NFL Conference Championships Recap

Game Recaps:

Packers: 21 Bears: 14

In many ways this game was the defensive clash we all expected, but only after the Packers had started crisply and jumped to 14-0 lead.

The two teams traded possessions (and the Bears traded quarterbacks) in the second and third quarters with Green Bay holding on to but not increasing its lead.

The introduction of Caleb Hanie, Chicago’s third-string quarterback (but not for much longer), gave the Bears a bit of life in the fourth quarter they pulled it back to 14-7 and then 21-14 in the final minutes.

But B.J. Raji’s pick six kept the game from getting too close and rookie Sam Shields grabbed his second interception of the day to finally quash the Bears’ comeback.

Jets: 19 Steelers: 24

The combination of a strong running game and their typical defensive stinginess gave the Steelers as good a first half as they could have hoped for.

They jumped out to a 24-3 lead on short Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall runs and a defensive TD. Pittsburgh kept the
Jets offense on the sideline for most of the half, limiting them to 64 yards of total offense and one rushing yard.

However New York roared back in the third and fourth quarters. They scored 16 unanswered points as their offense finally gelled and their defense caused some Steeler turnovers.

The game's turning point was a huge stop by the Steelers D on 4^th-and-1 at their own one yard line which prevented the Jets from making it a one-possession game halfway through the fourth quarter.

And even though New York forced a safety on the very next play, they were unable to trim Pittsburgh’s lead under five points.

Five (Not So) Quick Hits:

1/ How about the opening drives of both conference championship games?

In Chicago, Aaron Rodgers was crisp and efficient right out of the gate, immediately leading the Packers on a 7-play, 84-yard touchdown drive that ate up a little over 4 minutes of clock.

But in Pittsburgh, the Steelers had a even better opening drive (if that’s possible). They slowly and methodically drove down the field, converting three straight third downs, and basically running the ball down Rex Ryan’s throat.

There were 15 plays on that 66-yard touchdown drive that lasted a remarkable nine minutes.

2/ You have to say, Green Bay emphatically proved that they are anything but than a one-man team, with a number of other players

coming up big at Soldier Field and picking up the slack for a sub-par day from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

3/ I’m still lovin’ that B.J. Raji touchdown celebration.

4/ If there was one guy who didn’t deserve to end up on a losing team on Sunday it was Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher was huge against Green Bay, registering 9 solo tackles and one assisted tackle, a sack, and even picking off a Rodgers pass.

All things considered is was a great comeback season for the middle linebacker who missed almost all the 2009 season.

5/ That first half injury to Maurkice Pouncey almost had a huge impact on the AFC title game when Roethlisberger and backup center Doug Legursky muffed an exchange in their own endzone in the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh gave up a safety on that play (the second Roethlisberger-Legursky flub of the game) which allowed the Jets back into it.

Stud of the Week:

Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall: Blew the AFC Championship game open with a scintillating first half display. He established the Steelers run game in a big way by consistently moving the chains.

What made his performance all the more special is that Rex Ryan defenses don’t usually give up that many rushing yards.

He cooled off in the second half, finishing with 121 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, but he had already done his share of the damage to the scoreboard.

Dud of the Week:

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler: Leaving the “was-he wasn’t-he” injury controversy aside for a moment, let's not forget Cutler wasn’t that good when he did actually play.

He was inaccurate, overthrowing a number of open receivers early on and then underthrowing a deep ball to Johnny Knox that Sam Shields picked off.

He completed only 6-of-14 passes for 80 yards and an interception, finishing with a quarterback rating of 31.8 when he left the game with a knee injury in the third quarter.

As for the injury, none of us can do anything more than speculate about whether he should have kept playing. The fact that such a large number of players and ex-players spoke up about it says something though, I think.

Rookie of the Week:

Packers cornerback Sam Shields: The rookie out of Miami has been exceptional all season opposite Tramon Williams in Green Bay’s secondary, but he had perhaps his best day as a pro against Chicago.

He picked off two passes, including the interception that iced the NFC championship, but added two defended passes, four tackles, a sack and a forced fumble to his Sunday statline.

That’s a “Charles Woodson-esque” performance.

Play of the Week: This play epitomizes everything that makes the Steelers defense great.

Ridiculous Play of the Week: Try avoiding the shoelaces, Aaron.

Picking NFL Conference Championship Weekend

How I Did Last Week: 3-1

Had the Patriots not imploded against the Jets, I would have been perfect. Now that would have been sweet.

Record on the 2011 Playoffs: 4-4

Solid, Peyton Manning-type postseason numbers. I'm no Rex Ryan, though (and in more ways than one, trust me...).

Packers at Bears:

The key to success in this game for Chicago will be slowing down Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay passing game (because stopping it entirely seems impossible).

Rodgers has been almost untouchable in the first two games of the playoffs, throwing tight spirals and showing supreme accuracy. He’s completed an otherworldly 77.8% of his postseason passes, and if he puts up similar numbers against the Bears, he’ll undoubtedly lead the Pack to the Super Bowl.

But the Bears’ defense is tougher than either the Falcons’ or the Eagles’. They’ll try to bottle up Green Bay’s running game, jam receivers at the line of scrimmage (as they did so effectively with Seahawks big man Mike Williams last week) and get pressure on Rodgers with their pass-rushers.

Green Bay’s offensive line has been frail in the past, and a defensive end of Julius Peppers’ quality could cause those weaknesses to surface again.

On the other side of the ball, Chicago’s offense has shown itself very capable of putting points on the board and making big plays.

A couple of interesting matchups in this game will be:

a/ How effectively the Packers’ secondary contains Bears tight end Greg Olsen, who has great chemistry with Jay Cutler.

b/ How effectively the Bears offensive line handles Clay Matthews III, B.J. Raji, and Charles Woodson (coming on the corner blitz).

