the top seeding in the NFC playoffs. 
Both they and the Cowboys are 12-2, with the Cowboys holding the tie-breaker after beating the Packers on Nov. 29. 
But if Dallas loses one of its final two games at Carolina and at Washington, and the Packers sweep Chicago and Detroit, the Packers will finish with the best record in the NFC and host the NFC championship against the Cowboys if both teams make it that far. 
Head coach Mike McCarthy made clear his priority at his Monday press conference. 
"We're playing for home-field advantage, and that will be our focus," McCarthy said. 
The Packers' good health has been a key factor in what they've achieved so far this year. Not counting injuries at running back, without which they might never have discovered Ryan Grant is the best runner on the team, the Packers have lost pure starters to only nine games because of injuries. 
Only one key contributor, part-time starting defensive tackle Johnny Jolly, is out for the season. 
"We've stayed relatively healthy," said Joe Philbin, the Packers' offensive coordinator. "We've been fortunate in some regard, and we've made some of our own luck as well." 
Had Dallas won on Sunday, and then followed that with a win this Saturday at Carolina, McCarthy would have been considering whether to play some of those key players for only a half or so to improve their health for the postseason. 
"It's amazing how much the playoff picture changes week to week," McCarthy said. "It goes on every year, and when you get down to the last three or four weeks, it's happening now again in the NFC. We just focus on winning the next game but keeping your eye on the big target, and that's to make sure our team is at full strength, to try to put us in position to be full strength, as we move into the playoffs, and we've never wavered from that." 
The Packers, in fact, not only have stayed healthy for the most part this year, they've also benefited from players unexpectedly taking on prominent roles well into the season. 
As Dougherty reminded readers, whether it be returning from injury in the case of return man-cornerback Will Blackmon, or from suspension in the case of receiver-return man Koren Robinson, or the trade and subsequent series of injuries at halfback that led to Grant becoming a starter, the Packers have become a more potent team in the past month or so. 
Grant's ascension has been most obvious addition because he's averaged 95.3 yards rushing a game and 4.7 yards a carry since becoming the Packers' primary back the last eight games. 
More recently, though, Robinson and Blackmon look like they can give the Packers' return game a punch it's lacked for years. Robinson re-joined the Packers in late October after a year's suspension for violating the NFL alcohol policy, and after displaying rust for about a month, he in recent weeks had shown more explosiveness on a couple of runs after receptions. Then on Sunday at St. Louis, he averaged 43.3 yards a kickoff return, including having an 88-yarder shortened to 66 yards because of a holding penalty. 
Robinson went to the Pro Bowl as a return man with Minnesota in 2005, so he's shown noteworthy kickoff-return talent in the past. But there was no knowing how he'd come back from his suspension and offseason knee surgery. 
"We've always felt like Koren is a weapon," Mike Stock, the Packers' special-teams coach, told Dougherty. "The thing is he's getting his legs under him and getting more confidence in himself." 
Blackmon returned a punt for a 57-yard touchdown against Oakland last week and following that up this past Sunday at St. Louis with a performance that was more impressive than the numbers (three punt returns for 30 yards) suggest. 
"You need every bullet you can get, and those guys add a lot of pop to the team, no question about it," Philbin said. ... 
Other notes of interest. ... Brett Favre became the NFL career leader in yards passing Sunday, overtaking Dan Marino for his latest achievement in a milestone season. 
The three-time NFL MVP pulled 1 yard behind Marino with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, catching the St. Louis Rams in a blitz. That put the Green Bay Packers ahead 27-14 with 5:58 to go in the third quarter. He passed Marino on the Packers' next series on the first play, a 7-yard slant pattern to Donald Driver with 23 seconds gone in the fourth quarter. 
The game was halted for a few minutes while flashbulbs popped from the stands from a crowd that appeared to be at least half Packers fans, and public address announcer Jim Holder acknowledged the record. Driver hugged Favre, who shook hands with an official. 
Marino passed for 61,361 yards in 17 seasons. Favre, who entered Sunday's game needing 184 yards to set the record, also is in his 17th season while enjoying a year comparable to his peak production. 
Favre threw his 25th and 26th touchdown passes, also hitting Donald Lee on a 4-yarder early in the second quarter. He had 440 touchdown passes after breaking another mark that belonged to Marino with his 421st at Minnesota on Sept. 30. 
He topped John Elway's career record for victories by a starting quarterback with his 149th at New York on Sept. 16. 
Favre, 38, entered the game on pace to surpass his personal best of 4,413 yards in 1995 and challenge Lynn Dickey's franchise record of 4,458 yards set in 1983. 
Favre was flawless early, completing his first nine passes to eight receivers for 95 yards. The early run ended when Ron Bartell broke up a pass intended for Lee with 5:47 left in the first half. 
The veteran quarterback entered Sunday's game needing six touchdown passes in the last three games to add to his own NFL record by throwing 30 or more in nine seasons. 
Sunday was Favre's 251st consecutive regular-season start, or 271st counting the playoffs -- both records for a quarterback. Only former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall has started more regular-season games (270) in a row. ... 
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, fullback Korey Hall could miss the rest of the regular season with a hip strain, but McCarthy was pretty certain he'd be back for the playoffs. 
Hall left the game in the first quarter and was told not to return. Backup John Kuhn handled all the fullback work and will be the starter against the Bears. McCarthy said he could back up Kuhn with a tight end. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Brett Favre, Craig Nall, Aaron Rodgers 
RB: Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, Vernand Morency 
FB: John Kuhn, Korey Hall 
WR: Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Ruvell Martin, Koren Robinson 
TE: Donald Lee, Bubba Franks, Ryan Krause 
PK: Mason Crosby 
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HOUSTON TEXANS
As Houston Chronicle beat writer John McClain noted Monday, the Texans were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, but they still have a chance to finish with the best record in team history going into their last two games against Indianapolis and Jacksonville. 
The Texans (7-7) can't catch the Jaguars (10-4) in the AFC wild-card race and would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker with Cleveland (9-5), which beat them. 
The Texans would lose a conference record tiebreaker to Pittsburgh (9-5) if the Steelers were to lose out and finish 9-7. The best conference record the Texans can have would be 6-6 if they win the last two. The worst the Steelers can do is 7-5. 
The Texans have won back-to-back games to improve to 7-7 for the first time. Their best record was 7-9 in 2004, their third season. 
"I think we still have something else to do," head coach Gary Kubiak said. "To have a winning season would be a huge step. 
"The idea of getting our team to where we can hand Mr. [Bob] McNair a ball and say, 'Our team's a winner, Bob,' (well) we've got a chance to do that, so that's going to be our focus." 
