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 collective effort." 
But the totals are impressive. ... Colston leads the NFC with 87 receptions. His 1,092 receiving yards trail only the Cowboys' Terrell Owens (1,270) and Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald (1,166) in the conference. ... 
According to Pro Football Weekly, David Patten isn't a starter, but he is emerging as the team's third No. 2 receiver of the season. Patten is nowhere near as consistent as Colston, but he has been more reliable than Devery Henderson or Lance Moore. 
Also according to PFW, tight end Eric Johnson, who missed last week's game with an injured groin, is down to his last strike in New Orleans. Another drop could send backup Billy Miller up a notch on the depth chart. ... 
Also according to Duncan, no news was good news for kicker Martin Gramatica, who made his Saints debut Sunday. 
Gramatica made his only field-goal attempt -- a 31-yarder -- and was 4-of-4 on extra points. 
He also showed a strong leg on kickoffs. He sent all six of his attempts inside the Cardinals' 7, including one for a touchback and two that landed at the 1. 
Gramatica is replacing Olindo Mare, who was placed on the injured reserve list with a hip injury. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Drew Brees, Jamie Martin 
RB: Aaron Stecker, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas 
FB: Mike Karney 
WR: Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, David Patten, Lance Moore, Terrance Copper, Robert Meachem 
TE: Eric Johnson, Billy Miller 
PK: Martin Gramatica 
=========================

=========================
NEW YORK GIANTS
According to Associated Press sports David Porter, in their latest loss at home to Washington, the Giants frequently looked like the bumbling, stumbling team that lost six of its last eight games a year ago and barely slipped into the playoffs. 
Yet, while the Giants have lost four of seven games at Giants Stadium this season, they have won six of seven on the road. That mark is topped only by New England, Dallas and Indianapolis. 
They'll need another win Sunday at Buffalo to avoid having to clinch a playoff spot against what figures to be an undefeated New England team at Giants Stadium on the season's final weekend. 
Though the Giants had won three of their last four games before the 22-10 loss to the Redskins, New York again exposed its shortcomings on offense, which seem to become magnified when it plays at home. 
The Giants have scored more than 20 points just once in their last seven games, yet have managed to win three of them -- against Miami, Detroit and Chicago, all on the road -- with strong defensive efforts. 
The defense couldn't bail them out against Washington and the result was an ugly game played in ugly weather in front of a handful of fans by the time the final whistle sounded. 
"It wasn't that we were outcoached or they outschemed us, we just didn't perform well," quarterback Eli Manning said. "We had chances, but between some throws being off and some drops here and there and some miscommunications in protections, it was enough mistakes in different categories where we just couldn't get in a rhythm." 
Manning had plenty of opportunities to get on the same page with his receivers: He threw 52 passes, the second-most he's thrown in a game. 
The Giants' receivers dropped at least 10 passes -- hardly the kind of help Manning needed on a night when he struggled with Giants Stadium's notorious swirling winds and temperatures in the low 30s. 
"It was tough to throw downfield. You couldn't really get anything on it," said Manning. "It wasn't a day you wanted to throw the ball a lot." 
And yet the Giants continued to try to throw the ball a lot. 
Manning's 34 incompletions were the most since Joe Namath misfired on 36 passes against Denver in 1967. 
"We had an awful lot of dropped balls," head coach Tom Coughlin said. "In situations like this, your really have to focus and watch the ball all the way into you hands. The wind played into it sometimes." 
Not surprisingly, the number of attempts raised questions about Coughlin's play selection, since the Giants ran the ball barely more than half that many times on a night when high winds made every pass an adventure. 
Coughlin defended the strategy as having been dictated by the circumstances of the game, in which the Giants trailed by as many as 19 points in the second half. 
"Nobody wants to throw the ball 52 times," he conceded. "But we didn't exactly knock them dead with the run in the first half. When you are down 22-3 and you are trying to find some way to get back in the game, then when there is something that had been good to us in the past, we have to continue to try it." 
Statistically, the Giants actually have been better this season when they are running the ball. Including Sunday's game, they have rushed for 1,780 yards, or 127 per game, second in the NFC behind Minnesota. In contrast, they are 11th in the conference in passing with 201 yards per game. 
Brandon Jacobs rushed 25 times for 130 yards and caught three passes for 30 more against Washington, but also had a couple of key drops on outlet passes as the Giants tried and failed to rally in the fourth quarter. 
"I am very disappointed," Jacobs said of his night. "(In the wind) you had to concentrate extra hard. The wind was same for both teams, you gotta concentrate and focus extra hard on what you gotta do and I didn't do that." 
Toomer said that wind gusts did play into the missed opportunity in the third quarter. 
"It was a tough day," Amani Toomer said. "It was pretty frustrating." 
Though stoic in his post-game comments, Manning was obviously frustrated. 
"From my part to the receivers' drops there were a lot of little things that we missed," Manning said. "Whether it was mental or what, there were too many missed opportunities. You can't have that many mistakes and put yourself in that big of a hole and expect to win a game. ..." 
On an even less positive note. ... New York will have to make do without Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey, who broke his left fibula against the Redskins and will miss the rest of the season. Coughlin said Shockey, who was placed on IR Monday, is scheduled to have surgery by the end of the week, and that his place will be filled by rookies Kevin Boss and Mike Matthews on a rotating basis. 
To fill Shockey's roster spot, the Giants signed tight end Jerome Collins off the practice squad. Collins played at Notre Dame and was a fifth-round draft choice by the St. Louis Rams in 2005. 
Shockey was bent backward and immediately lay on the ground in obvious pain, his fists clenched as he grimaced on the turf. He was helped to the sideline by Giants trainers and had his leg immobilized before he was taken in a cart for further examination. 
"We've got a tough challenge ahead of us playing without him," Manning said. 
Added Coughlin: "To lose him at any time of the season is a huge loss. I feel badly for him." 
Shockey had two catches for 18 yards in the game. Boss had two catches for 31 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown, after Shockey left. 
"All year, I've just been one snap away from happening to step in and contribute," said Boss, who has five catches for 68 yards this season. "I'm just going to continue to do what I've done all season and prepare and continue to get in the film room. I'm confident that I'll be able to step in and help out." 
Meanwhile, Matthews has six catches for 28 yards this season. ... 
On the injury front. ... Burress (ankle) was held out Wednesday; Jacobs (hamstring) was limited. "We'll limit some of the things he does," Coughlin said of Jacobs. "But it's the same injury." 
Meaning the coach expects Jacobs to play. ... 
Sinorice Moss, who had the best game of his career (a team-high five catches for 53 yards), strained a muscle in his back but Coughlin didn't mention the injury in his Wednesday morning rundown of bumps and bruises. ... Whatever the case, rookie Steve Smith returned to action against Washington and will be available to fill in as needed. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Eli Manning, Anthony Wright, Jared Lorenzen 
RB: Brandon Jacobs, Reuben Droughns, Ahmad Bradshaw 
FB: Madison Hedgecock, Reuben Droughns 
WR: Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Sinorice Moss, David Tyree, Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon 
TE: Kevin Boss, Michael Matthews 
PK: Lawrence Tynes 
=========================

=========================
NEW YORK JETS
As Newark Star-Ledger beat man Dave Hutchinson framed it Tuesday: "Pennington or Clemens? No clue. Rib or shoulder? It depends on whom you ask. ..." 
The two most pressing issues for the Jets -- a decision about which quarterback will start this weekend and which Kellen Clemens body part was injured Sunday -- were no closer to being resolved by the time coach Eric Mangini was done speaking Monday. 
Mangini fanned the flames of a quarterback controversy, if that's possible for a 3-11 team, by not choosing between Clemens and Chad Pennington for this week's game at Tennessee. Clemens was injured on his first pass against the Patriots and didn't return, replaced by Pennington for the remainder of the Jets' 20-10 loss. 
Clemens was hit by Patriots defensive end Richard Seymour just as he released the ball, and the wounded duck of a pass was intercepted by Patriots safety Eugene Wilson and returned 5 yards for a touchdown. Seymour drove Clemens into the end-zone turf, and Clemens landed squarely on his left shoulder. 