Ultimately, we could see another tight defensive battle like we witnessed when these teams met just three weeks ago. But with no signs of heavy snow or other adverse conditions, it’s hard to see Rodgers cooling off after his hot postseason start.

Packers.

Jets at Steelers:

If the Saints were the apparent team of destiny of 2010, the New York Jets have looked like that team in 2011 so far. Anything but favored heading into January, the plucky Jets then set about beating quite possibly the NFL’s two best quarterbacks in back-to-back weeks. Thanks undoubtedly to their outspoken, confident coach Rex Ryan, this team clearly has plenty of self-belief and faith in their ability to win when it matters.

Up against them now are the Steelers, another storied AFC franchise with a quarterback who has plenty of winning postseason experience.

The Steelers have played phenomenal defense all season, but the Jets have stepped up in that department in the postseason, holding Manning and Brady to a combined 37 points.

A big factor in this game will be whether the Jets can establish their running game against the Steelers league-best rushing defense. New York backs gained a combined 289 yards against Indy and New England and those yards led to long, time-consuming drives. If they can consistently move the chains against Pittsburgh, passing will become far easier for Mark Sanchez.

On the other side of the ball, Roethlisberger may not be the most aesthetically pleasing quarterback but he has shown a consistent ability to put points up when it matters (exhibit A: those 24 second-half points against the Ravens last week). He spread the ball around to six receivers in that game, and will most likely look to non-frontline receivers (Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown) against New York as well.

One concern for Pittsburgh will be its offensive line, which is heavily affected by injuries. Ryan likes to blitz anyway, but having seen Roethlisberger take six sacks last week will only make him more eager to bring pressure.

Ultimately, the deciding factor in this game could be how fit All-Everything Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is. It’s well documented that the drop-off for Pittsburgh’s defense is significant when he doesn’t play. He’s been cleared for Sunday but didn’t look fully fit against the Ravens (he uncharacteristically missed some big tackles in that game). If he isn’t 100 percent, I see the Jets picking on him.

Jets.

NFL Divisional Week Recap

Game Recaps

Ravens: 24 Steelers: 31

A rip-roaring game in Pittsburgh that swung dramatically in the second half. The Ravens took a comfortable 21-7 lead into halftime, but a couple of lost fumbles and sputtering offense allowed the Steelers back into the game.

A huge completion from Ben Roethlisberger to rookie wideout Antonio Brown with two minutes left (more on that later) set the table for the winning Steelers touchdown. In a typically close encounter, (much) better execution in the second half was the key to Pittsburgh’s comeback victory.

Packers: 48 Falcons: 21

Hard to dissociate any part of this game from the brilliance of Aaron Rodgers. He tore the Falcons defense up through the air leading long touchdown drive after long touchdown drive, while Green Bay’s pass defense successfully slowed Matt Ryan down.

The game’s key moment turned out to be the final minute of the first half when Green Bay first scored an offensive touchdown with 42 seconds left, and then added another score on a pick-six as time expired. A fourteen-point swing that proved too much for Atlanta to overcome.

Seahawks: 24 Bears: 35

The upset never really seemed on the cards in Chicago as the Seahawks offense didn’t even get close to the heights it reached against the Saints. Seattle’s first eight drives stalled and resulted in punts, while at the other end, Chicago slowly built a bigger and bigger lead, mixing the run and pass nicely.

The Seahawks scored three fourth quarter touchdowns to make the score respectable but the threat of a comeback never seemed real.

Jets: 28 Patriots: 21

When it comes to playoff upsets, they don’t come much bigger than the Jets victory over the Patriots on Sunday. In my Internet travels this week, I didn’t find a single NFL expert who picked New York to win. But they did it, thanks largely to an unbelievable display from Rex Ryan’s defense.

The defense did everything right, from getting constant pressure on and hitting Tom Brady to providing almost immaculate down-the-field coverage. With the Pats offense limited, Mark Sanchez played better than he has in months, ably supported by his cast of running backs and receivers.

That makes two unexpected runs of success in the playoffs for the Jets in two seasons under Rex Ryan’s leadership. That’s impressive stuff from the unorthodox coach.

Five (Not So) Quick Hits:

1/ So much for playoff seedings: both number one seeds were sent packing this weekend.

2/ Two hits that made you wince were absorbed by Seattle players on Sunday. Tight end John Carlson and defensive back Marcus Trufant were both unable to continue and were later diagnosed with concussions. Just another day in the NFL.

3/ Players often try to look intimidating with some black face paint and a fearsome glare. But Brett Keisel really pulled it off Saturday. The man's a modern-day Viking.

4/ Wes Welker was benched for the first offensive series of New England’s clash with New York. For what you ask? Well, this, apparently. If it’s true, it’s just more evidence of Bill Belichick’s legendary non-existent sense of humor.

5/ Bring on what should be two great championship games (the AFC title game in particular should be a tight one).

Studs of the Week:

a. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers: An almost perfect quarterback performance by Green Bay’s Number 12. He put the ball exactly where he wanted with almost every throw, completing a staggering 31 of 36 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. He added a gutsy rushing touchdown to complete his masterful domination of Atlanta’s defense.

b. Jets linebacker David Harris: Hard to pick just one Jet out of a defense that was superb across the board but Harris was extra special. He made nine solo tackles, and was in on three others. He was also a factor in slowing the passing game, picking off a Brady pass and deflected another pass.

c. Bears tight end Greg Olsen: Showed once again why he is Jay Cutler’s favorite target, displaying sure hands and great running ability after the catch. His 58-yard touchdown catch broke the game open, and he finished with 113 yards on 3 catches.