The odds are against the Texans finishing 9-7 because the Colts and Jaguars are two of the NFL's premier teams. They have a combined record of 22-6. 
"We've just got to worry about Indy," said receiver Kevin Walter, one of three Texans receivers with at least 700 yards. "That's what our focus is. We'll be ready to roll." 
The Texans lost to Indianapolis 30-26 in September, and they were beaten 37-17 at Jacksonville in October. ... 
Meanwhile, Chronicle staffer Megan Manfull reports that someone tossed a football to Matt Schaub during practice Monday, and the quarterback caught it by cradling it in his right arm. 
His left arm stayed down by his side, evidence that his dislocated left shoulder is healing. 
But Schaub did throw a number of passes in practice. During the throws, he brought his left arm up, just like he does in his regular throwing motion. 
Schaub, 26, is contemplating off-season surgery on his shoulder, but he refuses to give up on the sliver of hope that he can play in the final two games of this season. 
"I'd love to get back out there, be on the field with my guys and play in the games and compete," said Schaub, who has missed the past two games. "We'll just make sure that when we do that, that I'll be able to protect myself and not injure the shoulder any worse than it is." 
With the Texans eliminated from the playoff race, Schaub could opt to have surgery and speed up his offseason rehabilitation. 
Manfull reports that Ron Dayne could also call it a season. 
For now, however, both are doing all they can in the final two weeks to avoid the injured reserve list, where the team has a league-leading 17 players residing. 
Dayne sprained his ankle three weeks ago and was unable to practice all of last week. He didn't start in the 31-13 victory over the Broncos, but ended up playing a critical role in the Dec. 13 game at Reliant Stadium. 
Dayne anticipates playing the next two games, but it's safe to assume Darius Walker will continue to see plenty of action. 
After watching Schaub practice a little Monday, Kubiak is hopeful he will play again this season. "I think there's a good chance," Kubiak said. "I'm hoping that, if anything, this week he's ready to be Sage's (Rosenfels) backup going into the game. 
"He did take some practice reps today, but I'm hoping that he's available this week, and we'll see. But I'd like to see him play some more this year." 
Doctors have told Schaub he cannot damage his shoulder more if he continues to play. 
But he must regain the strength and mobility in it before he can suit up for a game. Schaub wants to play this weekend. 
After the season ends, he said he will decide about whether to undergo surgery. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Sage Rosenfels, Shane Boyd, Matt Schaub 
RB: Ron Dayne, Darius Walker, Adimchinobe Echemandu 
FB: Vonta Leach, Jameel Cook 
WR: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre' Davis, Jacoby Jones, David Anderson 
TE: Owen Daniels, Mark Bruener, Joel Dreessen, Jeb Putzier 
PK: Kris Brown 
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
As Associated Press sports writer Michael Marot noted Monday, the Colts aren't planning to revert to full preseason mode just yet. 
Healthy players, such as Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne, can expect to get their usual workouts this week against Houston. Injured players, such as Marvin Harrison, are more likely to rest. 
For Indianapolis, that's the ideal situation. 
Sunday's win at Oakland assured the Colts of their fifth straight division title, a first-round bye and the AFC's No. 2 seed. They can't earn the top seed, which New England has locked up, rendering these last two games insignificant. 
Still, head coach Tony Dungy isn't planning to treat them like those meaningless August games when key players are typically relegated to bench duty. 
"We definitely want to maintain that rhythm and continue to improve," Dungy said Monday, a day after the Colts won their fifth straight. "We have a lot of guys who need to play and who need to play more. We have some guys who probably we can rest. But a month is a long time to rest, so we have to continue to practice well and gear up." 
As Marot reminded readers, Indianapolis learned that lesson the hard way. 
Two years ago, it was 13-0 and had already clinched the AFC's top seed when the pursuit of a perfect season ended against San Diego. After that loss, the Colts held out most of their starters, giving them about a four-week break between meaningful games. 
The result: Indy was rusty in its divisional-round game and lost to eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh. Some blamed the loss on the long break. 
That wasn't the case last year. The Colts opened 9-0, then endured a slump that forced them to fight until the final week for a bye, which Baltimore earned. 
The result: Indy beat Kansas City, Baltimore, New England and Chicago en route to its first Super Bowl title since the 1970 season. 
Dungy insisted Monday his approach to this season's final two games, at home against Houston and Tennessee, isn't as much about philosophy as it is necessity. 
"With the home division games, you never want to lose those," Dungy said. "We want to be cautious with the guys we need to be cautious with. I think we'll determine who can play and who can't, and the guys that play, we'll play it like a regular game." 
The best the Colts can hope for now is to get healthy. 
Harrison, the perennial Pro Bowl receiver, has missed eight straight games with a left knee injury, and Dungy would like him back before Indy hosts its first playoff game Jan. 12 or 13. It won't happen this week. 
"He will not play this following weekend, I can assure you of that," team president Bill Polian said Monday night on his weekly radio show. "His knee has healed, it's a matter of conditioning now, and until we can put him out there for 60 plays a game, he won't play." 
Marot went on to suggest Dungy might be trying to follow the model used last year with tight end Dallas Clark, who missed four straight games with a knee injury before returning in the regular-season finale. 
Clark later acknowledged that game helped him get back in sync with the offense and led to him becoming a vital cog in the Colts' championship run. 
But in the end, for those spending the next two weeks watching scoreboards as they fight for the playoffs, the Colts have a message: They don't intend to take it easy, but they will prepare for the playoffs. 
Even if that means giving a few players some extra rest. 
"I've had buddies on other teams that needed us to win to get into the playoffs, and that's too bad," Dungy said. "We've got to do what's best for us, and it's our responsibility to our team to be the best we can be for the playoffs. I think we'll know how to handle the rest and we'll do it well. ..." 
Meanwhile, Indianapolis Star staffer Phillip B. Wilson notes that Harrison's replacement learns fast. 
Rookie receiver Anthony Gonzalez was a hot target again in Sunday's victory at Oakland, but the first-round selection's adjustment to an early mistake enabled him to catch the game-winning touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter. 
Manning threw a "back shoulder" pass early that Gonzalez didn't adjust to catch. 
"Going down their sideline, we tried it and I wasn't ready for it," Gonzalez said. "We came off and (Manning) said, 'Be alert for the back shoulder.' When it came up again, it was just a matter of being ready for it." 
Trailing 14-13 but in scoring position at the Raiders 20, Gonzalez drew tight man-to-man coverage from cornerback Fabian Washington. Manning stepped up in the pocket, read it and threw the pass behind Gonzalez, who came back for the catch and broke free for a 20-yard touchdown with 4:49 remaining. 
