$.01-- The Indianapolis Colts saved their best for last, whipping the Houston Texans 28-16 at Lucas Oil Field. This was the most complete the Colts have looked all season. Andrew Luck was efficient in finding gaps in the Houston coverage, but more importantly he avoided the mistakes that have pockmarked his rookie season. Deji Karim sucked all momentum from Houston with a 101-yard kickoff return after the Texans took a 16-14 lead. The defense picked off Matt Schaub twice and sacked him four times, generally making life miserable for the Houston offense all day long.

The highlight for Indianapolis, however, was the return of Chuck Pagano to the sidelines after his battle with leukemia. For most of the last two months, we as a nation have been bombarded with negative headlines. From the ugly partisanship of the election, to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, to the horrifying mass murder of school children in Newtown, to the impending fiscal cliff plunge, it’s been damn hard to be an American. Even the normal release that sports provide us has been tarred with ugliness, from the Jovan Belcher murder/suicide to the Josh Brent DUI manslaughter to the seemingly hopeless NHL lockout. The Chuck Pagano story is a welcome breath of good vibrations and positive feelings. I hope we all take the time to pause for a moment and appreciate it. 

From a Texans standpoint, there is nothing positive about this game or the direction this team has taken over the last month. But in the spirit of ChuckStrong, I’ll focus on the positives in this game. Coach Pagano is a classy inspiration to us all.

$.02--Minnesota faced a “win and get in” game with Green Bay, and both teams treated it as a playoff game. The Packers were playing for home field advantage and a bye, but do or die prevailed thanks to a Blair Walsh field goal as time expired.

This was one of the more entertaining games of the year to watch. It was especially fun for those of us with no rooting interest, because watching two of the best at their professions operate against one another was special. Aaron Rodgers threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns while playing from behind almost all game. He shook off some downright atrocious pass protection, taking a five sack licking but he kept on ticking. His bomb to Jordy Nelson down the right sideline was one of the prettiest passes I’ve ever seen, an absolutely perfect blend of velocity, angle, and timing. This is the Aaron Rodgers who cruised to NFL MVP last season and who probably deserves more mention for that award this year.

The other master is Adrian Peterson, who just turned in one of the three greatest seasons of any running back in NFL history. His 199 yards in this one left him eight yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record, but the final 27 yards he picked up on his last carry put the Vikings in position for an easy field goal and into the playoffs. AD toted the rock 34 times, a career high number, on the one year anniversary of surgery for a torn ACL. In spite of that injury, Peterson turned in the most physically dominant season since Jim Brown in the pre-Super Bowl era. Dickerson was smoother, whereas Peterson thrives more on contact. It’s amazing to think he might have actually gotten better because of the injury, but he clearly added some functional upper body strength and balance in his rehabilitation.

This game was so good that we get to see it again next week, as the Packers wound up with the third seed and the Vikings the sixth seed. That game will be in Green Bay. Hopefully there will be a different officiating crew, because the normally solid Mike Carey and friends had a doozy of a game. In an incident that had the Vikings, not to mention the Lions nation screaming bloody murder, Carey completely botched an illegal challenge call on Packers coach Mike McCarthy. On a questionable touchdown reception and lunge by James Jones, McCarthy threw his challenge flag. As any Lions fan can tell you, it’s a 15-yard penalty that wipes out the play if you challenge a play that cannot be challenged. But Carey ruled that the replay official had already made his review and therefore McCarthy’s actions were considered post-possession. Even officiating sycophant Mike Pereira found this ruling technically impossible and abhorrently erroneous. It’s a terrible rule that will be gone as soon as possible, but McCarthy violated it and got away with it. Fortunately this error didn’t cost the Vikings a playoff berth. 

$.03--The final game of the regular season featured Dallas in Washington for the NFC East title. Winner gets in, loser goes home. Cowboys fans have seen this movie before, and it’s very rarely a feel-good comedy. This one might be the most disappointing horror show since The Blair Witch Project for Dallas fans.