Duds of the Week:

a. Baltimore cornerback Lardarius Webb: Made the blunder of the weekend, allowing Steelers rookie receiver Antonio Brown to run by him and catch a deep ball on 3^rd and 19 on a crucial play, despite giving himself a 20-yard cushion at the snap.

b. Seahawks safety Earl Thomas: Whiffed on a tackle to stop Jay Cutler from scoring a touchdown in the second quarter, and failed to break up a touchdown pass to Kellen Davis in the fourth. A rare rough outing from the otherwise special rookie.

c. Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch: Dropped a key pass on 4^th down towards the end of the fourth quarter and then showed himself to be a bit of a sore loser after the game was over, telling reporters, “The embarrassing part came from a few classless (Jets) guys after the game. There were a lot of classless things that went on after the game ended.”

Hey Deion, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the Patriots celebrate fairly ‘enthusiastically’ after a big win. So take it easy.

Rookie of the Week:

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown: The sixth-round pick out of Central Michigan pulled in (with a little help from his helmet) the biggest catch of his career late in the game against Baltimore, a 58-yard Ben Roethlisberger bomb on 3^rd and 19. Make a few more catches like that against the black-and-purple and you’ll be forever beloved in the ‘Burgh.

Play of the Week: Unbelievable catch in the corner of the endzone by the most gifted athlete on the Jets offense.

Ridiculous Play of the Week: What’s with football players giving up on plays these days? First, it was the Oregon Ducks in the college championship game, then it was the Steelers on this play on Saturday. I thought the first rule of the game was: play to the whistle. I know a couple of pee-wee players who would tell you that.

NFL Wilcard Weekend

Game Recaps:

Saints at Seahawks

If you had to pick one lock going into the weekend, it would have been the Saints getting the better of the Seahawks. But Seattle flipped the script on the defending Superbowl champs, overcoming a slow start that saw them fall behind 10-0. The game turned into an offensive shootout, and Seattle just kept scoring thanks to sterling performances from its quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and its comeback running back Marshawn Lynch.

Jets at Colts

The big-talking Rex Ryan got his revenge on the team that sent him and his Jets packing in the AFC Championship game last year. The two moments that changed the course of Saturday’s game were the Jets two long touchdown drives which ate up over 15 minutes of second half clock. As is always the case, keeping Manning off the field proved key, although Mark Sanchez awaking from the dead to throw three vital completions and get the Jets within field goal range at the very end certainly didn’t hurt either.

Ravens at Chiefs

Another team that showed itself capable of sustaining long, back-breaking drives this weekend was the Ravens. Baltimore's offense chewed up almost 42 minutes of clock against Kansas City and converted 10 of 18 third and fourth downs. That, along with the Ravens’ D shutting down Dwayne Bowe and limiting the Chiefs running game, proved far more than Kansas City could handle.

Packers at Eagles

Green Bay repeated its early season victory over Philadelphia by limiting the big explosive plays of the Eagles offense. The key difference proved to be in the red zone where the Packers were typically efficient, scoring three touchdowns, and the Eagles were typically sloppy (on both sides of the ball). Philly hung around, thanks a positive turnover ratio, but Michael Vick’s inaccurate endzone throw in the final minute ended up in Packers cornerback Tramon Williams’ arms.

Five (Not So) Quick Hits:

1/ Talk about some suicidal 4^th down penalties by losing teams this weekend. The first came Saturday when the Colts backup receiver Taj Smith ran into the Jets punter giving New York a huge first down with just over 3 minutes to play in the game.

The second came Sunday when Chiefs backup linebacker Demorrio Williams jumped offside on a punt to give the Ravens a fresh set of downs on the drive that ultimately put the game beyond Kansas City's reach.

Did those plays ultimately change the outcome of either game? Probably not. But in playoff season, with the margins of success and failure are so slender, you never know...

2/ Can you believe that a quarterback as good as Peyton Manning now has a playoff record of 9-10?

3/ Rough day for Eagles right tackle Winston Justice who just couldn’t handle the explosive speed of Clay Matthews coming off the edge. In the third quarter, Matthews got him to false start (for the second time in the game). On the very next play, Justice actually committed two penalties, moving early and then putting a blatant hold on Matthews. Andy Reid had seen enough: for the next series, Justice got the hook and spent the rest of the game on a lonely spot of the bench.

4/ Gotta be excited for those AFC division rivalries that will be renewed next week. Doesn’t get much more exciting as a football fan than Baltimore against Pittsburgh and New York versus New England.

5/ You think the Bears might be excited that they get to face the Seahawks and not the Eagles?

Studs of the Wildcard Week:

a. Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: Some questioned whether the 35-year-old veteran should even get this start after Charlie Whitehurst’s strong showing against the Rams. Maybe that was the fuel he needed to take it to the Saints. He was excellent, throwing four touchdown passes and continually leaving the New Orleans secondary confused. He completed 22 of 35 passes for 272 yards, and avoided mistakes after throwing an early interception.

b. Ravens tight end Todd Heap: Just when Baltimore appeared to be struggling to come up with ways to move the chains at the end of the second quarter, Joe Flacco hit Heap twice on consecutive plays with big passes over the middle. The drive ended in a touchdown, and Flacco had found his go-to guy for the rest of the game. Heap finished with ten catches for 108 yards.

c. Jets safety Eric Smith: Safeties play a key role when it comes to dealing with Peyton Manning, because they have to be careful of not allowing the deep completion, while also stepping up to limit the yards gained by the short passing game. Smith (not even a starter earlier this year) walked that thin line very well, making seven tackles (many of them for short gains) and breaking up two passes.