He favored the shoulder as he walked off the field, but the Jets announced that it was a rib injury. After the game, Mangini and Clemens each said Clemens was healthy enough to return to the game, but the coach stuck with Pennington. 
The veteran played well despite very little practice time last week with the first-team offense, completing 25 of 38 passes for 186 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. 
"It's been called a rib" injury, Clemens said awkwardly Sunday during a post-game news conference. He didn't seem too pleased about not being allowed to re-enter the game, and the Jets initially weren't going to allow him to speak to the media. 
Monday, Mangini said Clemens underwent tests but he didn't reveal the results. 
Hutchinson went on to remind readers the last time there was a difference of opinion regarding an injury, linebacker Jonathan Vilma said he was taken out of the Jets' Oct. 21 game against the Bengals because of a coaches' decision and Mangini said the move was injury-related. 
Vilma, who had surgery on his right knee, is out for the season. 
Mangini said several times Monday that much of his decision about who would start against the Titans would be based on Clemens' health this week, but Mangini danced around questions about whether that was the only factor. Clemens has thrown just four touchdowns and eight interceptions -- two returned for touchdowns -- in his seven starts and is 2-5 as a starter. He has thrown 10 interceptions overall this season. 
Mangini said he'll make a decision later in the week based on how Clemens practices. However, he'll likely know by mid-week who'll start; teams start putting in their game plans on Wednesdays. 
Though Clemens is receiving on-the-job training, he has been underwhelming and the Jets' quarterback situation is no clearer now than it was when Pennington was sat down after an Oct. 28 loss to Buffalo. With Pennington not expected to return next season, the Jets were thought to be auditioning Clemens the remainder of the season. 
"I haven't really been looking at it like that," Mangini said. "Kellen has done a lot of good things and there's a lot of things that he's still growing into. ... Chad did a really nice job to have limited reps and execute all the different things we asked. It's hard to do and it's the sign of a true pro." 
Pressed again as to whether the injury to Clemens is a rib or shoulder, Mangini said, "Right now, just rib." 
Mangini said the question is how much the injury would affect Clemens' performance if he were to play. He said Pennington isn't dealing with an injury and he might be a better option. 
According to New York Newsday staffer Tom Rock, with two meaningless games remaining, the Jets would probably love to get a few more looks at Clemens before they head into the offseason. They'll have a high first-round draft pick in April -- third overall if the season ended today -- and could be in the market for a starter if they are not satisfied with Clemens' development. 
Clearly they had reached a decision on Pennington's future when they yanked him in early November. 
Since then, Clemens has won two of his six starts, thrown three touchdowns and six interceptions. Two of the picks have been returned for touchdowns. He was supposed to provide a spark, but so far, all Clemens has ignited is uncertainty. 
And, as Rock suggested, "Now this. A quarterback situation as up in the air as a juggled Justin McCareins catch. ..." 
Whoever starts at Tennessee might have to be without wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who has been struggling with a high left ankle sprain and reinjured it in a freak accident Saturday at the team hotel. 
"I don't know all the specifics," Mangini said. 
Coles told reporters after the game that as he sat on the trainer's table, it fell directly on the ankle. He was on the field for one play against the Patriots before shutting it down for the day. 
"We'll see where he is and evaluate it," Mangini said. "[Coles] wants to play and I appreciate that." 
Still, Rock and Hutchinson both report the Jets might consider placing Coles on IR. ... 
Meanwhile, McCareins dropped several balls Sunday, including a key touchdown he bobbled in the back of the end zone. "Well, he's running good routes, getting open," Mangini said of McCareins. "I'm sure he'd like to make [those plays]. We'd like him to make them." 
McCareins also had a critical drop of a likely touchdown pass against Baltimore in Week 2. 
And as New York Daily News beat man Rich Cimini noted Wednesday, in 62 games with the Jets, McCareins has exactly one 100-yard receiving game. He has earned more than $12 million in four years. This season, he's had four killer drops. 
As Cimini suggested, "That's a lot of clang for the buck. ..." 
Thomas Jones had only nine carries for 19 yards, including only one carry in the red zone. "There were opportunities I thought we had where they made some good plays," Mangini said. "That's a pretty aggressive, stout front. ..." 
Although Brad Smith, who saw time under center before Pennington entered the game, is best-suited as an option quarterback and isn't a threat to throw the ball, Mangini defended using Smith against the Patriots. 
Smith pitched to Leon Washington for a 49-yard gain on the Jets' second possession, but the Patriots threw Washington for a 9-yard loss the next time Smith ran the option.... 
Chris Baker, who had a career-best eight catches for 66 yards, now has a career-high 37 catches this season. He had a killer fumble in the first half, though. ... 
And finally. ... When Mike Nugent made a 33-yarder FG it gave him 15 consecutive successful FGs, but he missed a 35-yarder in the fourth quarter to end the streak. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Chad Pennington, Kellen Clemens, Marques Tuiasosopo 
RB: Thomas Jones, Leon Washington 
FB: Stacey Tutt 
WR: Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Brad Smith, Justin McCareins, Wallace Wright 
TE: Chris Baker, Joe Kowalewski, Jason Pociask, Sean Ryan 
PK: Mike Nugent 
=========================

=========================
OAKLAND RAIDERS
As Associated Press sports writer Josh Dubow suggested, the emergence of Justin Fargas as a featured running back has been the highlight offensively for the Oakland Raiders this season. 
Now they will have to finish the season without their 1,000-yard back. An MRI on Monday confirmed that Fargas sprained the MCL in his right knee in Sunday's 21-14 loss, shutting him down for the final two games of the season -- although the injury won't require surgery. 
The Raiders will rely on Dominic Rhodes and LaMont Jordan this week against Jacksonville and in the season finale at San Diego. Head coach Lane Kiffin said Monday he hadn't decided which back will start or whether he'll split time between the two this week. 
"I'd like to have whatever works," Kiffin said. "I don't think there's a perfect formula. You can be great if you have a great running back, one great running back. And you can be great if you have two. So it all depends on where you're at, at that time. 
"For the most part we've gone with one all year just because that's how we felt at that time. This week could be different." 
Fargas finished the year with 222 carries for 1,009 yards despite starting only seven games. A backup for most of his first four seasons in the NFL, Fargas shined when he got his opportunity to start. His 676 yards rushing since he took over the starting role Nov. 4 are second best in the league to the 694 for San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson. 
The timing couldn't have been better for Fargas, who can be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. 
"I've always been confident in my abilities, even going back to my rookie year," he said. "But good things, accomplishments and things like that, come with opportunity and being recognized when it comes. And that's been the difference this year." 
Dubow went on to remind readers that neither Rhodes nor Jordan got much chance to play before Fargas injured his knee just before scoring the touchdown that briefly gave the Raiders a 14-13 lead over the Colts in the fourth quarter Sunday. 
Jordan was inactive against the Colts and has struggled mightily since injuring his back late in the first half against Miami on Sept. 30. Jordan had 84 carries for 424 yards before the injury, and just 60 for 125 yards after. 
Rhodes had been inactive the previous two games and had only three carries in Oakland's last seven contests before getting some action against his former team, the Colts. 
"I hate to see Justin go down," Rhodes said. "I'm proud of him. He got his first 1,000-yard season. He's been running hard. It's the NFL and things like that happen, so I'm happy for the opportunity." 
Rhodes worked his way into the No. 2 spot this past week and responded by carrying seven times for 41 yards against Indianapolis. He had only gained 24 yards on 12 carries before that game. 
"I thought he made a couple of guys miss yesterday and really battled and ran hard," Kiffin said. "He really had practiced well the last couple of weeks and done well. We felt this was an opportunity this week. ... I know it was good for him to get out there and get a feel for it, and he will get more opportunities this week, I imagine." 
Kiffin also said No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell would see his first road action this week in Jacksonville. Russell has played briefly in Oakland's last two home games, but sat out a trip to Green Bay in between as Kiffin didn't want to expose him to the elements. 
Josh McCown is expected to start again and Russell will see some action in the middle of the game. 