I’ve never been one of those that loves to bash Tony Romo or blame him for the woes of the team. I think he’s a top 10 quarterback for the first 15 games of every season, and this year has been his best. But as he’s done in the past, when his team needs him most, Romo is a giant letdown. He threw interceptions on Dallas’ first two possessions, failing to build confidence or take an early lead as the Skins struggled as well. He eventually got things rolling despite a rotating cast of wideouts thanks to injury issues, and Dallas got the ball trailing 21-18 with 3:33 to play. Then came the play that will likely be the one Tony Romo is forever remembered for in Dallas.

If you haven’t seen it, you must because it cannot be fully appreciated just how awful this throw was unless you see it. Romo correctly read the coverage and got single coverage for Demarco Murray on a dump off wheel route. Romo tried to lob the ball over LB Rob Jackson, who was closing hard from the inside, and hit Murray as he started to turn up the field. At least I think that’s what he was trying to do. The ball had more hang time than a Shane Lechler punt and hug well behind Murray, who had no prayer. Jackson had to wait for it to descend a little before he jumped and caught it heading the other direction. For all intents and purposes, that sealed the victory.

Alfred Morris put an emphatic end to any hope by rushing for yet another touchdown, his third of the day. Redskins fans will like everyone to think of this as the game where Morris rushed for 200 yards and almost singlehandedly carried a gimpy Robert Griffin III into the playoffs. And Morris was absolutely fantastic, flashing the power and the straight-line speed while slashing past Cowboys defenders who seemed to just fall at his feet. It was a tremendous performance from the unheralded rookie, and it deserves a spot in Redskins lore. But this game will forever be about the Tony Romo choke job, and this time nobody can defend him.

$.04--Lots of coaches are going to lose their jobs this week. Some will be fired by the time you read this on Monday. Expect head coaching changes in Cleveland, Philadelphia (Andy Reid was fired Sunday afternoon), San Diego, and Kansas City, at minimum. Mike Munchak in Tennessee, Rex Ryan in New York and even Lovie Smith in Chicago could be on the outs as well. It strongly appears Ron Rivera is safe in Carolina, but Chan Gailey in Buffalo, Ken Whisenhunt in Arizona and Mike Mularkey in Jacksonville are iffy. And there is invariably one surprise firing that catches everyone off guard. Could it be Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh?

I want to focus on some of the candidates to get those openings. I don’t buy that Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden are leaving the broadcasting arena, but one current talker who will go back to the sidelines is Brian Billick. The price will have to be right and he will want more control than some teams are willing, but he would be my top choice. Jim Fassel absolutely deserves another shot. He proved his mettle with the Giants and dominated the UFL. It baffles me Fassel hasn’t gotten another shot. 

Two from the college ranks are Nick Saban and Chip Kelly. I know, I know, Saban has talked away a return to the NFL by expressing his happiness at Alabama. If you believe in Saban’s word, you’re a damned fool. He’s a fantastic coach at all things involved in the college game, but he struggled with the Dolphins because his systems don’t translate well to the NFL. When I say systems, I mean more than just his Xs and Os. His philosophy at Alabama is to smother with defense and not lose the game on offense with a strong OL and stable of running backs. That’s a tough way to win in today’s NFL based on high-powered passing offenses. Saban’s totalitarian management style is a bad fit as well; one former Dolphins staffer told me working under Saban was “like living in North Korea”. I’ll never forget seeing Saban lead the phalanx of Dolphins staff from the hotel to the Combine entrance. It was rigid, it was intricately structured, and it almost seemed as if Saban was leading the chant of “left, left, left right left” to tell his plebes how to walk.

Kelly is going to get an NFL job (my guess: Philadelphia) and I think he is a better choice than Saban. His fast-paced, wide-open offensive style is what the NFL is moving towards, though he must learn how to protect his quarterback better. He will need a strong, experienced defensive coordinator to run that side of the ball, but I think Kelly is innovative and smart and deserves a shot.

$.05--Chicago somehow escaped Detroit with a 26-24 win. They needed a great deal of help to overcome their offensive ineptitude…and they got it courtesy of four Detroit turnovers. The Bears needed every last one of them too, as their offense sputtered repeatedly. They were terrible on 3rd down (4-for-15) and really struggled to score despite excellent field position. Four times they took over inside the Detroit 25 yard line and they managed just one touchdown and three field goals, without picking up a single first down on their own. A team that struggled that much with an inferior opponent handing them the game doesn’t deserve to make the playoffs. 