Duds of the Wildcard Week:

a. Saints secondary: Safety Darren Sharper said it himself: Hasselbeck spent the afternoon throwing the ball to open receivers. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there were repeated instances of blown coverage by the New Orleans secondary, particularly on a couple of the Seahawks touchdowns. For a unit that was so impressive in last year’s postseason, you have to wonder if complacency set in.

b. Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel: Tough day for Cassel who completed only 9 of his 18 pass attempts for a total of 70 yards. The Chiefs were on and off the field so quickly that he seemed unable to establish any kind of rhythm. He threw three picks to boot, to finish with a lowly passer rating of 20.4.

c. Eagles kicker David Akers: Every postseason at least one kicker seems to crumble under the pressure and Akers is the first this year. He missed two of his three field goals, a 41-yarder and a 34-yarder. Granted, the first miss was into a fierce wind, but the second was inexcusable, as those three extra points would have completely altered the end-of-game scenario.

Rookie of the Week:

Packers running back James Starks: The skinny on Green Bay’s offense is that they can’t run the ball. Well, the rookie sixth-round pick out of Buffalo (the college) did a phenomenal job of discrediting that nugget of common knowledge by rushing for 123 yards against Philly. He did it mostly in small- and medium-sized chunks too (his longest run was for 27 yards), allowing the Packers to continually have Aaron Rodgers in 3rd-and-short situations.

Play of the Week: No surprise here: the honors go to Marshawn Lynch, for one of the most beastly runs that I have ever seen.

Picking NFL Week 17

How I did last week: 5-9

Even worse than the week before...

Record on the season: 124-91

Experiencing a late-season slump that would make the Texans proud.

Dolphins at Patriots: Might see a lot of backup QB Brian Hoyer in this one, with New England having already locked up homefield advantage. But the Patriots have the all-around talent to win this even with their backups getting a lot of playing time. Patriots.

Vikings at Lions: Detroit's on a bit of a roll – three straight wins – and the Vikings are coming off a very short week. Lions.

Panthers at Falcons: After getting beat by the Saints last Monday, Atlanta can't take it easy here against Carolina. Which should all but guarantee that the Panthers are a lock for the number one pick of the 2011 draft. Falcons.

Raiders at Chiefs: I could see Kansas City slipping up here, now that the pressure of winning the division has lifted, if they weren't playing at home and if Oakland had something more to play for. Chiefs.

Steelers at Browns: Pittsburgh is another team that can't afford to take the foot off the gas this week as they will want to secure homefield advantage, particularly as arguably their best defensive player Troy Polamalu is still recovering from an injury. Steelers.

Bills at Jets: If Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't already shown the decision makers in Buffalo that he deserve to be the franchise's starting quarterback in 2011, this is the perfect opportunity for him to leave a pleasant memory in their minds heading into the offseason (a la Matt Moore in 2010). Bills.

Buccaneers at Saints: The Saints killed the Bucs in Tampa in October, and New Orleans has only got better since that game. Saints.

Bengals at Ravens: Another chance to impress for Cincinnati's young stable of pass catchers: Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell and Jermaine Gresham, who last week combined for 14 catches and 267 receiving yards. Ravens.

Bears at Packers: Aaron Rodgers shone last week in his return from injury as did the rest of his team and the Packers simply have so much more to play for than the Bears in this one. Packers.

Giants at Redskins: The jobs of both Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin may hang in the balance this offseason if the Giants don't make the playoffs (Eli job's a lot safer, but I could see New York drafting a young QB if one they like falls into their lap). For that reason, even if they don't control their own playoff destiny, New York better not drop this game. Giants.

Jaguars at Texans: Jacksonville is beyond banged-up: they'll play without David Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew, starting tight end Zach Miller, and possibly receiver Mike Sims-Walker Sunday. Those losses will be too much to overcome against Houston. Texans.

Cowboys at Eagles: Philadelphia is locked into the NFC's number 3 slot, able to neither improve nor worsen their playoff standing in this game. So expect Mike Vick, DeSean Jackson, and plenty of other starting Eagles to watch from the sidelines while the Cowboys win the 2011 head coaching job for Jason Garrett. Cowboys.

Titans at Colts: Can't see the Colts dropping the ball now, having won three straight must-win games to regain control of the AFC South and put themselves on the verge of the playoffs. Colts.

Chargers at Broncos: I think every football fan in America is dying to see if Tim Tebow's 300+ passing yard day last week was a fluke or not. Against the defense which allows the fewest yards of any in the league, America should get some answers. Chargers.

Cardinals at 49ers: Come draft time, both teams will be wishing had lost this game. Or maybe that's already in their minds. Cardinals.

Rams at Seahawks: Believe it or not, this is the most enticing match-up of the weekend. Playing in front of their rabid fans at Qwest field is a huge advantage for Seattle. But Charlie Whitehurst vs. Sam Bradford: advantage St. Louis. Big, big advantage St. Louis. Rams.

NFL Week 16

How I Did Last Week: 6-9

Record on the season: 119-82

Quick Picks this week, folks. Merry Christmas!!

Titans at Chiefs: Kansas City has been a lot better than Tennessee running the ball this year, and just a little better in run defense. Add in the facts that the Chiefs are at home and they have more to play for and you'd have to think this is Kansas City's game to blow. Chiefs.

Colts at Raiders: Indianapolis did a phenomenal job of stopping the Jaguars rushing attack last week, and their best chance of repeating that trick against the Raiders will once again be to take an early lead, forcing Oakland to pass the ball more. But the Raiders have a top-five passing defense and, with Austin Collie is out again, I think we might just see Peyton Manning's poor form return. Raiders.