Russell has played five series in his two cameo appearances, going 6-for-12 for 66 yards. The Raiders have brought the rookie along slowly, especially because he missed all of training camp and the exhibition season in a contract dispute. 
"As you guys have seen, that's very important," Kiffin said. "He's played five series so far, we haven't scored a point yet. So it's very important for that stuff, and we can't go back and make it up. ..." 
Other notes of interest. ... Pro Football Weekly reports that McCown is none too eager to uproot his family and learn another system and may be more willing to stay in Oakland next year as a backup behind Russell than originally thought. 
His close relationship with Kiffin doesn't hurt, but the question is whether he views himself as still having starting potential in the league. ... 
Also according to PFW, insiders are impressed with the way rookie tight end Zach Miller has overcome his two deficiencies coming out of college: A lack of speed and upper-body strength. 
And finally. ... FOXSports.com insider John Czarnecki, Kiffin has been looking to escape Oakland -- despite the coach's denials. There have also been rumblings about him wanting his father, Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin (in the last year of his contract in Tampa Bay), to come join in Oakland next season as his defensive coordinator. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Josh McCown, JaMarcus Russell, Daunte Culpepper, Andrew Walter 
RB: LaMont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes, Justin Fargas 
FB: Justin Griffith, Oren O'Neal 
WR: Ronald Curry, Jerry Porter, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Tim Dwight 
TE: Zach Miller, John Madsen, Tony Stewart 
PK: Sebastian Janikowski 
=========================

=========================
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
A great play and a Fantasy nightmare ... As Associated Press sports writer Randy Pennell reported it, with nothing between him and the goal line in the closing minutes of Sunday's win over Dallas, the only thing that could stop Brian Westbrook was the bellowing of teammate Jon Runyan. 
The Eagles were clinging to a 10-6 lead over their hated rivals with just over two minutes left when Westbrook broke through the line and into the open field. But rather than scoring the touchdown that could have put an emphatic end to a big upset, Westbrook stopped at the 1-yard line and went to the ground, allowing the Eagles to run out the clock on the Cowboys while making and breaking many a Fantasy season. 
Why? 
All because he could hear his right tackle's earlier advice in his mind and urgent orders in his ear. 
"I got a stern talking-to by Runyan right before that play," Westbrook said after the game. "He said, 'Listen, if you're down to the 1, take a knee."' 
Westbrook didn't know if it was a good idea, but Runyan did. 
"He was like, 'Take a knee, Westbrook, take a knee.'" 
Runyan was so sure it would be better for the Eagles to run out the clock rather than score and risk a freak comeback, he pursued his running back downfield on the play, yelling the whole time. 
"I looked back and I saw all 6-7 or 6-8 of him running toward me saying, 'Get down,"' Westbrook said. 
"So, I got down." 
Head coach Andy Reid credited Westbrook's Villanova education for the decision to stop short of the goal line, but at least some credit should go to -- in the words of Bo Schembechler -- a Michigan Man. 
"They were going to let us score to get the ball back, so I suggested this because then they won't get it back," Runyan said. "In a crazy game like this, you never know, you are a long kickoff return or a crazy play and an onside kick away from possibly losing the game." 
Reid admitted Monday that Runyan is "a smart guy," but said he was more impressed that Westbrook -- who isn't really programmed to throttle down in the open field -- was able to listen to his tackle's advice. 
"Whether Jon Runyan was making the call or not, for a running back to execute it and understand what's being said when you're going in for a touchdown is something else," Reid said. 
"Sometimes it's hard to get a guard and a tackle to communicate, let alone a running back who's 15 yards down the field to listen to his offensive tackle." 
It was a brutal moment for Westbrook owners, who have benefited greatly throughout the season while the diminutive tailback became the league in yards from scrimmage with 1,896 yards and tied for second in the NFC with 12 touchdowns. 
And as Pennell noted, if not for his "offensive tackle," he would have one more. ... 
Moving on to the less compelling (from a Fantasy perspective) but much more dramatic item. ... Donovan McNabb denied telling FOX sideline reporter Pam Oliver "point-blank" that "my knee is not an issue" and "the next place I go I will win." 
Oliver spoke with McNabb Saturday night and prefaced her comments during Sunday's game by saying the impression she received from the embattled nine-year veteran was that he is disappointed by what he feels is the organization's attempt to distance itself from him, while lending too much credibility to public criticism. 
"I am denying I said it. Make sure you get it right," McNabb said after the game. 
"If I'm here, or wherever it might me, I'm going to give all that I have and I did that today. I'm going to continue to do that. You hear things and you get tired of answering questions, but I stand up here like a professional and I do it." 
It should be noted that Oliver strongly defended her report following McNabb's denial. 
Oliver had a brief conversation with McNabb on Sunday as he warmed up with backup quarterback A.J. Feeley before the game. 
"I made contact with him and asked if he was interested in talking or not," Oliver said. "I asked him how he was doing and how difficult the year had been. He proceeded with a whole lot of information that he completely volunteered. He was putting his opinion out there about everything. 
"I'm a little shocked and dumbfounded that it has all been denied. I can't believe it, and I don't understand it." 
Oliver said she did not try to contact McNabb about his denial. 
"Right now, smoke is still coming out of my ears," she said. 
Oliver said that McNabb volunteered a lot of information about his situation as she started walking away from him, and that she actually toned down some of the information in an effort to avoid controversy. 
"I was backing away to leave and he said, 'I know that the next place I go, I will win, and I will have a smile on my face the whole time,'" Oliver said. 
"Everything he said, I'm convinced he meant to say. ... The wording in my report, I was trying to do him a favor and trying not to cause controversy. The controversy turns out to be him denying the whole thing. He feels wronged by the organization. That was the gist of the conversation. I don't think that's news to anybody who has been able to get him away from the microphones. He's a sensitive person. I guess he needs whatever he needs." 
And right now it appears he needs Oliver's report to go away. ... 
Reid said Matt Schobel's concussion isn't as serious as the one that caused Correll Buckhalter to miss Sunday's game. He expects Schobel to play Sunday. Westbrook (knee contusion) is also day to day. 
Buckhalter should be back this week, Reid said, and L.J. Smith (knee) is doing better and may be available Sunday. 
Buckhalter returned to practice on Wednesday; Schobel, Smith and Westbrook -- along with receiver Reggie Brown (knee) -- all took Wednesday off. 
As phillyBurbs.com staffer Reuben Frank noted, Reid rarely says anything critical of officials, but he was still furious Monday about Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin's helmet-to-helmet hit on Schobel. The hit didn't draw a flag but is expected to result in a heavy fine for Hamlin. 
"Obviously, I was upset," Reid said. "I was very upset because I lost a tight end. I worry about the players being hurt." 
Reid said he'll decide after getting a progress report on Schobel and Smith whether the Eagles need to sign an emergency tight end. ... 
David Akers has missed eight of his 10 attempts this season from 40 yards or longer. 
And finally. ... Pro Football Weekly believes the Eagles will experiment with Kevin Curtis as a punt returner in the offseason. The longest return not by Westbrook -- whom the team resists putting back there other than occasionally -- this season has been 32 yards, and the non-Westbrook return average is a very tame 7.0 yards. 
However, Curtis hasn't had much chance to work back there in practice. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Donovan McNabb, A.J. Feeley, Kevin Kolb 
RB: Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, Tony Hunt, Reno Mahe 
FB: Thomas Tapeh 
WR: Kevin Curtis, Reggie Brown, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis 
TE: Brent Celek, Matt Schobel, L.J. Smith 
PK: David Akers 
=========================

=========================
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Ben Roethlisberger broke Terry Bradshaw's touchdown passing record Sunday. And as Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staffer Ed Bouchette noted, he did it without breaking anything else, which was at least one bright spot in a snow-covered, 29-22 loss to the Jaguars. 
Roethlisberger, listed as questionable with a sore shoulder that prevented him from practicing two days last week, made it through the game without any apparent further injury, even though he was sacked another five times. 
With two games left, Roethlisberger is threatening another team quarterback record, this one for most sacks in a season. He has 43, eight from Cliff Stoudt's dubious record in 1983 when he was bagged 51 times by opponents. Last season, Roethlisberger was sacked 46 times. 