Last week, Gonzalez caught his first two touchdowns in the NFL. This week, he caught his first game-winning touchdown. 
"That was neat," said Gonzalez, who had a game-high seven catches for 86 yards. 
Harrison has been out for nine of 10 games with a bruised left knee. But Richards notes it was an injury to Gonzalez that enabled him to regroup. He missed two games with a dislocated thumb suffered on Nov. 4. Since his return, he's put up huge numbers. 
In eight games prior to the injury, Gonzalez had 15 catches for 207 yards. In four games since coming back, he has 21 catches for 347 yards and three touchdowns. 
"He's feeling confident, and I think missing some time with his injury was kind of like [Joseph Addai] last year," said Dungy. "He hasn't really hit the (rookie) wall." 
Rookies often get tired this time of year due to the pro grind being longer than college. But Gonzalez is playing fast and fresh. 
He said he doesn't concern himself with the numbers. He's a rookie just looking to make plays. And he's making them. 
"I've always said all I want to do is help us win football games," Gonzalez said. "That's all I've ever tried to do. When you can contribute, it's pretty gratifying. ..." 
Gonzalez, of course, isn't the only Colts skill player delivering. 
Wayne is tied for seventh in the AFC with 82 receptions, second with 1,280 receiving yards and fourth with nine touchdown catches. ... Addai is sixth in the conference in rushing with 1,019 yards, fourth in yards from scrimmage with 1,370 and second among running backs with 14 touchdowns. 
One last note here. ... Tight end Ben Utecht injured his left shoulder on a 22-yard third-quarter reception in Oakland. He was taken to the locker room for treatment but returned to the game. 
"We'll see," Utecht when asked the severity of the injury after the game, when the shoulder was wrapped and iced. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi 
RB: Joseph Addai, Kenton Keith 
FB: Bryan Fletcher 
WR: Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Craphonso Thorpe, Devin Aromashodu, Marvin Harrison 
TE: Dallas Clark, Ben Utecht, Bryan Fletcher 
PK: Adam Vinatieri 
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JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Jack Del Rio has talked incessantly about building a potent offense in Jacksonville. And as Associated Press sports writer Mark Long suggested Monday, the coach finally has one. 
Led by David Garrard and running backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, the Jaguars have set franchise records by gaining at least 400 yards in four consecutive games and scoring at least 24 points in eight straight. 
"This is a message to send to the rest of the league: we're for real," Garrard said following Sunday's 29-22 victory at Pittsburgh. "We've always said we can beat anybody. We don't want to be too bold and too brass, but we want to make sure we still have confidence and swagger going into the playoffs." 
Long further suggested the Jaguars have reason to brag. 
They racked up 421 yards against the Steelers, the league's top-rated defense. They did it in windy, snowy, muddy -- just plain sloppy -- conditions, too. 
Taylor ran 25 times for a season-high 147 yards and a touchdown, a 12-yarder with 1:57 remaining that essentially sealed the win and moved Jacksonville one victory shy of securing a wild-card spot for the second time in three years. 
Garrard threw three TD passes, including a 55-yarder to Dennis Northcutt. 
Jones-Drew added 69 yards on the ground and picked up three crucial first downs in the second half. He had a 6-yard run on fourth-and-1 and a 17-yard gain on third-and-10 on the opening drive of the third quarter. Jacksonville eventually scored to take a 16-7 lead. 
Jones-Drew ran for 20 more on third-and-11 to set up Taylor's game-winner. 
"We've consciously built a team that can play when it's hot, can play when it's cold, can play indoors, can play outside," said Del Rio. "There are a lot of different ways to skin a cat, but this is the way we've approached it. 
"If you look at the landscape (of the NFL), it really would be foolish to approach it any other way." 
Jacksonville can clinch the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs with a victory Sunday against Oakland (4-10). The Jaguars point to their offense as the biggest reason they are so close to returning to the postseason. 
Taylor and Jones-Drew have combined for 1,815 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground and are the league's second-best rushing tandem, behind only Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. 
Garrard has 16 touchdown passes and two interceptions, and ranks second in the NFL with a 101.6 passer rating. Only New England's Tom Brady is rated higher. 
Long notes that Garrard's mobility and precision passing have elevated the play of Jacksonville's offensive line (five sacks in the last six games) and receivers (five guys have at least 32 catches but no one has more than 43). 
"I don't think the stats do justice to where we are as an offense and our ability to throw the football," Del Rio said. "The bottom line is I know we're better at throwing it now than we have been. And what's most important is we're going to need to be able to get that done down the stretch here to be the kind of team we need to be, that we want to be." 
Jacksonville has produced at least 400 yards six times this season. Only New England (11) and Green Bay (six) have more. And the Patriots are the only other team to reach that mark in four consecutive games. 
The offensive numbers have helped the Jaguars average 28.4 points over the last eight games, second in the AFC behind New England. 
"Our quarterback and our receivers are making plays and doing things that give you a chance and offer some reason for optimism," Del Rio said. "We're excited about that phase developing, for sure. And there is more there. We're going to continue to work it and there is more there. It starts with protection up front and the quarterback making good decisions and receivers getting open and catching the ball. It all comes together. 
"And now it's kind of coming a little bit for us, so that's good. ..." 
Other notes of interest. ... After racking up 147 yards this time around, Taylor, who gained 234 yards against the Steelers at old Three Rivers Stadium in 2000, now holds the record against Pittsburgh at its last two homes. 
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin praised Taylor. 
"He was spectacular," Tomlin said. "But we know what kind of runner he is. We talked about it all week. We didn't tackle him well enough." 
As Florida Times-Union staffer Vito Stellino reminded readers, Taylor has now gained more than 100 yards in four consecutive games, and he went over the 1,000-yard mark in a season for the seventh time in his NFL career. 
Of Taylor's past 26 100-yard games, 19 have come after November. Taylor has topped 100 yards 46 times in his 10-season NFL career. 
Taylor had no explanation for the late push. 
"I don't know," he said. "If I knew, I would have done it in September." 
On the game-winning, 73-yard drive in the fourth quarter, Taylor had four carries for 46 yards. 
Taylor received a game ball from Del Rio, and the Jaguars celebrated it twice -- the first time when he did it and the second when CBS showed it after the game and the players watched on television. 
"They know how I am," Taylor said. "I mess around with everybody. We like to keep it all loose. Everybody teases everybody for some reason. They just like to really give it to me. It's a good feeling. Sometimes, that feeling makes you wish you could play forever. You never want to lose that camaraderie with your teammates." 
