$.01--Another week in the books, and we have another week with New Orleans and Indianapolis remaining undefeated. The Colts quickly jumped out on the Broncos, then held on while Denver mounted a defensive-oriented comeback. New Orleans sputtered through a close victory over injury-ravaged rival Atlanta, needing a late 4th down stop to keep the string alive. You can see the differences in the two teams here. Indy has an aura of been here, done that, a knowing confidence that they?re going to win. The Saints don?t have that, as you would expect of a team that has only made the playoffs once in the last eight seasons. You could feel the weight of perfection on Garrett Hartley?s missed extra point, and it took two remarkable stretch-run plays from relative newcomer Jonathan Vilma to save the Saints? bacon. The Falcons proved the bulls-eye on the undefeated Saints is very real, and also that desperation can raise a team. New Orleans had better be real careful next week against Dallas, a desperate team in desperate need of a marquee December win. The Colts share that bulls-eye and a desperate opponent in the Jaguars this Thursday. Jacksonville plays the Colts as well as anyone has in recent years, and the Jags need the win badly (see $.03). But another key thing happened this week that makes the Colts? continued perfection less likely. Longtime backup QB Jim Sorgi went on IR, leaving rookie Curtis Painter likely to play at least half the game, which is meaningless for the Colts unless they truly wish to pursue an undefeated season. This is the time to rest the starters, and then bring them back for the finale to sharpen the blades for the playoffs, and something tells me Jim Caldwell knows that. I suspect that next week we will be very lucky to have one undefeated team remaining. $.02-- Much will be made of Dallas dropping yet another December game, but their loss to San Diego has a different feel to it than the litany of other recent examples. Where the Cowboys in the past have looked (and played) nervous and bungled their way through losses, this game was more a case of San Diego just being a flat-out superior team. The goal-line stand by San Diego?s defense near the end of the second quarter was an exhibition in what it takes to win in December, something they?ve done a record 16 times in a row. Dallas? offensive line was simply overmatched. The Cowboys fought gamely, and the stats were almost a dead heat--save Dallas going 1-for-8 on 3rd down. There was no choke, no goat horns on Tony Romo or Wade Phillips (some will put some on kicker Nick Folk), and no collapse after a terrifying injury suffered by DeMarcus Ware. The Chargers were just a little sharper, just a little more prepared, just a little deeper, just a little better. There?s no shame in that for Dallas, and they need to remember that as they prepare for a treacherous end-run to cling to playoff life. $.03-- Miami?s hard-fought win over Jacksonville puts both teams at 7-6 and completely muddles the AFC playoff picture. Denver remains one game up for the first Wild Card, and with Oakland and Kansas City both at home in coming weeks, their spot looks secure. It?s the #6 seed that is wide open. Miami, Jacksonville, Baltimore, and the New York Jets are all 7-6. The Dolphins own the head-to-head tie-breaker with both the Jets and Jaguars, but they have a taxing remaining schedule (@TEN, HOU, PIT--all 6-7 and not hopeless) and play with little margin for error every week. Baltimore has alternated wins and losses for the last two months, but if Sunday?s romp over punchless Detroit indicates anything, the Ravens are the most dangerous. They also hold the #2 tie-breaker, best conference record (with Jacksonville, both 6-4). The Jets are well-constructed to thrive in poor weather, with a consistently great running game and a strong, versatile, confident defense. They also have a walking-wounded rookie QB and the hardest remaining schedule of any potential playoff team in either conference (ATL, @IND, CIN). But don?t sleep on the Jaguars, who are the only team to control their own destiny. They benefit from Indy already wrapping up the #1 seed, which means little of Peyton Manning next week and a lot of Curtis Painter at QB for the Colts. That is followed with a trip to New England that looks less daunting all the time, with a finale at home against the Browns. Win 2 of 3 and get a little help from the Steelers, who would love nothing more than to end Baltimore?s chances at Heinz Field in Week 16, and the Jaguars will hold onto that #6 seed--and a winnable playoff date in Cincinnati. $.04--Browns Coach Eric Mangini has taken a lot of crap from a lot of people, but you have to give him a great deal of credit for the Thursday night win over Pittsburgh. Faced with the prospect that 4 of his top 5 defensive linemen were out, he and Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan devised a brilliantly effective game plan. Knowing that the Steelers OL lacks mobility and agility, the Browns often fielded one true D-lineman (Cory Williams) with 4-5 LBs and 5-6 DBs. They correctly broke down Pittsburgh?s offensive tendencies and attacked the anticipated hot routes and Big Ben?s reads. Cleveland consistently blitzed from the outside on both sides, which the offense reads as, ?short routes behind the blitz, inside slants?. But the Browns also did a great job using inside coverage technique, correctly gambling that the pass rush would prohibit the downfield/outside throws and allowing the safeties to sit on those shorter routes. The quickness and deception up front worked wonders, and Pittsburgh wasn?t disciplined enough to pound away with the run, another educated gamble executed beautifully by Ryan and Mangini. It?s a real credit to the leaders on that team that the Browns have not quit on a coach they clearly don?t want. Josh Cribbs? heartfelt thank you to the fans after the win, and the way he and several other players greeted those in attendance in frigid conditions demonstrates everything that is right about pro athletes. Cleveland is indeed a wonderful place to play even if the success is fleeting. $.05--I sure hope you stayed up for the Sunday night video game-like match between the Giants and Eagles, easily one of the most entertaining affairs of the season. There was a little of everything in this one, from a bevy of long pass plays to defensive scores to some crazy gadget plays to quick scores, even a blocked extra point. The Eagles made a huge statement, coming out firing and apparently stocked with bullets like Rambo, seizing first place in the NFC East and serving notice they won?t go quietly into the January night come playoff season. DeSean Jackson and Trent Cole will see to that. The Giants, meanwhile, probably fired their last shot with the loss. Their defense clearly is not up to playoff caliber, and their special teams leave them too vulnerable to field position battles. Mario Manningham?s inability to stick two feet down in the end zone doesn?t help either. Even if they sneak into the playoffs--they hold the tie-breaker with Dallas (their only real competition) and have a schedule that is conducive for winning out to make up the one-game deficit, this is not a team that is going anywhere in the playoffs. $.06--6 NFL Quickies: 1. The most notable weather impact for this weekend was on the kickers, who collectively had a rotten Sunday. Blown extra points, botched snaps, and narrowly missed field goals impacted several games, though Saints kicker Garrett Hartley missed his extra point inside the Georgia Dome. 2. Hey Scott Pioli, how?s that $60 million deal you gave Matt Cassel looking about now, after a four INT game where the blind knew where he was going with every attempt? Those missed downfield connections with a wide open Mark Bradley are completions for most decent college QBs, let alone NFL starters. Just not the one in KC... 3. Still wondering how Drew Brees got called for intentional grounding for throwing a ball away over the end zone. While it?s true there was no receiver anywhere close to where he air-mailed it, I see that exact play at least 10 times a weekend and I?ve never seen it flagged before. The refs missed two defensive holds on the play too. 4. I?m dumbfounded by the gall of Patriots fans booing Randy Moss. Have you people forgotten what he did for you last year, when Moss absolutely held the offense together and kept a team led by an amateur-hour QB (the aforementioned Cassel) in the playoff hunt with 11 wins? If you think Moss is quitting on you, go back and watch some game tapes of his Oakland tenure; that?s quitting on a team. Tom Brady isn?t exactly helping him either. 5. Nice to see Houston close out a game in which they jumped out to a huge early lead. While Seattle pretty much folded its tent early, the Texans didn?t show any sign of choking this one away. Baby steps, Houston fans, baby steps. 6. Two records were set Sunday; Brandon Marshall caught 21 passes for Denver, wiping TO from the books for the most receptions in one game, in the loss to the Colts. Miami QB Chad Henne set a team record with 17 consecutive completions, though he failed to throw a TD in a Dolphins win that was all thanks to the defense. Further proof that individual records mean nothing in team sports! $.07--Minnesota?s pasting of the Bengals confirmed my suspicions about both teams. The Vikings are a very legit Super Bowl threat, a balanced team with the ability to go anywhere and beat anyone. Cincinnati is a good team, but they rely too much on the other team making mistakes. Interestingly, I think Cincy?s offense is the problem. They lack big-play punch, and the conservative game plan by OC Bob Bratkowski gets less imaginative