Seahawks at Buccaneers: Part of me still can't believe that the Seahawks can lose this one, slip to 6-9, and still have a shot at winning the NFC West, whereas the 8-6 Bucs can't afford anything but a win in both their final games to even have a chance at an NFC wildcard berth. Bucs.

Giants at Packers: Aaron Rodgers returns and that's a big boost to Green Bay's chances in this a huge clash in the race for an NFC wildcard spot. However the Packers inability to establish the run will cost them because it will allow the Giants fearsome pass-rushers to solely focus on getting to Rodgers. Not to mention that the Giants will be smarting from allowing that Philly comeback. Giants.

Saints at Falcons: New Orleans losing to Baltimore last week took a bit of the luster off this matchup, as the Falcons would now have to lose this game and against the Panthers in Week 17 for New Orleans to have a chance to win the NFC South division. Falcons.

Ravens at Browns: Ravens.

Patriots at Bills: Patriots.

49ers at Rams: 49ers

Lions at Dolphins: Dolphins.

Redskins at Jaguars: Jaguars.

Jets at Bears: Bears.

Texans at Broncos: Texans.

Chargers at Bengals: Chargers.

Vikings at Eagles: Eagles.

NFL Week 15

Ten (Not So) Quick Hits:

1/ The Colts came up big against the Jaguars, in what was effectively their first playoff game. They scored a touchdown on their opening drive and that set the tone for the entire game. They fired on all cylinders: Peyton Manning was stellar; their run defense stepped up, slowing down the red-hot Maurice Jones-Drew; and they even managed to establish the run themselves (only the second time they've had a back go over a 100 rushing yards this season). One must-win down for Indy, two more to go.

2/ Speaking of the Colts, their wide receiver Austin Collie got another tough break when he sustained his second concussion of the season after a brutal hit from linebacker Daryl Smith as he caught a ball over the middle. Collie had already caught two touchdown passes at that juncture. He'll be missed by Manning down the stretch, but, at this point, his long-term health is or should be an issue of far greater importance.

3/ Everyone loves a good comeback and the Eagles came up with a doozie at the Meadowlands. Down 31-10 with just over 8 minutes left in the game, they managed to produce a remarkable succession of plays, including a recovered surprise onside kick and two long Michael Vick runs, to pull level with only a little over a minute left. But then the magic really happened when DeSean Jackson scored a touchdown on a punt return to win the game as time expired. It was an extraordinary turnaround in a game that the Giants had comfortably dominated for the first three quarters.

4/ That was some show of leadership by Matt Cassel, back on the field after an emergency appendicitis. He had to be in pain (I'm sure I saw him wince, briefly, once or twice) but he played tough for the Chiefs, even taking off and scrambling a few times. Kansas City needed him back.

5/ Tebow wasn't asked to make many deep or difficult throws on his debut as the starting quarterback, but he did produce some moments of magic in the first half, most noticeably this play. Lots of people didn't think he could do that in the NFL.

6/ Aren't CBS announcers supposed to be unbiased? Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker were positively gushing over everything Tebow did Sunday as if they were hometown announcers. Look, I have nothing against the Florida kid, but there is undoubtedly some kind of media obsession with him. And it won't do him any favors in the long run, when announcers treat him as if he's the second coming of Steve Young as he's making his first start, and only a decent one at that.

7/ Love that call by Mike McCarthy, onside kick to start the game against the seemingly unstoppable Patriots. Against Tom Brady, with a backup quarterback, you gotta try anything you can to get momentum on your side.

8/ How about that block from Deion Branch on Tramon Williams on the Patriots' first touchdown? After his Week 4 trade, Branch has gone from an after-thought in Seattle to a huge part of the league's best offense. Another example of great wheeling and dealing by Bill Belichick.

9/ Looks like no one wants the number one overall pick in next year's draft. The Panthers, the Lions, the Bills and the Bengals (who had a combined record of 9-43 heading into the week) all won on Sunday.

10/ Nice of you to make an appearance, Cedric Benson...

Studs of the Week:

a. Ravens running back Ray Rice: Was almost the Ravens' entire offense against the Saints. He ran the ball 31 times for 153 yards and a score, adding 80 receiving yards and a touchdown on five catches.

b. Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson: Made ten grabs for 152 yards, including some key catches at the end of the game to get Detroit into field goal range twice. Actually made Drew Stanton look pretty good.

c. Chiefs defensive end Wallace Gilberry: Is anything but a household name, but played like one against St. Louis. Got in Bradford's face repeatedly, victimizing the middle of St. Louis offensive line (center and guards). Recorded 3 sacks (forcing a fumble on one of them) and got two other shots in on Bradford.

Duds of the Week:

a. Rams quarterback Sam Bradford: Rough day for the 2010 number one overall draft pick in a game with serious playoff implications for St. Louis. Under pressure all day from the Chiefs defensive front, he was inaccurate with a lot of throws (completing less than 50 percent) and threw two interceptions.

b. Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter: Hard to imagine a worse performance by a professional kicker than the one he delivered against Buffalo. Went 0-for-4 on field goals, including a 48-yarder that would have sent the game into overtime. Granted, they were all long kicks (48, 61, 53, 48), but at the NFL level, you'd expect him to hit at least one or two of those.

c. Seahawks Matt Hasselbeck: Maybe he gets more of the brunt of my negative attention because, living in the Northwest, I have to watch him week in and week out. But that mean he doesn't deserve his spot here. He threw two more picks against Atlanta, but it was his fumble that summed up his season. He tried to sidestep a defender in his own endzone, failed and fumbled, giving up a touchdown. Matt, you can't do that anymore, you ain't no Michael Vick.