"Offensively, we have to block people better," head coach Mike Tomlin said. "We have to finish our plays better. We have to protect our passer. Receivers have to get open. The quarterback has to get rid of the ball. We have to catch the ball if we have an opportunity to do that. ..." 
Meanwhile, Bouchette went on to point out that sure things for the Steelers are not so sure anymore. 
Things such as their defense rising up at the end of tight games, winning close games, and the surest sign of victory of them all -- a Willie Parker 100-yard game. 
The Steelers won 18 of Parker's first 19 100-yard rushing games. Since then, they are 0 for 2 when Parker ran for 100 yards, both in the past two games. 
Parker, the NFL's leading rusher, ran 14 times for 100 yards Sunday. It was his second consecutive 100-yard game and the Steelers' second consecutive loss. He ran for 124 yards in a 34-13 loss Dec. 9 to New England. 
"It's tough, man," Parker said. "You have to find ways to win the game, that's all there is. The fans are angry, they've got that right. We played like crap." 
Parker said the Steelers still are searching for an identity even though this is the 15th week of the season. 
"It seems we're still trying to find our identity and the season's almost over," he said. "We need to buckle down." 
A good example was the running game Sunday. The Steelers, long identified as a run-first team, ran the ball 17 times Sunday for 111 yards. 
"We're not running the ball that much and we're a running team," he said. ... 
The Steelers ended their regular-season home schedule 7-1. Their final two games come on the road, where they are 2-4, at St. Louis Thursday night and at Baltimore. 
A victory Sunday would have clinched at least a wild-card playoff berth. If they remain in a tie atop the AFC North Division with Cleveland, they will win the title because of their two victories against the Browns. 
As Bouchette suggested, what once seemed assured now has them scrambling for their lives. ... 
Other notes of interest. ... Heath Miller had his seventh touchdown reception, his career high and tied for the lead with Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, Brian St. Pierre 
RB: Willie Parker, Najeh Davenport, Gary Russell 
FB: Dan Kreider, Carey Davis 
WR: Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Nate Washington, Cedrick Wilson, Willie Reid 
TE: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth 
PK: Jeff Reed 
=========================

=========================
ST. LOUIS RAMS
As St. Louis Post-Dispatch staff writer Bill Coats noted Monday, quarterbacks rarely ask to get knocked down. But the Rams' Marc Bulger, who had missed two games after suffering a concussion, was eager to find out how he would withstand the contact. 
"I was hoping to get the first hit out of the way," he said. He didn't have to wait long: On the second play of the Rams' first series Sunday, Green Bay linebacker Nick Barnett burst through for a sack. 
"I felt fine," Bulger reported. 
Even after a solid blow to the head later, Bulger was unfazed. 
"I'm not sure if it was a knee or a fist or what got me," he said. "I was worried for a second or two, but it went away. So, I'm back to 100 percent." 
Although Bulger had only a so-so outing in the 33-14 loss to the Packers, he held up physically. And as Coats suggested, that ranked as a victory for the injury-riddled Rams. 
"It's always good to have Marc back," left guard Milford Brown said. "He came out and did what he does best: control the offense and throw touchdowns." 
Bulger threw for one score, a 4-yard toss to wide receiver Torry Holt that made it 7-7 late in the first quarter. "I think Marc did a good job," running back Brian Leonard said. "His head was good." 
Three of the Packers' four sacks came in the last quarter and a half, as the Rams tried to play catch-up through the air. Running back Steven Jackson pounded out a season-high 143 yards on 24 carries -- all in the first three periods. 
"They were overly aggressive in the first half, and in the second half they kind of backed off and played traditional football," Jackson said. "But they still didn't stop us in the running game. They got ahead, and when you've got to fight from behind, that means more passing." 
Bulger wound up completing 20 of 39 passes for 219 yards, with the TD to Holt and two interceptions -- both the result of receivers letting catchable balls slip through their hands. 
"We hung in there in the first half," Bulger said. The Packers "can throw the ball, they can run the ball, they have a good defense. So, it was going to be tough once we got behind in the second half, and we couldn't get anything going." 
Bulger was injured in the first quarter Nov. 25 against Seattle. Gus Frerotte finished that game and started the next week, when he threw for 311 yards in a 28-16 victory over San Francisco. But he suffered a partially torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder and was available only for emergency duty last week at Cincinnati. 
When Bulger's symptoms recurred after two days of practice, he was scratched and Brock Berlin, who never had taken a snap in a regular-season game, started in the 19-10 loss to the Bengals. 
A week's worth of incident-free practices helped move Bulger back into the lineup; still, he said that some doubt lingered before kickoff. 
"You don't want to second-guess yourself or maybe find out you made the wrong decision," Bulger said. "The head issue, I can put that to bed now. And that's nice. ... 
"I'm pleased. I wish I would've played better, I wish the outcome was better. But health-wise, I came out pretty good." 
Meanwhile, about 100 hours after their loss to Green Bay concluded Sunday, the Rams will kick it off against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night at the Edward Jones Dome. 
"The turnaround is unbelievable," head coach Scott Linehan said Monday. "There's very little preparation time on the field. We're going to have to get a lot done through walk-throughs and film study." 
Although Tuesdays are normally a day off, that wasn't the case this Tuesday. Attendance was less than 100 percent, Linehan conceded, as some players nurse bumps and bruises. That group included Holt, who was limited Tuesday due to a sore groin. Holt regularly takes days off early in the week to help keep his legs fresh. 
Reserve running back Travis Minor also missed practice -- and will miss the final two games this season after suffering a high ankle sprain. 
"I know that there are going to be some players that aren't going to be able to go," he said. "Those that can, we're going to get as much done as we can." 
The coaches actually began preparation late last week for the Steelers (9-5), who sport the NFL's top-ranked defense. Because of the short week, the Rams won't be able to empty both barrels offensively. 
"It forces you somewhat to simplify your game plan; it's hard to put in a lot of new plays," offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. "So we'll go back and look at what we do well and try to incorporate some of (that) into different formations so that (the players are) comfortable with what's being called." 
Still, Linehan emphasized that short week or not, the Rams can't afford to pull back too much. 
"You still have to game plan and scheme as much as you can, especially against a team like this," he said. "Specifically offensively, with the looks they give you on defense. We have to be as comprehensive as we can. ..." 
Other notes of interest. ... Late in the second quarter of Sunday's game, receiver Isaac Bruce used a nifty downfield fake to gain separation on Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson. The result was a 37-yard gain down the right sideline that got St. Louis out of a second-and-9 hole. 
The 2-minute warning came one play later, so there was plenty of time for fans at the Edward Jones Dome to be notified that Bruce, with that catch, had moved past Marvin Harrison into fourth place on the NFL's career list for receiving yards. 
But there was no announcement until nearly 5 minutes into the third quarter, after a Green Bay field goal. 
This was in stark contrast to what happened early in the fourth quarter, when Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre eclipsed Dan Marino's NFL record for career passing yards with a 7-yard toss to Donald Driver. The game was stopped, an announcement was made immediately, and a crew from NFL Films dashed onto the field to record the moment as the football was taken out of play. 
Granted, Bruce did not set a record; Favre did. 
But after his catch, only Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and James Lofton are ahead on the career list. Bruce finished with four catches for 72 yards Sunday and has 13,983 career yards. (Harrison has 13,944.) Bruce is 22 yards shy of passing Lofton (14,004) for the No. 3 spot. 
"When you think about it, third all-time, that's pretty elite company," Bulger said. "I've been here and played for (only) half his career, but it seems like I've seen so many great moments because he's breaking all these records since I've been here. ..." 
Two days after being promoted from the practice squad, rookie Derek Stanley handled punt returns and kickoff returns for the Rams. The seventh-round pick from Wisconsin-Whitewater didn't get much done -- then again, it didn't appear he had much blocking help. 
Stanley's six kickoff returns averaged only 20.2 yards; the only Green Bay punt of the day sailed into the end zone for a touchback. Stanley fumbled his third kickoff return of the day, but Richard Owens recovered for St. Louis. 
