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.

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.

"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. ..."

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.

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.

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."

"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.

"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.

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. ...

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.

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.

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.