As for my Lions, they end the season on an eight game losing streak. It was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life, a mistake-riven exercise in lack of discipline, squandering of talent, and strange twists. Despite what Chris Mortensen made up for ESPN Sunday morning, Jim Schwartz is not in any danger of losing his job. I’ll trust three well-connected beat writers and people who cash paychecks from the team over Mort, but there will be blood. Look for at least one coordinator to be fired, likely Gunther Cunningham. Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman has been on borrowed time for months, and some defensive assistants should be polishing their résumés. The more interesting rumor, and I do place some credibility in it, is that GM Martin Mayhew could be in trouble. He is the person responsible for choosing to bring in troubled souls Nick Fairley, Titus Young, and Aaron Berry, among the many Lions whose conduct on and off the field has been a chronic source of embarrassment to the team and the proud Ford family. Stay tuned on that one.

$.06--Season Awards!

MVP: I have to stick to my word here. I said a month ago that if Minnesota made the playoffs and Adrian Peterson broke 2000 yards, he deserved MVP. Peyton Manning gets a close second, followed by Robert Griffin III, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers. 

Offensive Player of the Year: Calvin Johnson. Shattering a single season record set by arguably the greatest player ever has to earn Megatron something, even for the lowly Lions. Peterson gets second, followed by Manning, Griffin, and Russell Wilson. This is an individual award that I interpret as the most impressive performance compared to peers. 

Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt. And it’s not close. Led the league in sacks, tackles for loss, and finished in the top 12 in PDs while drawing 14 penalties and leading the league in dropback disruptions (sacks+hits+hurries) by over 33% from his closest competitor. Von Miller second, Daryl Washington third, Tim Jennings fourth, and Geno Atkins fifth.

Offensive Rookie: RG3. This was really tough, but I give the slight edge to Griffin over Russell Wilson on the basis that he had less to work with. It was a truly outstanding rookie class; in many years not only would Wilson have won, but so would Alfred Morris, Andrew Luck, and Doug Martin. Martin rushed for over 1300 yards and ten touchdowns and he’s a distant fifth in the balloting.

Defensive Rookie: Janoris Jenkins. He gets it for his three INT TDs and I value big plays more than solid all-around play, which is what runner-up Luke Kuechly provided. Casey Hayward gets third, Lavonte David fourth, and Zach Brown fifth.

Coach of the Year: Bruce Arians. I’m a sucker for the whole Indy story line, with Arians filling in for the ill Chuck Pagano and leading an offense full of rookies and a defense full of castoffs into an 11-win playoff team. Mike Shanahan, Bill Belichick, Mike Smith, and Jim Harbaugh round it out.

Most Improved Player: Greg Hardy. The Panthers DE bagged 11 sacks, up from four, and significantly upgraded his all-around play. Moreover, he emerged as an engaged teammate and fiery presence.

Comeback Player: Peyton Manning. Best comeback season ever. 

$.07--Weekly Awards:

Offense: Alfred Morris. The Redskins running back was overshadowed by Adrian Peterson, but he outrushed him by a yard and scored two more touchdowns. DeAngelo Williams outrushed them both, but the Panthers/Saints game had about as much defensive intensity as the Pro Bowl. 

Defense: Carlos Dunlap. The Bengals end picked off Ravens backup Tyrod Taylor for the game-sealing pick six. He can share it with Titans rookie LB Zach Brown, who got not one but two pick sixes in their romp over Jacksonville.

Special Teams: Darius Reynaud. The Titans return man would probably still be celebrating his 69-yard punt return for a touchdown, except that he ran back the next one 81 yards for another touchdown. To put it into perspective, Reynaud had more return yards in this game than Devin Hester did in the second half of the season.

$.08--5 NFL Quickies

1. Seattle caught a real break with Richard Sherman winning his appeal of his Adderall suspension. If he’s not the best corner in the league this year, he’s prominent in the conversation. This whole “chain of custody” of the urine samples is something that all pro sports must revamp immediately.