Del Rio said of Taylor: "He ran hard. Authoritative. He made his cuts and got vertical." 
Taylor gave credit to the offensive line, coaches and even equipment manager Drew Hampton. 
Hampton suggested that the skill players wear shoes with both five-eighths and three-fourths of an inch spikes. He did the same thing for the 2004 game in Green Bay and said he suggests to Del Rio the type of shoes the Jaguars should wear when they play in bad weather. ... 
Also according to Stellino, when Northcutt beat two defenders and caught the above-mentioned 55-yard scoring pass, he stood in the end zone and pointed to his Jaguars uniform number. 
He was sending a message to Steelers fans. 
"I wanted to let them know they beat my butt before but not today," he said. 
The veteran wide receiver caught four passes for 81 yards on the day, but his TD catch was the highlight. 
Drafted in the second round in 2000 by the Cleveland Browns, Northcutt played 15 games against the Steelers in his first seven NFL seasons and won only twice. 
"They whupped my butt over the last eight years, to be honest with you," he said. "One year, I played them three times. I've never won here in Pittsburgh. This team had my number for a while. ..." 
One last note here. ... Del Rio said the Jaguars suffered no new major injuries, meaning it will be all hands on deck for the team's offense again this week. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: David Garrard, Quinn Gray 
RB: Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, Greg Jones, LaBrandon Toefield 
FB: Greg Jones, Montell Owens 
WR: Dennis Northcutt, Ernest Wilford, Reggie Williams, Matt Jones, John Broussard 
TE: Marcedes Lewis, Richard Angulo 
PK: Josh Scobee 
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KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
According to Associated Press sports writer Doug Tucker, head coach Herman Edwards apologized to Chiefs fans Tuesday for telling them to "get over it," and said he should have chosen his words more carefully in talking about their reaction to his team's long losing streak. 
The Chiefs have lost seven in a row in Edwards' second season and could be headed toward their worst record in two decades. A 26-17 loss to Tennessee on Sunday before an angry, half-empty stadium closed out a 2-6 home record -- their worst since the 1977 team was 1-6 in Arrowhead. 
Many fans wore bags over their heads and even more brought signs demanding that either Edwards or general manager Carl Peterson be fired. Several signs taunted Edwards for his statement last week when he said fans should "get over" this bad season. 
"People aren't used to this in Kansas City. Get over it," Edwards said then. "It happens. It's called life. You can't think you're too big that it's not going to happen to you. It happens to everybody." 
On Tuesday, Edwards agreed the statement had angered many fans. 
"And probably the ways the fans took it, in my opinion, was probably wrong," he said. "So if it was misinterpreted, then I apologize." 
The coach continued: "I tell players, 'Pick your words. And I didn't use the right choice of words, obviously. And that's my fault. That's on me. And I'm willing to accept that." 
Meanwhile, Edwards also told reporters on Tuesday that Larry Johnson, sidelined the past six games with a foot injury, might get on the field this week at Detroit. 
Johnson, who reportedly worked with the first team last Wednesday, has been slowly doing more and more and could actually go through a full practice this week. 
"We're going to try to limit him some and see what he can do in practice, see where he's at," Edwards said. ... 
I would suggest this story is of greater interest to Kolby Smith owners than Johnson owners; the latter are unlikely to benefit from Johnson's return but Smith owners might. It's worth watching. ... 
Other notes of interest. ... Edwards said after Sunday's game that the staff will spend the offseason building the team around Brodie Croyle. 
In Kansas City's final two games, road contests against Detroit and the New York Jets, the staff will continue identifying Croyle's talents, his shortcomings and what the former Alabama standout needs to be successful. It is in those games that Croyle will be tested and questioned and forced to grow, even as the Chiefs collapse. 
But as questions continue to plague the Chiefs, Croyle's teammates told the Kansas City Star the quarterback's job security is not among them. 
"I think he's growing," wide receiver Eddie Kennison said. "That's what the organization wants to see. That's why they drafted him. Every young guy has to progress in some way. He's definitely showing them. They said they want him to be the future of this organization, and I think he will be." 
Croyle took his longest steps yet toward the future last Sunday. He was 25 of 43 for 217 yards and two touchdowns. All of those statistics were career highs. He also avoided a sack for the first time in his four starts. 
Still, Croyle found little to be encouraged about. 
"I took some steps forward," Croyle said, "but I took some steps backward." 
Croyle's steps in reverse Sunday came in two second-half interceptions -- the second of which he admitted not seeing linebacker David Thornton. But the misfires came after Croyle led scoring drives on consecutive possessions in which he was nine of 16. 
He showed patience and poise against a Titans pass rush that hurried him twice and knocked him down once. 
It was his mistakes, though, that will raise questions about Croyle's stock. As Star staffer Kent Babb noted, the Chiefs' seven consecutive losses are the most since 1985. They are 4-10 and are in prime position to possess a top-10 draft pick in April's draft. With star quarterbacks such as Boston College's Matt Ryan and Louisville's Brian Brohm expected to be top-10 picks, Edwards and Peterson might be tempted to spend the team's first pick to silence the questions surrounding Croyle. 
At least two of Croyle's favorite targets, Kennison and tight end Tony Gonzalez, said such a move would be a mistake. 
"Brodie, he is the quarterback," Gonzalez said. "A lot of people are saying, ‘This draft, go out there and get a quarterback.' Nah. Brodie is the guy." 
Croyle's performance Sunday was the first example that he is ready for the responsibility. He made mistakes, sure, but Edwards said none of them was beyond the coach's expectations for a young quarterback. 
Edwards said one of the team's top priorities is to protect Croyle. Another draft possibility is a solid left tackle. But the team's more immediate priority is to protect Croyle's confidence. Kennison said he is close with Croyle and already has begun studying the 24-year-old quarterback for signs his poise has been shaken. So far, Kennison said, he hasn't detected any signs. 
"Brodie's a tough kid, man," Kennison said. "This won't make him or break him." 
Still, Croyle faced the questions after the Chiefs' most recent loss. More are certain to follow if the Chiefs lose one or both of their final games. 
But the losses and the questions and how he answers it all will define Croyle's career, Gonzalez said. 
"It's good for him to go through this. Honestly. It is," Gonzalez said. "Anything in life -- you'll never know how sweet the mountaintop is unless you go through some valleys. And right now, he's going through a little valley. All of us are. I do hope that next year is going to be better. 
"He's going to come around. He's got a great arm. He's got a good future. He's definitely the guy for this job." 
The bigger question might be who is around to watch Croyle's development next season. 