Rookie of the Week: Browns quarterback Colt McCoy: Don't let the loss to Cincinnati fool you, McCoy was stellar in his return to the starting line-up. Completed 19 of 25 passes for 243 yards and a couple touchdowns. He continues to show great confidence and poise in the pocket. A lot of teams are kicking themselves for passing on him in the draft.

Play of the Week: He's known for making big plays. But this one was big even for him. First time in NFL history that, on the last play of the game, a punt has been returned for the winning touchdown.

Ridiculous Play of the Week: It was going to be this: the worst onside kick in the history of football??

Until this happened.

Picking NFL Week 15

How I did last week: 10-5

Decent apart from my upset pick: the Bears over the Pats....Oops.

Record on the season: 113-73

Seven straight winning weeks and the gap has widened nicely.

Chiefs at Rams: Crunch time for two of 2010's surprise teams, both of whom still have control of their own playoff destiny, should they win out. But, of course, they can't both win this one. If the game were in Kansas City, I'd favor the Chiefs. But they just don't have the same energy away from Arrowhead. Rams.

Cardinals at Panthers: Couldn't possibly list all the reasons I don't care about this game. Cardinals.

Eagles at Giants: The Giants almost figured out how to contain Michael Vick (force him to scramble to his right with your rushers and drop plenty of bodies into coverage) last time these teams faced off. I say they'll perfect it this time around. Giants.

Lions at Buccaneers: I'm predicting LeGarette Blount's third 100+ yards rushing game of the season. Bucs.

Browns at Bengals: You think there's any chance Cincinnati doesn't use its first round draft choice in 2011 on a quarterback? Meanwhile, the Browns have Colt McCoy back for the final three games of the season to see if he is real deal. All indications so far have been positive. Browns.

Bills at Dolphins: Miami just squeaked by Buffalo in Week 1, and aside from losing by 14 to Minnesota a couple weeks ago, the Bills haven't lost to any team by more than a field goal since Week 5. If the Bills can force the Dolphins into third-and-long and Chad Henne to throw, they'll like their chances. And Miami's been struggling to establish the run recently. Bills.

Redskins at Cowboys: Maybe Mike Shanahan is trying to prove to the world that he isn't getting old and soft, or maybe he genuinely felt Donovan McNabb had as much as to offer the Redskins in the future as Albert Haynesworth does (i.e. nothing). Either way, I have a hard time imagining that turning to Rex Grossman will make Washington that much better for the rest of 2010. Cowboys.

Jaguars at Colts: Fascinating matchup, because the Colts really can't afford to lose it, but they have been poor recently against the Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew is the hottest running back in the league right now, so Indianapolis will have to come up with a very special plan to stop him. Could this be the day we look back on in the future as the day the Colts dynasty ended, I wonder? Jaguars.

Saints at Ravens: Ravens defenses' of old would never have allowed those two consecutive 90+ yards touchdown drives in the fourth quarter that the 2010 edition did against the Texans on Monday. Not a good sign for Baltimore. Saints.

Texans at Titans: Think Andre Johnson might be a little fired up for his rematch with Cortland Finnegan?? My call: Johnson takes it, again. Only this time, by way of knockout. Texans.

Falcons at Seahawks: Atlanta is showing no signs of slowing down. Falcons.

Jets at Steelers: Pittsburgh may have lost Troy Polamalu for the season with an Achilles injury on Saturday. If that turns out to be the case, it'll undoubtedly cost them big in the playoffs. But, for this game, given the way Mark Sanchez and the rest of New York offense has been playing the past couple weeks, I don't see it being too much of a blow. Steelers

Broncos at Raiders: Anyone else been yearning for Tim Tebow get his first NFL start? See if he really can throw it at the professional level? Well, with Kyle Orton out injured, possibly the greatest college football player ever will get his chance to add to his one career pass attempt (a 3-yard touchdown toss, by the way) Sunday. Unfortunately for him, the Broncos match up horribly with Raiders, as the 59-14 beatdown Oakland handed them in October demonstrated. Raiders.

Packers at Patriots: Last week, without Aaron Rodgers for more than half the game, Green Bay managed only three points against the Lions. Now, with Rodgers out again they have to keep pace with the Pats who have averaged 39.2 points a game the last five weeks. Forget about it. Patriots.

Bears at Vikings: Jay Cutler said this week that playing on an icy outdoor college field would be tantamount to playing on a concrete parking lot. That's bad news for Joe Webb -- another rookie quarterback making his first start this week -- as the Bears are going to come after him with all kinds of pressure. Bears.

NFL Week 14

Ten (Not So) Quick Hits:

1/ It's official. In creaming the NFC North leading Bears in the snow in Chicago, the Patriots removed any shadow of doubt that they are the best team in the NFL right now. Not only do they have the league's best record but they have beaten the Steelers, the Colts, the Jets and now the Bears (four teams with a combined record of 35-17) over the last five week. Combined scores of those games: 151-64 in the Patriots' advantage. It's going to take a very special defense to stop that offense in the playoffs (deja vu anyone?).

2/ On a day of moderately entertaining games, the Jaguars-Raiders matchup really stood out. It was marathon of a game, full of big plays, and capped off by an impressive second-half comeback by Jacksonville. I could watch Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden run the ball all day every day.

3/ Can't say as much for the Lions-Packers or Jet-Dolphins games (Man, are the Packers a non-factor without Aaron Rodgers).

4/ Speaking of the Jets, they had two unbelievably bad final possessions as they tried to come from behind in the fourth quarter. They went three-and-out on the first after three straight Mark Sanchez incompletions (bad throws and a drop). On the second, they did manage to squeak two first downs, moving the ball to mid-field. But a spike, an incomplete pass, and two sacks later and the game was done.