Linehan opted for Stanley as his return man Sunday instead of Marques Hagans, who was on the pre-game inactive list. So was return man Brandon Williams, missing his second straight game with an ankle injury. ... 
And finally. ... Despite the collapse in St. Louis this season, it still appears Linehan is safe for 2008, in part because management understands injuries played a large part in the club's demise. And according to ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli, the players haven't quit on Linehan and their effort has remained relatively strong throughout a tough year. 
But Pasquarelli added, Linehan's grace period will run out next season if the Rams don't win. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, Brock Berlin 
RB: Steven Jackson, Brian Leonard, Antonio Pittman, Travis Minor 
FB: Brian Leonard, Richard Owens 
WR: Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Drew Bennett, Marques Hagans, Dane Looker, Brandon Williams 
TE: Randy McMichael, Joe Klopfenstein, Dominique Byrd, Aaron Walker 
PK: Jeff Wilkins 
=========================

=========================
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
According to Associated Press sports writer Bernie Wilson, if LaDainian Tomlinson is right, then at least part of the AFC playoff bracket could be in trouble. 
After a wildly inconsistent start to Norv Turner's first season as head coach, the Chargers are firing up at the right time. They've clinched their second straight AFC West title with two games to play and have the inside track to the No. 3 playoff seed. 
"Sometimes you just have to let the course of a season play out," Tomlinson said Monday, a day after the Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 51-14 to win their third division title in four seasons. 
"At some point it has to happen," Tomlinson said. "That's just how it is. For us not to be doing it, it's happening now. It's just coming at a later time, you know what I mean? And for us, it's great, because if we can be hot going into the playoffs, Whoa, Nellie! Whoa, Nellie!" 
The Chargers (9-5) have won four straight and eight of 10. They don't have to leave California the final two weeks, hosting Denver on Monday night and finishing at Oakland. 
The Chargers simply need to win out to earn the AFC's No. 3 seed. That would mean avoiding the probable No. 5 seed, Jacksonville, which beat the Chargers 24-17 on Nov. 18. If they are the No. 3 seed and win their opener, the Chargers would go to second-seeded Indianapolis, not No. 1 New England, for the divisional round. 
"If you continue to win you get to play the No. 1 seed in the championship game, if things go the way you think they will go," Tomlinson said. 
Tomlinson doesn't care that being the No. 3 seed would mean delaying a date with the Patriots. 
"You're going to have to play them if they continue to win, so it doesn't matter if you play them the week before or in the championship game," he said. "You've got to earn the right to play them if they continue to win." 
Tomlinson thinks the Chargers would match up well against any team in the playoffs. 
"We'd like to say we're definitely a contender. We've got to prove it. When you get to the playoffs, it's totally different. You've got more pressure on you and also less room for error, and so you've really got to take advantage of your opportunities. When we get there, that's one thing we're going to talk about." 
A year ago, Tomlinson was finishing off his league MVP season that included an NFL-record 31 touchdowns and 186 points. He also won his first rushing title with 1,815 yards. 
Tomlinson is within reach of another rushing title. He has 1,311 yards, six behind league leader Willie Parker of Pittsburgh through Sunday. 
Tomlinson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns in the first half Sunday. He felt his hamstring grab on a 49-yard run just before halftime and sat out the second half; he said he could have played if needed. Backup Michael Turner hurt a shoulder, opening the way for third-stringer Darren Sproles to run for 122 yards and two scores. 
It was the first time in team history that two backs ran for more than 100 yards in the same game. 
According to Wilson, Tomlinson would love nothing more than to win a Super Bowl. So far in his brilliant career, he's 0-2 in the playoffs. Overall, the Chargers are on a four-game postseason losing streak dating to the Super Bowl following the 1994 season. 
While wanting to help the Chargers win, Tomlinson will want to know where he stands in the race for the rushing title as the season winds down. If the opportunity is right, he wants to win it. 
"Yeah, I would want to know, because that's something a lot of guys take pride in, not only myself but the offensive line group, tight ends, fullbacks," he said. "Yeah, you do want to know, especially with the way this season has unfolded." 
Tomlinson said he did some running Monday and the hamstring is fine. 
Turner was asked what he'd do if Tomlinson needed just a handful of yards late in the final game to win the rushing title. 
'I can't answer that. That's a what-if," Turner said. "We could put LT's jersey on Sproles and put him in there. ..." 
Meanwhile, as North County Times staffer Scott Bair noted, Philip Rivers has taken a significant share of criticism this season. 
While some of it has been extreme, his numbers are a legitimate source of discontent. He has already set career marks for interceptions and fumbles, and has missed numerous open receivers during this roller-coaster campaign. 
Rivers was at his worst through the first three quarters of last week's game at Tennessee, with just 39 passing yards and two interceptions. Then he went from scapegoat to hero by sparking a come-from-behind, overtime win over the Titans on a sprained left knee. 
Rivers ensured some more positive press in Sunday's win over the Lion. He completed 14-of-21 passes for 142 yards, a touchdown and, most importantly, no turnovers. 
"I thought I was pretty steady," Rivers said. "I didn't make every throw, but I made good ones when we needed it. It was a game where you look back and think 'I could've made this, I could've made that.' But again, with the type of game we were in, it was important to not turn it over. It was what we needed to do in order to win." 
That's Rivers' primary goal and his trump card. Critics can't argue with his 23-7 record as a starter. They surely can't dismiss back-to-back AFC West Division titles during his term under center. 
Ever since the third quarter ended last week, Rivers has preformed more like he did last year than he did last month. 
"The Tennessee game didn't go the way I would've liked over the first three quarters, but it wasn't like I was confused out there," Rivers said. "I've been through some ups and downs this year, but ultimately I think this team has battled through any ups and downs any individual has had this season." 
Rivers fought through some physically tough times this week thanks to his ailing knee. But he emerged from Sunday's tussle without further physical damage and another win under his belt. 
"I thought Philip was outstanding," Turner said. "He was in the training room at 5:30 every morning, every day. He did a great job of getting himself ready to play. ..." 
And finally. ... The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the shoulder injury suffered by Turner should only keep him out of practice for a day or two. 
Rivers (knee) emerged from the game without further injury, according to Turner. And nobody has mentioned the sore back that limited Antonio Gates in practice all last week. It's safe to assume the star tight end will be available this week, too. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Philip Rivers, Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst 
RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner, Darren Sproles 
FB: Andrew Pinnock, Lorenzo Neal 
WR: Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Craig Davis, Legedu Naanee, Kassim Osgood, Malcom Floyd 
TE: Antonio Gates, Brandon Manumaleuna, Scott Chandler 
PK: Nate Kaeding 
=========================

=========================
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
As SI.com insider Don Banks suggested, San Francisco's upset home win over Cincinnati on Saturday night makes you wonder about the judgment of the 49ers offensive coaching staff, doesn't it? 
If third-string quarterback Shaun Hill is capable of playing that efficiently -- 21-of-28 passing for 197 yards, with one touchdown pass and a 3-yard bootleg scoring run, what was he doing stuck behind both starter Alex Smith and backup Trent Dilfer, as San Francisco's season swirled down the tubes the last three months? 
Banks went on to point out what he believes might be the most astounding statistic season: When Hill led the 49ers on a 76-yard touchdown drive on their opening possession, it marked San Francisco's first lead at home since a Week 1 victory over Arizona. 
Put another way, 49ers fans didn't enjoy the sight of their team in the lead at Monster Park for 97 days, a day shy of 14 weeks. ... 
And even though, as Associated Press sports writer Greg Beacham reminded readers, Mike Nolan has already shown he doesn't know much about what his quarterbacks are thinking, the coach is fairly certain Hill is happy to be a starter after six years holding a clipboard. 
The Niners certainly are thrilled by Hill, who's providing a late boost to one big downer of a season. 
After a disappointing season featuring a prolonged public miscommunication between Nolan and Smith over the severity of the former No. 1 draft pick's shoulder injury, Hill's steady play was a respite from the surge of bad news around the coach, whose future with the club is in jeopardy after just three seasons. 
"I'm very pleased to see the way he's played," Nolan said Monday. "He will make us a better football team one way or the other, whatever his role." 