"I look at it all the time," Gonzalez said of the likelihood of major changes. "I run those scenarios through my head. It can't stay the same. That's the thing. ... It's going to hurt some people's feelings. It's going to break up some relationships. It's not going to happen any other way. 
"Whatever they decide to do, I would think it's in the best interests of the team, and at this point, that's fine. After losing seven games in a row, I feel like, ‘Do whatever you've got to do, and I'll get over it.' " 
Gonzalez even threw himself into the discussion, saying the Chiefs should consider trading him if they believe the deal would make them stronger. 
"I'll put myself in that, too, if they wanted to, if they wanted to trade this older guy and get some good younger players and develop them," Gonzalez said. "Why not? I'm not playing that much longer." 
Gonzalez, who signed a new long-term contract last winter, isn't realistically going anywhere. But Kennison, the Chiefs' top wide receiver and gained more than 1,000 yards in both 2004 and 2005, might. 
Kennison in January will be 35, an age considered elderly for his position. He missed all of six games this season and most of two others because of a pulled hamstring. 
He has only 13 catches and 101 yards. 
Those numbers probably won't attract many contract offers, but Kennison said he intends to find out. 
"I would love to finish my career here, but if I don't, that won't stop me from playing for somebody else," he said. "I missed the first eight games because of a hamstring injury. I changed positions because they asked me to even though I had been putting up good numbers in my old position. 
"So I sacrificed. I think people will see that. ..." 
As Star staffer Adam Teicher reminded readers Monday, Samie Parker and Kris Wilson opened the season as starters but gradually became bit players as the Chiefs began using others who might have more of a future. 
It says something about the Chiefs' woeful season, then, that Parker and Wilson wound up scoring the team's only touchdowns in Sunday's loss to Tennessee. 
Wilson opened the season as the regular fullback but hasn't started a game in three weeks. He is scheduled to be a free agent after the season and, given his decreased playing time, probably won't be offered a new contract by the Chiefs. 
"I'm not looking for any consolation prize," said Wilson, who caught a 9-yard scoring pass from Croyle in the second quarter. "I was looking for the (win). I was fortunate enough to make a big play. But it's never as sweet as you want it to be when it's in a losing effort." 
Wilson came to the Chiefs as a second-round pick in 2004, and they were hopeful he could contribute as a pass-receiving tight end to pair with Gonzalez. That never materialized, and he was moved to fullback last season. 
He appears destined to finish his Chiefs career as another disappointing early-round draft pick. 
"I play tight end," Wilson said, offering an explanation as to why it hasn't worked for him with the Chiefs. "Tony Gonzalez plays tight end. Jason Dunn plays tight end. So that's pretty self-explanatory. 
"I've squeezed in here and there and gotten a few opportunities, and that's all you can ask for." 
Parker's downfall was even more precipitous than Wilson's. A two-year starter, Parker was a promising player early in his career but couldn't consistently get free from coverage or catch the ball. 
He started seven of the season's first eight games before being benched when Kennison returned from a hamstring injury. He was even inactive for last week's game in Denver. 
Parker is also scheduled to be a free agent after the season, and his time with the Chiefs also appears coming to an end. But, for one day at least, he was a hero, catching a 10-yard touchdown pass, also in the second quarter. ... 
Croyle said Sunday that rookie wide receiver Dwayne Bowe might have emerged as a reliable option. Bowe had five catches for 64 yards. 
"We have a good feel for each other," Croyle said. "We see the same holes. We have the same ideas. We're going to continue to get better together." 
But Bowe was not perfect. His drop on the Chiefs' first play would have been a big gain. Instead, the team went three-and-out. 
And finally. ... The Chiefs listed Kennison (shoulder) on their postgame injury report. He returned to the game after being hurt, however, and should be ready to go this week. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard 
RB: Kolby Smith, Gilbert Harris, Larry Johnson 
FB: Kris Wilson, Boomer Grigsby 
WR: Dwayne Bowe, Eddie Kennison, Samie Parker, Jeff Webb, Eddie Drummond, Bobby Sippio 
TE: Tony Gonzalez, Jason Dunn, Kris Wilson 
PK: John Carney 
=========================

=========================
MIAMI DOLPHINS
The first-year head coach and his battle-weary Dolphins finally got their first win of the season Sunday, beating the Ravens 22-16 in overtime to avert a winless season. 
Now reality sets in, because there's no time for a hangover with the undefeated Patriots on tap. 
"You get about 24 hours to enjoy a win or get over a disappointment, and you better move on. That's what we're doing," Cam Cameron said. 
"We all know the kind of team we're facing this week." 
And as South Florida Sun-Sentinel staffer Omar Kelly noted, that team is "the juggernaut of the NFL, stream-rolling its way to an undefeated regular season and the possibility of becoming only the second team in NFL history to win every game in a season, matching the feat the '72 Dolphins accomplished." 
In addition to having the NFL's top-ranked offense at 413.6 yards per game, the Patriots also have the league's fourth-best defense, allowing 289 yards per game. 
Nobody expects it be easy; privately, it's hard to imagine any of them expecting a successful outcome, either. Fantasy owners in championship games certainly wouldn't want to be relying on a Dolphin this week. 
That being the case, how about we take a moment to review the win. After all, the Dolphins hadn't tasted victory in 12 months and a week. 
And as Palm Beach Post staff writer Tim Graham suggested, for most of the players and fans it seemed a lot longer. 
Imagine, then, Graham further suggested, how Cleo Lemon must have felt Sunday as he watched the back of Greg Camarillo's jersey get smaller and smaller in the distance until, 64 yards away, the receiver sprinted across the goal line. 
Lemon's hookup with Camarillo gave the Dolphins a win against Baltimore, but it also gave him his first win as a starter at any level in seven years. 
"First thing I did was look for a flag because that's the kind of season we'd been having," Lemon said. "Any time we have a big play, I'm looking for a flag. Once I didn't see the flag I new it was a wrap." 
Not since Lemon played for Arkansas State in 2000 had he led his team to a victory. He is 1-5 as an NFL starter. 
Lemon, benched in favor of rookie John Beck four games earlier, completed 23 of 39 attempts to six receivers for a career-high 315 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. His 93.4 passer rating was Miami's highest this season. 
He also ran three times for 12 yards and was elusive enough on a few plays to keep the Ravens' aggressive defense from putting the Dolphins in a hole. 
But the big play cam on third-and-8 from Miami's 36 in overtime, when Lemon connected with Camarillo on a short post route. Camarillo broke free to end a streak of 196 straight passing plays without a touchdown, dating to Oct. 28. 