5/ Worst day for the Chiefs since they were blown out by Denver in mid-November. Without the threat of Matt Cassel throwing deep, the Chargers defense focused on completely shutting down the Kansas City running game. And they did. San Diego moves to within one game of Kansas City in the AFC West. On the flip side, the Chiefs have three winnable games – at St. Louis, against Titans and Raiders – left to clinch the division.

6/ Neither the Falcons nor the Saints are letting up and it feels like the race for the NFC South is going down to the wire. New Orleans have won six straight, while the Falcons have won seven. Get your popcorn ready now for their week 16 Monday night clash.

7/ No Wade Philips/ Brad Childress effect in Denver. If anything, Josh McDaniels getting the boot translated into the Broncos playing worse against the Cardinals.

8/ Here goes T.O. again. If anyone truly believed that he had turned over a new leaf (and I doubt there were many), never forget that a Bengal doesn't change his stripes.

9/ Amazing footage from inside the Metrodome as the inflatable roof ripped open. It was like something out of “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

10/ Really, Jets, this is what you're up to? To call this a bush league move would be an insult to the hundreds of highly-professional minor league baseball teams out there.

Studs of the Week:

a. Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson: Tore up the Cowboys with big play after big play. Had a career high 210 receiving yards on only 4 catches. His celebration after his 91 yard touchdown was pretty sweet too. Unless you're a Cowboys fan, of course.

b. Niners quarterback Alex Smith: An impressive 130.9 quarterback rating in his return to the starting line-up. Threw for three touchdowns, 255 yards and didn't turn the ball over. Should hold on to the quarterback job for at least another week.

c. Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley: How about this day for a linebacker? A pick-six, a defended pass, two sacks, two other quarterback hits, and five total tackles. The third-year man out of Michigan has become a huge part of Pittsburgh's dominant D.

Duds of the Week:

a. Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton: Had four turnovers, three interceptions and a fumble, on a rough day against Arizona. Completed 19 of 41 passes for 166 yards and a passer rating of 27.1.

b. Jets running backs Shonn Greene and Ladanian Tomlinson: Gained a combined 66 yards on 27 carries against Miami. That's a paltry 2.8 yard per carry average. I thought the Jets prided themselves on running the ball.

c. Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: Made bad decisions and bad throws repeatedly, even throwing into double coverage once or twice. Had four passes picked off and lost a fumble on a Travis LaBoy hit. Inflated his numbers a little with some garbage time offense, but was poor when it mattered.

Rookie of Week: Cardinals quarterback John Skelton: Didn't post great numbers (15 of 37 passing for 146 yards with no touchdowns or picks) but a winning quarterback is a good quarterback. Particularly in Arizona this season. The key was that he avoided costly mistakes. Indeed, it was the first time this season that the Cardinals have had a quarterback not throw an interception nor take a sack in a game all season.

Play of the Week: Two weeks in a row for Mr. Polamalu.

Ridiculous Play of the Week: The snapper or the holder to blame on this one? Probably a little of both...

Picking NFL Week 14

How I did last week:10-5

A couple of comebacks really helped me out. Thank you Seattle and Atlanta.

Record on the season: 103-68

Up over 60 percent, baby!

Buccaneers at Redskins: The Bucs pleasantly surprised me last week by giving the Falcons a great game in Tampa. They may be hard pressed to make the playoffs this year – they're competing with the Saints, Giants, and Packers for a wildcard slot at this point – but Josh Freeman has proved he's going to a great long-term leader for them. Buccaneers.

Browns at Bills: Buffalo can't stop the run. Cleveland has a human wrecking ball, Peyton Hillis, running the football. Let's move on. Browns.

Giants at Vikings: Is Brett Favre really wise to continue to battle to keep his consecutive games played streak alive? If I was him, the last defensive line I'd want to face would be the Giants'. Minnesota's homefield advantage and ability to stop the run (they're fourth in the league in that statistical category) should keep this one close. But ultimately the G-men will have too much for the Vikes. Giants.

Packers at Lions: Aaron Rodgers was almost too good against the Niners last week. And he should have some more fun in Detroit's indoor Ford Field. Packers

Raiders at Jaguars: Two remarkably similar teams. Both run the ball exceptionally well (Jaguars are second while Oakland are third in the league). Neither stops the run particularly well (17th and 23^rd respectively). Both have so-so quarterbacks. Both flew under the radar with slow starts, but have got hot in recently. In a game this tight, give me the home team. Jaguars.

Bengals at Steelers: Remember when the Bengals went 6-0 in divisional games last season? Boy does that feel like ancient history...Steelers

Falcons at Panthers: There's a couple of contenders but this one could be the mismatch of the week. John Fox might want to consider running the ball on every offensive play just to keep the clock moving. Falcons.

Seahawks at 49ers: Seattle can make the NFC West title a two-horse race – between themselves and the Rams – by beating San Francisco here. But this division has been so messy all year, why would we get any more clarity now? 49ers.

Rams at Saints: Just like last week, New Orleans can't afford to give up any more ground to Atlanta. Saints

Patriots at Bears: Undoubtedly the best match-up of the weekend, particularly as the game is being played at Soldier Field. That's a huge advantage for the Bears, because the slippery natural grass of their home stadium will have the Wes Welkers and Danny Woodheads of New England losing their footing as they come out of their sharp cuts. Chicago's defense ain't bad either. I'm going with the upset here. Bears.

Broncos at Cardinals: I gotta to give the Cardinals fans some love here. Despite seven straight losses by the Cardinals, this game won't be blacked out in Arizona on Sunday, which means it sold out. Either people in Glendale don't have many options when it comes to things to do on the weekend, or they have a much more positive attitude than me. Broncos.