2. Looking for a team that could dramatically turn around next season? The Philadelphia Eagles are a good bet, but only if they can resolve their QB issues. The OL will be better simply by getting healthy, even if Jason Peters doesn’t return. The team knew it was playing for a lame duck from about Halloween on and it showed. There is an awful lot of young talent on defense. Give them a QB and a corner and they’re right back in the playoff mix.

3. I was happy to see Thaddeus Lewis get a shot to start for the Browns, and he wasn’t bad. A Browns offensive assistant told me back in March that he felt Lewis was better than Colt McCoy and deserved an opportunity. He certainly showed a better arm and patience. If the new regime in Cleveland washes him out, he will have ample suitors for a chance to compete as a backup next year.

4. New England shut out Miami, flexing its defensive muscle heading into the playoffs as the #2 seed in the AFC. If the defense can play anywhere close to this level in the playoffs, there is not a team in either conference that will beat New England. But I don’t trust they will sustain it.

5. Brian Hoyer was cut from both New England and Pittsburgh this year, but that didn’t stop him from being the best quarterback the Arizona Cardinals started all season. Against a relaxed 49ers defense, Hoyer threw their first touchdown pass since Halloween weekend. He wasn’t very good, as they picked up just 11 first downs and he appeared to throw every single pass to Michael Floyd. But he was better than Kolb, Skelton, and Lindley. That’s how bad it was in Arizona, which lost 11 of its final 12 after starting 4-0. 

$.09--5 College/Draft Quickies

1. Geno Smith’s stock took a bit of a hit after struggling in the snow at the Pinstripe Bowl, but the West Virginia QB remains the top signal caller on my rankings. He’s no sure bet to be the top pick, and he’s got more riskiness than I would like even as a top 5 pick. But desperate times call for desperate first round quarterback picks, and I still suspect Smith will be taken in the top 3.

2. Texas A&M DE Damontre Moore officially declared for the draft on Sunday, as widely anticipated. Moore is one of my top 10 players in this draft, and he has the potential to make a big impact right away in the NFL. Moore led the nation in sacks, but what makes him impressive is that he led the Aggies in tackles too. His range and closing burst is exceptional for a defensive end, and he has enough athleticism to move around the formation.

3. Congratulations to my Ohio University Bobcats! For the first time in school history, alma mater Ohio has won bowl games in consecutive seasons, crushing Louisiana Monroe 45-14 in the Independence Bowl. We were a laughingstock for a good 35 years before our recent resurrection under Frank Solich. Here’s hoping Solich wants to stay in Athens, because bigger fish should be calling.

4. Virginia Tech edged out Rutgers in the dreadful Russell Athletic Bowl, which you probably remember as the Champs Bowl, or the Citrus Bowl, or the Tangerine Bowl. The quarterback play in this game was brutal. I somewhat expected that from Gary Nova and Rutgers, but I was hoping Hokies QB Logan Thomas would show me something. Thomas is one of the most disappointing prospects I can recall, coming off a terrible season where his level of play didn’t come anywhere close to his potential. I had him as a preseason first round pick and potential #1 overall, but right now I would have a hard time grading him higher than the 5th round if he comes out. I still believe there is a lot of potential to work with, but I haven’t seen it in 2012.

5. You might not even read this before the game is played, but if you can you need to check out the draftnik flavor of the week in NCSU QB Mike Glennon. He and his Wolfpack play Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Many are touting Glennon as a potential top 10 pick but I’ve never seen why. I’ve seen five of his games thus far and he was downright lousy in three of them. Here is a fresh chance to impress me before I check him out in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, and I encourage you to do the same.

$.10--It’s New Year’s Eve. You’ve read this far, so I’ll keep it brief. Thank you so much to all my readers for a great year of football. The next one will be very exciting as well, and I look forward to spending it with you. But to do that, I need you alive and well. Please don’t drink and drive. In fact, don’t even drive sober if you don’t have to tonight. You might be sober, but the other drivers probably won’t be and that is dangerous. I’ll be ringing in the New Year with bleary eyes from a day full of college football and our traditional family dinner of crab legs, pumpkin bread, and red wine. Don’t ask; it’s tradition. Be smart, have some fun, and enjoy a great week of bowls and playoff games!