"He's been through the tough times. ..." Camarillo said. "Cleo's the kind of guy he's not going to show any pressure." 
Lemon hopes his coaches share that faith in him. 
"I want to lead this team," he said. "I feel that I can. I want to be that guy, but I don't make those decisions. We'll see. ..." 
Meanwhile, Post staffer Ben Volin noted on Monday that Booker couldn't get on the active roster for the first seven weeks, and didn't take a snap with the offense until Dec. 2. 
Now the rookie halfback is the Dolphins' most dependable receiver. 
He had six more catches in Sunday's win over Baltimore, and was second on the team with 60 yards. Booker, a third-round draft pick in April, also had six catches in Miami's previous two games, and Sunday he had a season-high eight carries for 17 yards. 
"I keep getting more comfortable with the offense. That's the key, because then you stop thinking, you stop worrying about what's going on and you're able to focus on your job," Booker said. 
With Jesse Chatman sidelined again with an ankle injury, Booker and Samkon Gado split backfield duties. Booker proved his worth by achieving a first down on five of his 14 touches. 
Booker converted two third downs in the fourth quarter, and the Dolphins kicked field goals on both drives. 
One conversion, a 6-yard catch on third-and-3 deep in Baltimore territory "was the biggest play of the day on offense. And that was all him," tackle L.J. Shelton said. "He made some guys miss, got some tough yards." 
Booker has 18 catches for 157 yards on the season. ... 
Kelly reports that Chatman seems to be recovering from the right ankle sprain that has sidelined him for two weeks. Chatman, who has rushed for 435 yards and one touchdown this season, worked with the starters during Wednesday's practice. 
He could regain his starting spot from Gado if he doesn't suffer a setback this week. 
Taking it off the field. ... It would appear the Dolphins are making a move to hire Bill Parcells in an executive capacity. Parcells was reportedly close to accepting a similar position with Atlanta, but the Falcons issued a release Wednesday afternoon confirming Parcells turned them down -- and that he was negotiating with the Dolphins. 
If he comes on board in Miami, general manager Randy Mueller would be among the first to go. It seems likely Cameron would be jettisoned, too -- although I'm probably getting out too far in front of this one. 
In case you hadn't noticed, deals with Parcells aren't done until they're done. ... 
One last note here. ... According to ESPN.com senior writer Len Pasquarelli, the month-long negotiations between Miami owner Wayne Huizenga and real estate moguls Stephen Ross and Jorge Perez over the potential sale of the Dolphins might produce an agreement, but the two sides remain more than $100 million apart. 
If Huizenga sells, it will be a total divestment in an effort to avoid estate-tax issues. Because he would be handing over both the football team and Dolphins Stadium, Huizenga is looking for $1 billion-plus. It's thought that the bid by Ross and Perez is more in the $900 million range. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Cleo Lemon, John Beck 
RB: Jesse Chatman, Samkon Gado, Lorenzo Booker, Patrick Cobbs 
FB: Reagan Mauia 
WR: Marty Booker, Ted Ginn, Derek Hagan, Greg Camarillo 
TE: David Martin, Justin Peelle 
PK: Jay Feely 
=========================

=========================
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Vikings won their fifth consecutive game Monday night. They're probably bound for the playoffs. They overcame a lousy first half to beat the defending NFC champs. 
And as Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan noted, they also raised as many questions as they answered, just like their quarterback. 
For the second consecutive game, an average defense slowed Adrian Peterson. For the first time in the past four weeks, the Vikings allowed a mediocre opponent to put them on their heels. 
And for the eighth time this season Tarvaris Jackson quarterbacked the Vikings to a victory without assuring he's ready to quarterback them into the playoffs. 
Jackson is 8-2 as a starter this year, which according to Souhan, "is a little like saying Hank and Tommie Aaron combined to hit 768 home runs." 
He threw for a career-high 249 yards Monday, including the catch-and-run to Bobby Wade that set up the winning score. He's had the aid of the best running game in the league and plenty of time in the pocket, and he's done enough to nudge the Vikings to a five-game winning streak. 
Souhan went on to suggest Jackson "can look poised, or lost, sometimes on the same play. He can run over a linebacker or bail out on a game because of a leg cramp, as he did Monday night. He's too erratic to calm your worries and too successful to bench." 
"Obviously, I'm not happy with the way I played, but we got a W," said Jackson, who returned after cramping up, mostly to hand the ball off. 
As St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Bob Sansevere noted, the Vikings have won games by relying on the run. And that running tandem of Peterson and Chester Taylor will put a scare into any defense that has to face them in the postseason, assuming the Vikings win their next two games and get there. 
But once in the playoffs, a quarterback needs to be capable of lifting his team to a victory. Jackson looked the part in other games during the Vikings' five-game winning streak, so maybe he can look that way again. ... 
In a related note. ... According to Star Tribune beat writer Judd Zulgad, Brooks Bollinger likely didn't have enough time to think about the pressure situation he entered in the fourth quarter. 
The Vikings trailed 13-12 with the ball at the Bears 8-yard line when Jackson threw an incomplete pass and then limped to the bench area because of the cramps. 
The Vikings took a timeout to enable Bollinger to get a few practice snaps and then sent him into the game facing a third-and-8. Bollinger's assignment seemed simple enough: Hand off to Peterson. 
It turned out to be anything but simple. The play call was for a draw to the left, but Peterson went to the right. The two collided, Peterson grabbed hold of the ball, put one of his array of moves on the Bears defense and went in for an 8-yard touchdown. 
"I was still going, 'What the ...,'" Bollinger said when asked about the move. "He just took it and made it happen. Sometimes that's the way you've got to play the game." 
So what happened? "I haven't even talked to him enough to know exactly what went on," Bollinger said. "I don't know if I didn't communicate something clearly enough or something just got lost in the call or what happened. I thought he was going one way and he was going the other, and it worked out really." 
Said offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell: "We had a miscommunication in the backfield. The thing you always worry about with that is a turnover, running into each other and dropping the football. Fortunately they were able to make the exchange and then he was able to put it in the end zone." 
Bollinger, though, wasn't done. The Vikings now held an 18-13 lead, and they sent in a two-point conversion to make it a seven-point lead. Bollinger was asked to run a play he hadn't run in practice in a month. 
The veteran was able to sneak up the middle for the two points -- just barely. 
"My eyes kind of lit up because I thought we had a good look for it," he told Zulgad. "It got a little closer than I would have thought, but I guess I'm not as fast as I used to be." 
Bollinger's two-play night was over at that point. Jackson checked in for the next offensive series. ... 