Dolphins at Jets: The Jets will remember that Monday night thrashing at the hands of Tom Brady and the Patriots for a long, long time. Miami might just bear the brunt of their humiliation. Then again, if Mark Sanchez plays like he has the past couple weeks, all bets are off. Jets

Chiefs at Chargers: Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel may miss this one, which will put all the more pressure on Kansas City running game. San Diego has been hot and cold at stopping the run: they allowed 251 rushing yards against Oakland last week, but only 24 the week before against Indianapolis (not that the Colts are known for winning games on the ground or anything). Again homefield advantage will be key here. The Chargers are 4-2 at home while the Chiefs are 2-4 away from Arrowhead. Chargers.

Eagles at Cowboys: If the Cowboys could overcome the Eagles, after beating the Giants, Colts and Lions and losing narrowly to the Saints in the four weeks since Wade Phillips was “let go,” that would really be something. But I think the Eagles have been waiting for this game ever since January 9^th when Dallas knocked them out of last season's playoffs. Eagles.

Ravens at Texans: Joe Flacco is beginning to develop a bit of a reputation as someone who struggles in the clutch (witness his bounce pass to a wide-open Ed Dickson on fourth down in crunch time against Pittsburgh last week). He needs a big game against Houston's porous secondary to get his confidence back up. Ravens.

NFL Week 13

Ten (Not So) Quick Hits:

1/ The Colts have now lost three straight, leaving them with a 6-6 record (at the same point last year, they were 12-0). The questions about the possible end of the Indianapolis dynasty will only get louder this week. They have two huge division games – at the Titans and against the Jaguars – the next two weeks to prove the doubters wrong.

2/ It was going to take something special to break the Chargers' unbelievable December record (San Diego hadn't lost a December match-up since 2005, that's 18 straight wins) and the Raiders certainly produced it. They started hot, getting up by two scores in the first quarter, and then their defense, led by rookies Rolando McClain and Lamarr Houston, took over. Under constant pressure, Philip Rivers had an unpleasant day.

3/ Can you believe that the Bears have now beaten the Lions on questionable calls twice this season? I have to say I tend to agree with Lions coach Jim Schwartz's assessment that rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh had a right to take that shot to get the running, weaving Jay Cutler down. An unnecessary roughness call would never have been made for that hit on a running back, which technically Cutler was at that point.

4/ Don't say it any louder than a whisper, but the 2010 St. Louis Rams might genuinely be headed to the playoffs as winners of the NFC West. Only one season after going 1-15 and being the laughingstock of the NFL.

5/ That was quite the turn-around from the last time the Broncos and Chiefs faced off, wasn't it? After allowing Denver to gain 452 net yards of offense on Nov. 14, Kansas City held them to 247 net yards on Sunday. The biggest difference was in the passing game where, using a variety of different schemes, they held the Broncos passing game to 86 yards, after giving up 299 yards through the air last time.

6/ I would have bet a lot of money Saturday that Chad Henne would get the better of Jake Delhomme in the quarterback matchup of the Browns-Dolphins game. I would have lost.

7/ We must be in December, because running backs got it going on Sunday. Nine rushers gained 100+ yards (4 more went for over 90) on a bad day for front sevens all around the league.

8/ Tampa Bay....You almost had me believing.

9/ I made a point last week about NFL players sometimes giving up on their struggling or unpopular coaches. Well, the Cowboys and Vikings are now a combined 4-1 since dumping Wade Phillips and Brad Childress. Just saying...

10/ Speaking of coaches getting no respect, check out this tantrum by Chiefs offensive lineman Jason Richardson.

- Here's some of the studs of the week:

a. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers: Dissected the Niners secondary all afternoon, hitting 21 of his 30 passes for just under 300 yards. Threw three touchdowns without an interception for an impressive quarterback rating of 135.1.

b. Vikings receiver Sidney Rice: Caught five balls for 105 yards and a couple scores, including this one which illustrates exactly why he is such a redzone threat. Not bad in only his third game back from his hip surgery.

c. Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew: Didn't score or post an unbelievable yards-per-rush average (6.0), but he was an absolute workhorse for Jacksonville. Carried the ball 31 times for 186 yards on the ground as Tennessee just couldn't clamp down on him.

- Here's some of the goats of the week:

a. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning: Don't think I'm picking on the living legend, but Manning deserves his spot here for the second straight week. He can't stop throwing interceptions (four on Sunday and nine in his last four games) and bad ones too: two of his picks were returned for touchdowns against Cowboys. “I made poor decisions, poor throws,” he said simply afterward.

b. Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson: This guy's regular in this slot. Went a pedestrian 7 of 20 passing for 93 yards and an interception. Another shot for Max Hall, anyone?

c. Bengals defensive tackle Pat Sims: Was baited into jumping offside by Drew Brees on a 4^th and 2 at the Cincinnati 7, with 34 seconds left in the game and the Bengals leading 30-27. On the next play, Brees threw to Marques Colston for the winning score. He cost Cincinnati the shot at overtime they deserved.

- Rookie of the Week: Cowboys Linebacker Sean Lee: Showed his ability to drop into pass coverage, defending three Peyton Manning passes and intercepting two more. One of his interceptions was returned for six in the third quarter while the other put the Cowboys in position to kick the winning field goal in overtime (he gets bonus points for looking exactly like Ferris Bueller's buddy Cameron in this profile picture).

- Play(s) of the Week: 1/Focus on the positive – Donald Driver's sweet moves – rather than the negative – the Niners' abysmal tackling – on this play.

2/ Couldn't not give a mention to the best defensive play of the weekend.

- Ridiculous Play of the Week: Ridiculous in the sense that a premature celebration cost Leon Washington yet another kick return for a touchdown. Awesome in the sense Washington will hear about the amazing hustle play of Panthers punter Jason Baker for a long, long time.