The soon-to-be unrestricted free agent provided six quarters of the 49ers' most competent quarterbacking of the season, including a strong second half against Minnesota the previous week. 
According to Beacham, if Nolan isn't fired in two weeks, he knows he'll be under pressure to re-sign Hill and allow him to compete with Smith next year. 
The 49ers approached Hill with talks about a new contract earlier in the year, but he elected to wait until after the season, a decision that could pay big dividends if Hill is able to string together two more quality starts. At the least, he's likely to make more than the NFL's minimum salary, the only pay scale he's ever known. 
Hill isn't thinking that far ahead after beating the Bengals with a seriously injured index finger on his throwing hand. His first start since a 2003 stint with NFL Europe's Amsterdam Admirals was something he'll remember. 
"I really missed this for a long time," Hill said after going 21-of-28 without an interception. "It's so much fun to go out there and win a game. It's been a long time since I've been out there and experienced that." 
With 27 points in 1 1/2 games under Hill's direction, the 49ers aren't even the league's lowest-scoring team any more. They held the distinction for most of the season, but their 20-point output against Cincinnati gave them 191 for the season, passing the Atlanta Falcons (188). 
San Francisco had two 76-yard touchdown drives against the Bengals, with Hill running for one score and hitting Vernon Davis for another. Hill's poise in the pocket and ability to look off his receivers are simple attributes, but they haven't been seen much in San Francisco this season. 
Hill's six seasons as a backup in Minnesota and San Francisco prepared him for the job, and his coaches saw enough from him in practice to keep him around longer than the average player's entire career. Norv Turner, who ran San Francisco's offense last season, was a particular fan of the longtime backup who never got the chance. 
"It's the same thing that keeps a lot of guys there," Nolan said, mentioning Kurt Warner and longtime Rams backup Marc Bulger. "There's been several guys over the years that have waited in the wings and done their thing. Quarterbacks and kickers have been the two positions where people get overlooked the most as young players." 
Meanwhile, Smith returned to the Bay Area on Saturday night after undergoing surgery in Alabama on his separated right shoulder, which occurred Sept. 30. Smith, who had a disappointing three-game stint before shutting himself down for the year amid a public dispute with Nolan, will require three months of rehabilitation. 
Nolan said he hadn't spoken to Smith since his return, but planned to do so later Monday. ... 
Other notes of interest. ... Despite all that's gone wrong with the 49ers' offense this year, San Francisco Chronicle staffer John Crumpacker notes that Frank Gore still has a decent shot at rushing for 1,000 yards for a second straight season. 
Crumpacker went on to suggest that's a testament to Gore's fundamental talent and the persistence of his offensive line. 
Gore rushed for a season-high 138 yards on a season-high 29 carries Saturday night, giving him 919 yards for the season. It was only his second 100-yard game of the season. 
Modest rushing performances by Gore in the final two games against Tampa Bay and Cleveland should give him 1,000. He had a franchise-record 1,695 he had last year. 
"We kind of went back to our old style," Gore said. "Our offensive line did a great job. ... We were just clicking (Saturday). We didn't make any mistakes or turnovers, and I feel that's the type of football we played today." 
It's the type of football that greatly pleased Gore's offensive line, a beleaguered unit that simply has not blocked for the run as well as it did a year ago in what is the team's most puzzling development in 2007. 
Off Saturday night's showing, the 49ers' linemen preferred to think that effort is more representative of who they are than the unit that couldn't get out of its own way earlier in the season. 
"Jim Hostler called the game. I thought he did a great job calling the game," Nolan said. "We executed. When it's working, it looks like, 'Great call.' We got them (the Bengals) on their heels a little bit. When you can run on somebody, you can wear the defense down." 
In the elemental reality of football, nothing gives a player more satisfaction than dominating the man in front of him. When all five men on the offensive line are getting the better of their defensive opposites, it looks good and feels even better. 
"The difference tonight was we had a mentality we were going to ram it down their throats," right tackle Joe Staley said. "We were able to keep with the running game a lot longer than we had. We wanted to make it a physical game for 60 minutes." 
Crumpacker noted that rushing figures often correlate to a team's fortunes, good and bad. 
Consider the 49ers are 9-3 when Gore rushes for at least 100 yards and are 10-1 when he carries the ball at least 20 times. Only twice previously this season had Gore carried the ball at least 20 times and the 49ers won both times, at St. Louis on Sept. 16 and at Arizona on Nov. 25. 
Although the 49ers did not score a touchdown in the second half against the Bengals, Gore rushed for 102 of his 138 yards in the third and fourth quarters. The way the game unfolded for San Francisco, dominating time of possession was almost as valuable as points. ... 
And finally this week. ... Santa Rosa Press-Democrat staffer Matt Maiocco reports that Jason Hill was the No. 3 wideout in Saturday's game. Nolan said Hill will probably remain in that role, depending on what the game plan dictates, for the final two games. 
When asked what he wants to see from Hill, Nolan answered, "Run a perfect slant on fourth-and-2 and catch it," Nolan said (Hill was the intended receiver on a failed fourth-down play with 6:15 remaining). 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Shaun Hill, Chris Weinke, Trent Dilfer 
RB: Frank Gore, Michael Robinson, Maurice Hicks 
FB: Moran Norris 
WR: Darrell Jackson, Arnaz Battle, Jason Hill, Ashley Lelie, Bryan Gilmore, Michael Lewis 
TE: Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Billy Bajema 
PK: Joe Nedney 
=========================

=========================
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
According to Seattle Times staffer Jose' Miguel Romero, when it was over and the Seahawks had their five-game winning streak snapped Sunday, Matt Hasselbeck could hardly believe he wasn't on the field anymore. 
"I don't even feel like I played a full game," Hasselbeck said after he went 27 of 41 for 274 yards but fumbled twice. "I feel like we should go back out there and try again. It wasn't us." 
Romero went on to suggest the Seahawks' 13-10 defeat against the Panthers was hard to figure. Seattle was one of the NFL's hottest teams with just about everything clicking -- an on-target Hasselbeck, a productive receiving corps that had been more than enough to overcome a faint running game, and an opportunistic and aggressive defense that was harassing quarterbacks. 
None of that was evident in Carolina. So now what? 
Two games remain in the regular season and the Seahawks can finish as either the No. 3 or 4 seed in the NFC playoffs. The biggest thing the Seahawks were playing for, the reason head coach Mike Holmgren opted not to rest any starters this week even with the NFC West title and a playoff spot clinched, is now gone. 
The Seahawks' loss and Green Bay's victory Sunday ensured the Packers a first-round bye in the playoffs as the No. 1 or 2 seed in the NFC. 
The best the Seahawks -- who at 9-5 are three games behind the Packers with two to play -- can do is hold on to their No. 3 seed and look forward to a home wild-card game. 
The question is, can the Seahawks keep the 9-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers from taking the third seed? Tampa Bay won Sunday and has to finish with a better regular-season record to overtake the Seahawks because Seattle defeated the Bucs in Week 1. 
This after a game in which the only touchdown game on a pass from Hasselbeck to Deion Branch with one second left? This after the Seahawks had just one first down in the first quarter? 
And this after Hasselbeck was the Seahawks' leading rusher at halftime with 11 yards? 
"There's not a lot to say about this game," Holmgren said. "We didn't play very inspired football. I told the team we went on a nice run to win five in a row and be careful not to catch your breath. I think we caught our breath just a little bit." 
Meanwhile, Shaun Alexander offered no excuses for the team's poor rushing attack. 
"Anybody that would try to run it the way we're running the ball [right now] is either one, crazy or selfish," Alexander said. "I'm not either one of them." 
Alexander gained 17 yards against Carolina, his lowest total of any start in his eight-year career. He carried the ball seven times. Only once did he gain more than 2 yards and that was a 20-yard run in the third quarter and he fumbled at the end of that one when Bobby Engram's recovery saved Seattle from a turnover. 
Not that Seattle ran into any better alternatives on the ground. Maurice Morris rushed for 15 yards and Seattle finished with 44 total rushing yards. That's twice this season Seattle has failed to reach 50 yards in a game. Before this season, that hadn't happened since September 2002. 