According to Pioneer Press staffer Sean Jensen, the Vikings paid a steep price in Monday night's defeat of the Bears. Rookie receiver Sidney Rice didn't complete the game and ESPN.com's John Clayton reports the youngster suffered a high ankle sprain that is all but certain to cost him the final two weeks of the season. 
With Rice out, the Vikings most likely will turn to receiver Troy Williamson, who was a healthy scratch Monday. 
Asked if he was frustrated to be inactive, Williamson said, "I ain't going to talk about that." 
Bevell said he isn't sure of Rice's injury, but he said the decision to deactivate Williamson was no "slight" against him. 
"I mean, he's done a great job for us. We know we need every guy on the team, but sometimes it just goes back and forth with numbers," Bevell said. "We have all the confidence in the world in Troy." 
But the loss of Rice affects their personnel grouping. Williamson plays the same spot as Robert Ferguson, and Rice shares snaps at the outside spot with Wade. 
Also. ... Ferguson left the game with a stomach illness but returned. That's why Ferguson said he couldn't finish his long reception, one in which he was stopped at the 1-yard line. 
"I didn't have anything to eat, all day. I was playing on fumes," he said. "I was sick." 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Tarvaris Jackson, Kelly Holcomb, Brooks Bollinger 
RB: Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Mewelde Moore 
FB: Tony Richardson, Jeff Dugan, Naufahu Tahi 
WR: Bobby Wade, Robert Ferguson, Troy Williamson, Aundrae Allison, Sidney Rice 
TE: Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan, Garrett Mills 
PK: Ryan Longwell 
=========================

=========================
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
You know things are going well when a team continues to set scoring records even with your offense struggling. The New England Patriots tied an NFL record when safety Eugene Wilson returned an interception for a touchdown in Sunday's game against the New York Jets. 
With the interception of Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens, Wilson became the 21st Patriots player to score a touchdown this season, tying a league record shared by the Denver Broncos (2000) and Los Angeles Rams (1987). 
It was the first interception of the season for Wilson. 
But the record-setting pace set earlier in the season has clearly slowed. 
Flash back to the Patriots' 56-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills Nov. 18. As Boston Globe staffer Christopher L. Gasper reminded readers, Tom Brady tossed five touchdown passes to give him 38 in 10 games. Wide receiver Randy Moss had set a franchise record with four TD receptions, giving him 16 on the season. 
New England was averaging 41.1 points per game. 
Brady, Moss, and the Patriots weren't just on pace to break NFL records for touchdown passes in a season (49), touchdown receptions in a season (22), and points in a season (556), respectively, they were going to ground them up like snow melt. 
A month later, those milestones are still likely to fall -- possibly as soon as this Sunday against the 1-13 Miami Dolphins -- but so has the Patriots' prolific offensive output. 
They're still averaging 37.4 points per game, which would rank as the second-highest in NFL history, behind the 1950 Los Angeles Rams (38.8), but in the four games since the drubbing of the Bills, Gasper points out that readers the Patriots offense has gone from "superhuman to simply superb," averaging 28 points per game. 
Brady, who had thrown at least three touchdown passes in each of the first 10 games of the season, has seven total in the last four games. Moss, who averaged 105.2 yards receiving and more than a touchdown per game in the first 10 contests, has averaged 72.7 yards receiving and scored three touchdowns in the last four games. 
Gasper went on to explain that opponents haven't found a way to stop the Patriots -- the Steelers showed that -- but with a little help from Mother Nature they have slowed them down. New England recorded season lows in points, net passing yards (134), and total yards (265) in a wet and windy 20-10 win over the New York Jets Sunday. 
Brady, who was held without a touchdown pass for the first time all season and is still five short of breaking Peyton Manning's mark, admitted after the game the weather made vertical passes and sideline routes challenging. His wide receivers agreed. 
"It was pretty rough," said Jabar Gaffney. "With the conditions like that you want to run the ball more and [have] a lot more ball control and that's what we were able to do." 
Moss, who needs four TD receptions in the final two games to break Jerry Rice's record for a season, set in 12 games in 1987, said, "One thing through my career that I've always watched is the New England Patriots playing in the snow and bad weather, so when I came up here I just wanted to know which days and what time of the month that was coming. 
"Now, it's here, so there's nothing we can do about it, but just try to go out there and play and see what we can do." 
Gasper added that Sunday's game and the Patriots' 27-24 windswept win over the Baltimore Ravens Dec. 3, have illustrated the difficulties of having a high-powered passing attack in the Northeast. Both Manning, who set the NFL record for touchdown passes with 49 in 2004, and the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, who set the record for points in a season with 556, benefited from playing their home games in domed stadiums. 
The Patriots, who have scored 523 points this season, just 34 shy of breaking Minnesota's mark, host the Dolphins Sunday and travel to East Rutherford, N.J., to face the New York Giants Dec. 29, so they could face weather similar to Sunday again. 
"Obviously, it's not very conducive to throwing the football," Brady said Sunday. "I wish we played in a dome every week. It's 65 degrees or 70 degrees, but you play with whatever conditions are out there and you just try to do the best you can do." 
Head coach Bill Belichick downplayed the effect the weather had on the offense, saying the Patriots still were able to utilize about 95 percent of their game plan. It's not like the Patriots haven't thrown the ball in inclement weather before -- remember the Snow Bowl? 
"It wasn't terrible. It wasn't a sunny day in September, but it wasn't. ... We've all been in worse," said Belichick. "It was the same for the Jets. Look, we're in Boston. It's the middle of December. I don't think any of us are surprised if it's not clear, sunny, and warm out there." 
And as Gasper summed up: "The only record Belichick cares about is 14-0. ..." 
Also of interest. ... Even though he had never played a game in a snowstorm, Laurence Maroney had a feeling it was going to be his time to shine when he awoke Sunday morning to find the area blanketed by a blizzard. 
As Boston Herald staffer Jeff Horrigan noted, the snow eventually morphed into a cold, pelting rain by kickoff but that didn't stop Maroney from making sure the Jets were the only ones feeling under the weather. With passing conditions difficult for Brady, Maroney was called on to carry the ball a career-high 26 times, which he converted into a season-high 104 yards and a touchdown. 
After an impressive rookie season in which he rushed for 745 yards and made veteran Corey Dillon expendable, Maroney has had difficulty this season, hindered by a groin injury and the Pats' explosive passing attack. 
He carried 19 times for 103 yards against Buffalo on Sept. 23 but that was the only time he had truly been a factor this season before Sunday. 
But despite the lack of opportunities and growing talk that he has been a disappointment in his sophomore campaign, Maroney said he never lost confidence in himself. 