and more predictable as the weeks go by. Contrast that with the Vikings, who keep defenses off balance by mixing in deep shots and lots of deceptive action. Don?t be surprised to see Minnesota in the Super Bowl, and also don?t get caught off guard to see the Bengals one-and-done in January. $.08: Non-football thought of the week--It?s the time of year where many people decide they want to join a gym to get in better shape. Every day at the gym I see more people getting tours and checking out the facilities, and I think back to when I was in the market for a fitness facility. Here?s some advice from a middle-aged guy in reasonably good shape that has shed 40 pounds over two years: 1. Don?t be afraid to ask people how to use some equipment. Some machines look like Iron Maidens (no, not the Bruce Dickinson one) and you can get hurt using them wrong. 2. Take full advantage of the complimentary personal trainer sessions, even if you have no intention of ever paying for further instruction. In my three comp sessions I got enough base exercises and advice to set me well on my way. They are worth paying for down the line if you plateau or if you want to take it to another level, like doing a triathlon. 3. All your workouts are pointless if you don?t eat better. 4. Get yourself a reliable MP3 player and load it with songs that give you energy and motivation (my set list is heavy on Metallica, Five Finger Death Punch, Halestorm, Papa Roach, and Avenged Sevenfold). 5. Be friendly but not creepy or intrusive. I?m happy to chat while we?re playing hoops or in spin class, not while I?m toweling off after the shower or with my eyes closed in the sauna. $.09--Brian Kelly is the new coach at Notre Dame, leaving Cincinnati after a perfect regular season and taking that program to unprecedented heights. Kelly has worked wonders wherever he?s been, most notably in my backyard at D-II juggernaut (of his creation) Grand Valley State. I know Kelly a little and I know many people around him at various stages of his career, and I can tell you he?s an exceptional coach; if anyone can succeed at antiquated Notre Dame, it?s the energetic, no-excuses Brian Kelly. Having said that, I don?t think it?s going to be easy for Kelly. The Irish are losing the entire offensive line, not to mention Jimmy Claussen and Golden Tate to the NFL. Notre Dame is no longer the dream school of top recruits, no longer has the reputation as an NFL factory or national power anymore. You can say the same about Cincinnati and Central Michigan, but expectations were much lower. Notre Dame fans and alumni still live with the notion they are on par with the USC and Ohio States of the world, and that is clearly not the case. His BCS Bowl berth last year earned Kelly the ability to stay with the Bearcats as long as he wanted. If he gets a BCS berth in South Bend in three years, then follows it with an 8-4 year, some will call for his head. $.10: Scouting Report--Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati. 6?0?, 188 pounds, 4.48 (est.) 40 time. Positives: Shifty, speed-changing slot receiver with strong hands and quick feet. Very quick to change direction, plants and cuts strongly. Uses his hands quite a bit and very effectively to get free from jams. Knows all the little tricks to push off and create space without getting in trouble with the refs. Great open-field runner who transitions from receiver to runner in an instant. Slippery runner. Good hands with the ability to expand the reception range, can climb the ladder or hit the dirt and make the tough catch. Exceptional kick returner, Big East Special Teams player of the year for his exploits, as good of vision on the return as anyone this side of Devin Hester. Relentless worker and a very positive, vocal leader and role model in the locker room. Fought hard for everything he?s got and appreciates his status, not afraid to get on teammates who need a kick in the pants. Negatives: More quick than fast and doesn?t hit top speed quickly. Not always precise on his routes; does only as much as needed, plays to level of competition in terms of route running. Doesn?t always look the ball all the way in and will trap balls on his shoulder pads. Slight frame that is maxed out at under 190 pounds, which breeds durability and strength issues. Not much of a blocker, lacks the strength to get much better. Can be needy as a receiver. Carries the ball dangerously away from his body too often. Only had one real productive year in college. NFL Comparison: Wes Welker, Chad Ochocinco Forecast: His profile is peaking after his fantastic Pittsburgh game and his leadership in the wake of Brian Kelly leaving for Notre Dame. Fits very well as a slot receiver and return specialist in the NFL with dynamic playmaking ability. Gets bonus draft points for his dedication and attitude. Late 1st-mid 2nd round pick.