Hasselbeck's 11-yard scramble was Seattle's longest run in the first half and the Seahawks gained as many first downs (two) by penalty as they did running. 
According to Times staffer Danny O'Neil, No one is denying Seattle's difficulties running the ball. Not the coach, who said it would be foolish to expect this team to start running the ball powerfully. Not the most valuable player from the 2005 season, who said the flaws are large enough to be detected without the aid of a microscope or instant replay. 
"Numbers speak for themselves," Alexander said. "I don't have to talk about how different it is. ..." 
On a somewhat more positive note. ... Engram entered Sunday's game with a rather dubious honor dangling from his otherwise productive 12-year NFL career. The Seahawks slot receiver had the most career yards (6,983) among active players without producing a 1,000-yard receiving season. 
And as Seattle Post-Intelligencer beat man Clare Farnsworth noted, it wasn't even close, with Tampa Bay's Ike Hilliard sitting in the second spot with 5,914. 
That all changed when Engram caught two passes for 12 and 8 yards in the fourth quarter. The receptions lifted Engram to a game-high nine catches for 84 yards, which pushed his season totals to 85 for 1,013. 
"It's great," Hasselbeck said. "Bobby has been playing at a high level." 
The Seahawks even introduced Engram with the starting lineup Sunday, even though he's the third receiver in the three-receiver sets. 
"Bobby is clutch," Hasselbeck said. "He's been a leader in our locker room, a leader on our team. ..." 
Hasselbeck's late TD pass to Branch was his 25th of the season. He needs one more to tie his career high from 2003. ... 
The Seahawks escaped without any injuries. "Which is the one saving grace about this game," Holmgren said. "But that's about the only one." 
Also, Holmgren said he thinks receiver D.J. Hackett (ankle) could get some practice time this week. The coach said he wants Hackett to play as soon as he possibly can. 
Holmgren said he has not had conversations with his staff about how players will be rested in the coming weeks. However, he said that's something he probably wouldn't talk about anyway. ... 
And finally. ... According to FOXSports.com insider John Czarnecki, the rumors persist that Holmgren may have some interest in becoming the general manager of the 49ers, should that team really hire one and take personnel control away from coach Mike Nolan. 
Holmgren hasn't officially made a decision regarding his plans for next season. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye 
RB: Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Josh Scobey 
FB: Leonard Weaver, David Kirtman 
WR: Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, D.J. Hackett 
TE: Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Ben Joppru 
PK: Josh Brown 
=========================

=========================
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
According to Tampa Tribune staffer Roy Cummings, you could throw a dart at the Bucs roster right now and no matter where it landed, you'd be hitting on a player who needs a game or two off to heal up for the playoffs. 
Some need that game more than others. Chances are, none of them will get it. 
A place in the playoffs secured, the Bucs won't rest on their laurels the last two weeks of the season. They can't afford to. There's still too much left to play for. In particular, the third seed in the NFC playoffs remains up for grabs, the result of Seattle losing at Carolina on Sunday. 
The 9-5 Seahawks still control that seed since they defeated the Bucs in the season opener. However, if the 9-5 Bucs win out and the Seahawks lose another game, Tampa Bay will control it in the end. 
"We want to win, and to do that you've got to play your best players, so we'll keep the schedule as is," head coach Jon Gruden said Monday. "We're not going to change much in the next two weeks." 
The key word in that last sentence is much. Gruden badly wants to give some of his players a break and he will try to do that, even if it means resting them for just a few plays. 
But Cummings advised readers not to look for quarterback Jeff Garcia or running back Earnest Graham or receiver Ike Hilliard to sit out for extensive periods of time unless the Bucs build an insurmountable lead. 
"The problem is, unlike college football or the preseason games, you don't have the nucleus on your roster to give players games off," Gruden said. "That's the challenge in the NFL in week 15 and 16. We do have an opportunity the next couple of games to consider looking at some other combinations, getting some guys some time off, but we are still playing for something and we want to continue to get better." 
According to Garcia, they need to. He still isn't happy with the way the offense is working inside the red zone, where it remains 22nd in the league with a 46.3 touchdown percentage. ... 
Other notes of interest. ... As Cummings suggested Monday, players you never heard of -- players Gruden never heard of -- have stepped up all season for this team. They have helped the Bucs do what many thought was impossible. Micheal Spurlock was just the latest. 
Until this time last year, he had never returned a kick. Sunday, he returned one 90 yards for a touchdown. 
Prior to Sunday, 139 other Bucs had tried to do what Spurlock did. They tried a combined 1,864 times. None had succeeded. It was an infamous record. Now it's history. 
Spurlock's story isn't a whole lot different than that of Graham, who became the first Buc to score touchdowns in six consecutive games. ... 
According to St. Petersburg Times staffer Stephen F. Holder, just when Michael Bennett's frustration had begun to boil over, he found the perfect release. 
Bennett took his frustration about his playing time out on the Falcons on Sunday, running a season-high nine times for 63 yards and showing an impressive combination of speed and power in averaging 7 yards per carry. 
"It's great to be a part of this," he said. "I was just really hungry to get out there on the field. I finally didn't feel like I did in weeks past, like I wasn't a part of the winning." 
This is Bennett's first chance to be a part of a division-winning team. He hadn't factored heavily in the previous seven games, dating to his acquisition from Kansas City in an October trade. Last week, he voiced his dissatisfaction with his role, acknowledging his lack of command of the offense while claiming enough know-how to be a contributor. 
Bennett positioned the Bucs for their final touchdown when he reached the 3, then was replaced by Michael Pittman. Bennett missed the chance to score but treasured what he did get. 
"I wanted to score, and there was one run at the end where, if I maybe had waited a little longer, maybe I could have popped in the end zone," he said. "But, for me, the main thing was just getting to play. That satisfies me." 
Overall, the Bucs rushed for a season-high 190 yards. ... 
Tight end Anthony Becht is becoming something of a weapon in the goal-line package. 
He caught another touchdown, giving him two on just four receptions this season. Sunday's play utilized a call the Bucs borrowed. "We stole that play from the Rams," Becht said. "They ran it against us." 
Becht lined up seemingly as a blocker but drifted into the flat, where Garcia found him for the 1-yard score. 
"It's really hard to defend," Becht said. "It's a big double-team block. Alex [Smith] comes down and smashes the guy that's lined up over me. I just kind of slide over into the flat." 
Fullback B.J. Askew was inactive in an effort to rest his badly sprained left ankle, an injury that has limited him for weeks. Gruden hopes the veteran returns this week. 
That seems likely after fullback Zack Crockett was released Wednesday, one week after being added to the active roster. Another issue was Jerramy Stevens' return from the suspended list, which created a need to eliminate someone from the active roster to meet the NFL maximum of 53 players. 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, Bruce Gradkowski 
RB: Earnest Graham, Michael Bennett, Michael Pittman 
FB: B.J. Askew, Michael Pittman 
WR: Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, Michael Clayton, Maurice Stovall 
TE: Alex Smith, Anthony Becht, Jerramy Stevens 
PK: Matt Bryant 
=========================

=========================
TENNESSEE TITANS
Addressing the media after Sunday's win over the Chiefs, Vince Young first thanked Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. 
Watching tape of the Broncos-Chiefs game last week, Young said he discovered Kansas City's cornerbacks tend to bite hard on certain plays -- like the one that produced a game-turning touchdown to wideout Roydell Williams in Tennessee's 26-17 victory at Arrowhead Stadium. 
Young thanked Williams next. 
"With the speed Roydell has, you just have to get the ball out there to him," Young said. "He makes plays." 
As Nashville Tennessean staffer Jim Wyatt noted, Williams had two touchdown catches Sunday, including a 41-yarder with 2:24 remaining in the third quarter that erased a four-point deficit and gave the Titans a 20-17 lead. It was the biggest play of the game. The Titans never trailed again. 
Williams, who finished the game with 94 receiving yards, also caught a 16-yard touchdown on Tennessee's first possession. 
"The second one helped us recapture the momentum," Williams said. "Vince did a great job of setting it up. It was a big play for sure." 