"Even though we pass the ball a lot, my confidence level never dropped," he said. "I knew the passes were going to lead us to where we're at (because) a lot of teams won't be able to stop us. You keep doing it until teams take it away from us. I knew sooner or later they were going to call for the running game and I had to be prepared." 
Brady said Maroney's performance could be a huge boost for the team. 
"It was a big game for him," Brady said. "I thought he played really well and I thought he ran the ball hard, took care of the ball, scored on the goal line. Hopefully, Laurence gained some confidence. I know we all have confidence in Laurence. He just hasn't had quite the opportunity that he would like." 
Or that Fantasy owners would like. ... 
It's become apparent that Gaffney, a starter last Sunday, has passed Donte' Stallworth as Brady's third receiving option. According to Pro Football Weekly, Gaffney's speed and measurables pale in comparison to Stallworth's, but his knowledge of the offense and overall craftiness have made him more frequently targeted in recent weeks. ... 
On his final catch of the day -- a 16-yard reception -- Wes Welker exceeded the 1,000-yard receiving mark this season. The wideout finished the game with three catches, giving him 96 on the season for 1,004 receiving yards. The 96 receptions are tied for third-highest single-season total in team history. Troy Brown holds the team record with 101 catches in 2001. . . . 
Brady, who wore a glove on his non-throwing hand to help better grip the football on snaps, set his single-season career high for passing yards (4,235), topping his total of 4,110 yards in 2005. 
Tight end Ben Watson was declared inactive due to an injured ankle and Kyle Brady suffered an ankle injury during the first half Sunday. That meant Stephen Spach, who was signed just before the game, saw quite a bit of action. 
With Watson and Brady banged up, that leaves the Pats thin at the position. ... 
And finally. ... As Providence Journal reporter Jim Donaldson framed it on Monday: "The next two (games), some fools might suggest, don't really matter, because the undefeated Pats have locked up home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs and so could go on cruise-control the last two games of the regular season, resting Brady and selected others of his teammates in order to ensure they'll be healthy when the AFC semifinal game is played at Gillette Stadium the weekend of Jan. 12-13. 
"The suggestion itself is not, by the way, ridiculous. But what is foolish is bringing it up to Belichick, as happened at Sunday's postgame press conference. 
"Better you should wave a red flag in front of a bull. ..." 
"With the number-one seed wrapped up," he was asked Sunday, "does the context of the games change the way you'll utilize your personnel?" 
"We'll do what we always do," Belichick replied. 
"When you say: 'Do what we always do,' does that mean. ..." the questioner went on, before Belichick cut him off. "It means we'll prepare for the game. We'll break down the film, the players will come in, we'll give them the game plan, we'll get ready to go, and we'll go play on Sunday." 
"How about as far as what players. ..." the questioner persisted. 
But that was as far as he got. 
"That's what we always do," Belichick said. "We'll play the same way. We'll do what we always do. We'll come in, we'll prepare, and we'll play the game on Sunday. That's what we do." 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez 
RB: Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk 
FB: Heath Evans, Kyle Eckel 
WR: Randy Moss, Jabar Gaffney, Wes Welker, Donte' Stallworth, Kelley Washington, Chad Jackson, Troy Brown 
TE: Ben Watson, Kyle Brady, Stephen Spach 
PK: Stephen Gostkowski 
=========================

=========================
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Several reports over the past week claimed that Reggie Bush would be out for the season and placed on injured reserve this week. Not only did it not happen, FOXSports insider Jay Glazer first reported on Sunday the team actually has plans for Bush to play, perhaps as early as this week. 
In fact, Glazer reported that Bush told head coach Sean Payton before Monday night's win over the Falcons that he wanted to come back and would do whatever he had to do to get back for the home stretch. 
And sure enough, New Orleans Times-Picayune staffer Mike Triplett reported Tuesday that Bush will return to practice this week in hopes of playing Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. 
The Saints' tailback is still considered questionable for Sunday's game. And the team will no doubt try and keep the Eagles and the media guessing about Bush's health status throughout the week. 
But Payton said Monday he is "optimistic" about Bush's possible return. 
"He's a little bit ahead of schedule. That's been encouraging," Payton said of Bush, who missed the previous two games with a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. "I think he's feeling a lot stronger on it. He's obviously moving around a lot better on it. 
"We'll see where he's at Wednesday, but I know he's planning on practicing, and that will be a plus." 
Still, if Bush is able to play Sunday, Payton said the team would be "judicious" about the number of snaps he would get. 
Presumably, tailback Aaron Stecker will continue to play a significant role in the Saints' offense after carrying the ball 42 times for 195 yards during the past two weeks, both victories. And as SI.com insider Peter King wrote on Monday: "Stecker's a better every-down-type back than Bush. No doubt." 
But Bush would be an asset, either as a change-of-pace option, a receiver out of the backfield, or simply as a distraction to the Eagles' defense. 
As Triplett reminded readers, the Saints' offense was at its best last year when Bush and Deuce McAllister were on the field together, keeping defenses off balance with their contrasting styles. 
In the Saints' playoff victory against Philadelphia in January, McAllister ran 21 times for 143 yards and a touchdown, and caught four passes for 20 yards and another touchdown. Bush ran 12 times for 52 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 22 yards. ... 
Meanwhile, Times-Picayune staffer Jeff Duncan pointed out on Monday, if there is a player who has mirrored the Saints' season it is wide receiver Marques Colston. 
Like his team, the second-year receiver started the season slowly and is finishing it with a rush. 
He continued his torrid pace against the Cardinals, catching a game-high eight passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Saints' 31-24 victory Sunday at the Superdome. 
It was Colston's fourth 100-yard performance in his past seven games and the seventh time in the past eight games that he has had 85 receiving yards or more. In that span, Colston is averaging 7.8 catches for a league-best 103.6 yards. He averaged 4.3 catches and 43.8 yards in the Saints' first six games. 
"I have a ton of confidence in him, and he continues to get better and better," Drew Brees told Duncan. "He's still a young player, and the sky's the limit. He has so much potential. I think he's a big-play guy, and he knows that his number is going to get called -- and he's going to have some opportunities to make some plays, and he's really taken advantage of that." 
Colston's 19-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter against the Cardinals put him over the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive season. He's the third receiver in Saints history to reach the milestone in back-to-back seasons. Joe Horn (2000, 2001, 2002) and Eric Martin (1988, 1989) were the others. 
"That is a great accomplishment, but it's not an individual accomplishment," Colston said. "I have a guy like Drew throwing me the ball, and a great (offensive) line protecting him and the great play-calling. Without that it wouldn't be possible, so it is more of a colle