Young was 16-of-26 passing for 191 yards and posted a 109.6 quarterback rating, his best of the season. 
Williams went over 1,000 yards in his third NFL season. He now has 1,026 career yards, including a team-high 606 yards and four touchdowns this season. 
Earlier in the game the Titans ran a bubble screen to Justin Gage, who caught the ball near the line of scrimmage and turned it up the field for a nice gain. Later they ran the same play for Eric Moulds. 
Young's third-quarter touchdown pass to Williams started with a similar look. 
Only this time, Young pump-faked. The cornerback and safety both bit. The Titans worked on the play last week in practice and Young usually delivered the ball in a good location. 
In tougher conditions Sunday -- the temperature was 22 degrees at kickoff and the field was slick -- Young did it again. 
"Seldom does it work out like you draw it up in practice," offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. "But that one worked out pretty good. ..." 
In a related note. ... In case you missed it, the Titans on Saturday put receiver Brandon Jones on injured reserve, ending his season. 
Jones suffered a groin injury Dec. 2 against the Texans, and after tests on the injury, the team decided to place him on IR. In nine games this season, Jones had 248 yards and two touchdowns. 
Other notes of interest. ... Rookie running back Chris Henry rejoined the Titans Monday after completing a four-game suspension for a violation of the NFL's policy against steroids and related substances. 
Henry was suspended after testing positive for a substance that was added to the banned substances list in the last year and is not considered performance-enhancing. "He's been working out, he always stays in good shape," head coach Jeff Fisher said. "He missed being around but he's looking forward to contributing again." 
According to Pro Football Weekly, the offense has missed the speed that Henry brings to the offense. Backup Chris Brown is a solid complement to LenDale White, but Brown is not quite the big-play threat that Henry is and doesn't give opponents that much different of a look when compared to White. 
The Titans have a roster exemption for Henry through Sunday's game against the Jets. It's likely they will make a move at linebacker to regain a spot for Henry. 
One player who is not at risk because of Henry's return is wide receiver Mike Williams, Fisher said. Williams was also inactive on Sunday after appearing in two consecutive games. 
"Mike has improved weekly, he's working hard, we like what we've seen," Fisher said. "We'll have a difficult decision, but at this point I would say Mike is not a potential for creating room for that spot. I think Mike has a future and we're going to continue to work Mike. 
"Mike was not active because of the uncertainty with the return situations; we needed to keep Chris [Davis] up for that." 
And finally. ... White felt like his 24-carry, 93-yard day sent a message to Chiefs defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. 
In a Nashville radio interview on Friday, the former Titans assistant indicated he feared and respected Brown, the No. 2 back. 
"Their defensive coordinator said he really wasn't worried about me at all, he was worried about the other guy," White said. "So it's definitely great to get in that situation and know you have four minutes on the clock and a couple first downs end the game." 
White had six carries and two first downs in that stretch, prompting the Chiefs to burn their final timeouts. 
Asked how he learned what Cunningham said, White declined to offer specifics. 
"It came through the wire, I'm not going to give out the source, but I heard it," he said. "It wasn't going to get taken lightly. It's funny, I hear that a lot. But everybody that says that, I end up coming back to bite in the butt." 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Vince Young, Kerry Collins 
RB: LenDale White, Chris Brown, Chris Henry 
FB: Casey Cramer, Jeremy Cain, Ahmard Hall 
WR: Roydell Williams, Justin Gage, Eric Moulds, Chris Davis, Mike Williams, Paul Williams, Biren Ealy 
TE: Bo Scaife, Ben Troupe, Ben Hartsock 
PK: Rob Bironas 
=========================

=========================
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
As Associated Press sports writer Joseph White suggested Monday, a road win over the New York Giants in bad weather to the contrary, it's easy to make a list of reasons why the Redskins have no business being in the playoff chase. 
For starters, Todd Collins started his first game in 10 years and completed only eight passes -- yet still outperforms Eli Manning. 
And who would have thought that the Redskins would go turnover-free and look more comfortable in the swirling winds of Giants Stadium than the Giants themselves, who played as if they couldn't wait to get off the field and find a space heater? 
And don't forget: This is a Redskins team that two weeks ago seemed finished after losing its fourth straight. A team that has blown five halftime leads. A team whose coach has been heavily criticized for his in-game decisions. 
And, as no can forget, it is still a team grieving over the death of its best defensive player, Sean Taylor. 
Yet the Redskins are 7-7, riding a two-game winning streak and very much in the mix. It's not hard to paint a realistic scenario in which they win out and snatch the No. 5 seed in the NFC. 
Then again, it could all be mathematically over Sunday night after their game at Minnesota. 
It takes a while to calculate all the permutations, but the Redskins essentially need to win their final two games -- and get a little help -- to make the postseason for the second time in three years. 
Redskins fans should be rooting for New Orleans to lose to either Philadelphia or Chicago, or for the Giants to lose to both Buffalo and New England. 
Meanwhile, as Washington Post staff writer Paul Tenorio notes, as they fight for a spot in the NFC playoffs and face two must-win games to close the regular season, an offense that has struggled to be consistent all season was bolstered Sunday by the full health of its two biggest playmakers: Running back Clinton Portis and wide receiver Santana Moss. 
Portis and Moss have battled injuries, with Moss missing games with an injured heel and hamstring problems and Portis struggling with the effects of missing offseason workouts because of tendinitis in his knee. But Sunday night, the two University of Miami products finally looked healthy and Washington's offense looked more dynamic. 
Moss gave the Redskins a deep threat, finishing with three catches for 75 yards and often adjusting to passes from Collins that hung up in the strong wind -- a skill that helped make him one of the league's top receivers in 2005, when he set a franchise record with 1,483 receiving yards and prompted head coach Joe Gibbs to joke that he had a "GPS on those deep balls." 
"It was good to see him back, playing with a lot of enthusiasm, going after things," Gibbs said. "I think he's back now, that's good news. We keep having injuries but getting some guys back healthy means a lot, too." 
Portis, who recorded his third 100-yard rushing game of the year with 126, hit holes with power and was especially effective on a delayed draw play. 
"Clinton, as the year's gone on, I think now he's probably in the best shape of the year," Gibbs said. "He's gone farther and farther, hasn't been hurt and I think now he's back playing with reckless abandon. And I think he feels good and started to make the most of things last night. ..." 
Moss and Portis were sent home with the stomach flu Wednesday, but both are expected to be fine for the weekend. 
Tight end Todd Yoder underwent an MRI exam on his right knee Monday and Bubba Tyer, the Redskins' director of sports medicine, said Yoder has a cartilage defect and is day-to-day. ... Tyer said quarterback Jason Campbell, who dislocated his kneecap Dec. 6, is "doing real good" and has improved over the past week. 
Gibbs said the team does not plan to place Campbell on injured reserve yet. 
And finally. ... Washington Times beat writer David Elfin reports Gibbs is open to the idea of remaining as coach beyond the end of his contract next year. Monday night, Gibbs didn't want to address a rumor that owner Dan Snyder had offered him a two-year extension. 
Gibbs, 140-65 during his initial Hall of Fame tenure with the Redskins, is 30-34 during his current four-year stint. 
Speculation has focused on whether Taylor's murder and a series of agonizing losses would prompt the 67-year-old to retire after this season, but the coach didn't want to address that either. 
"I'll stick by my statements," said Gibbs, who always has maintained he intended to fulfill the five-year, $25 million contract he signed in January 2004. 
One reason for the talk about an extension was to assure the players that their coach wouldn't be a lame duck in 2008, but Gibbs said that shouldn't be a factor either. 
"I think the players kinda know," Gibbs told Elfin. "They know me, what I'm all about. I don't think they're worried about that. They're worried about the playoffs. They're not worried about me." 

DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT  
QB: Todd Collins, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell 
RB: Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright 
FB: Mike Sellers 
WR: Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Keenan McCardell, James Thrash, Reche Caldwell, Jimmy Farris, Anthony Mix 
TE: Chris Cooley, Todd Yoder, Cody Boyd 
PK: Shaun Suisham 
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