The Colts looked like the Colts of seasons past as they routed Cincinnati, and Brett Favre and the Jets fired a blank in a Week 14 loss to Mike Singletary’s revitalized 49ers.

Big Bertha is here with these and the rest of the pros and cons of Week 14 action in the NFL.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
For the second straight week, B-West turned in an MVP worthy performance as his Birds upset NFC East rivals the New York Giants on Sunday. Westbrook broke big plays on two separate occasions on his way to 131 yards rushing, 72 yards receiving and two total touchdowns. He helped keep Philly’s playoff hopes alive with the outing and likely helped fantasy owners come up big in the last weeks of their regular seasons.

Runners-Up

Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans
The rookie took 19 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown as his Titans beat Cleveland to move to 12-1 on the year. He added four receptions for 30 yards on top of his stellar rushing performance to ensure a big fantasy turn-out in his Week 14 gem. If Tennessee had focused more on the dash and less on the smash, his numbers could have been even bigger. Smash (LenDale White) shouldered a bulk of Tennessee’s rushing responsibilities with 24 carries for 99 yards and a score. Johnson’s play looks that much better when considering the fact that White doesn’t generally get that kind of attention.

Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts
The face of the NFL finally turned in a high-caliber stat-line as Manning and company took it to the Bengals on Sunday. Archie’s oldest threw for 277 and three scores. He also didn’t throw an interception for the sixth time this year. Manning seems to have turned it on down the stretch (with the exception of his Week 13 dud) after getting off to a slow start to ‘08. He’s turned in seven multi-score games since Indy’s Week 4 bye and likely proved very influential in the resurgence of fantasy teams from the mid-season mark on.

Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver Broncos
Marshall hauled in 11 balls for 91 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday as Denver toppled AFC West rival Kansas City. That brings his 2008 receptions total to 83. He’s only 57 catches away from his preseason prediction of 140! With three games left on the schedule, the Bronco loud-mouth would need to average nearly 20 catches a game to pull it off. The strange thing is he started off the ‘08 campaign with an 18 reception performance against the Chargers in Week 2 and was off to a good start to back up his talk. But, without catching more than nine passes in a game again until this past Sunday it seems as though this Bronco’s goals were a mile higher than he could reach.

MOST SURPRISING PERFORMANCE

Deion Branch, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Branch’s ‘08 production has been seriously hindered by his recent injuries. He’s already missed eight games this year and hadn’t scored a touchdown entering Week 14. The former Patriot caught four balls for 88 yards and two scores against his old team. Branch has been floating around on waivers/IR all year long in the fantasy world and will likely continue to do so despite his Week 14 effort.

Runners-Up

Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego Chargers
Jackson surprised some fantasy owners by racking up 148 yards and a score. This was only Jackson’s second 100+ yard performance and only his sixth TD of ‘08. He’s performed relatively on par with what his pre-season expectations were but this monster game likely caught many owners off-guard.

Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints
In the wake of Deuce McAllister’s suspension and with Reggie Bush still not at 100 percent, Thomas has seen an increased role in the Saints offense the past few weeks. He turned in his second-career 100-yard game and scored twice as New Orleans edged out the Atlanta Falcons. If the judge upholds the NFL’s suspension of Deuce, look for Thomas to turn in another surprise performance or two before the curtain falls on ‘08.

Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans
In his first start since Week 9, Schaub threw for an NFL-best 414 yards as his Texans moved past the Pack on Sunday. He added two scores through the air to finish with his best statistical game of 2008. The Texans are now 6-7 after getting off to a miserable 0-4 start, thanks in small part to contributions from a healthy Schaub.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE

Brett Favre, QB, New York Jets
Favre was a no-show for the second straight week as he threw for 137 yards and a pick as the Jets fell to the Niners over the weekend. Favre’s age is beginning to show as the season progresses and the Jets seem to be falling apart at the seams having lost two straight games now. Luckily, the seasoned vet can turn it around pretty easily as he and the Jets round out ‘08 against Buffalo, at Seattle and against the Dolphins.

Runners-Up

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo Bills
Lynch hasn’t done much all year. His struggles continued in Week 14 as he finished with 31 yards on the ground. It generally isn’t a good day in a running back’s career when his pocket-passing QB out runs him by 22 yards and only needs five carries to do so.

Laveranues Coles, WR, New York Jets
Bad games between QBs and WRs tend to go hand-in-hand. Favre was a bust and Coles followed suit with only one catch for five yards. Disappointing would be an understatement for that showing…or lack there of.

Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Addai’s lack of production stumbled into Week 14 as well. In Indy’s 35-3 win over Cincy on Sunday Addai took 10 carries for 26 yards. He’s eclipsed the 100-yard mark only once in ‘08 and hasn’t scored since Week 11.

CUTTABLE PLAYER

Anyone on the Ravens
They’re playing Pittsburgh and that’s reason enough.

WAIVER WIRE SPECIAL

Tatum Bell, RB, Denver Broncos
Denver is out yet another running back as surprise stud Peyton Hillis went down for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury. This puts the load back on Bell’s shoulders and Shanahan is out of other options to screw fantasy owners over with. The fact is, if Denver wants to run the ball they have to give it to Bell. Plan accordingly.

DREAM LINEUP
QB - Aaron Rodgers, GB
RB - Chris Johnson, TEN
RB - Brian Westbrook, PHI
WR - Brandon Marshall, DEN
WR - Vincent Jackson, SD
TE - Tony Gonzalez, KC
K - Stephen Gostkowski, NE
D/ST - Pittsburgh Steelers

NIGHTMARE SQUAD
QB - Brett Favre, NYJ
RB - Joseph Addai, IND
RB - Marshawn Lynch, BUF
WR - Hines Ward, PIT
WR - Laveranues Coles, NYJ
TE - Kevin Boss, NYG
K - Sebastian Janikowski, OAK
D/ST - Oakland Raiders

HIGHLIGHT REEL (Best Play)

Week 14 proved to be crucial for many teams in the NFL. Same can be said for many fantasy teams. A few guys showed up in big ways to make some things happen over the weekend.

The “Half Man Half Myth” Award

Ed Reed, S, Baltimore Ravens
The proportion of times Ed Reed scores when he touches the ball is astronomical. It’s amazing to me they don’t run him out of the wildcat formation and let him score all day, every day. Again he found pay dirt after scooping up a fumble and breaking tackles through opposing territory on Sunday. He added two picks on top of this play. Reed is an absolute thrill to watch and makes plays consistently. He’s one of the best defenders of this generation.

The “SORRY THERE’S NO RESET BUTTON” Award

Deshea Townsend, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Townsend picked off a Tony Romo pass with a minute and forty seconds left to play in regulation. He broke a tie score by returning it to the house and gave his Steelers a 20-13 win over Dallas. A big-time play in a big-time game always deserves some recognition.

A Baltimore blowout, a Green Bay-Carolina game that went down to the wire, and three one-sided weekday affairs made Week 13 an interesting chapter in the NFL’s saga of 2008.

Big Bertha’s back with the great and the gross of Week 13 NFL action.  

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
B-West was evidently fed up with everyone putting a fork in him and the Birds. On Thanksgiving day he ran for 110 yards and two scores. He added three catches for 20 yards and two receiving touchdowns. If McNabb can continue to hold onto the football and head coach Andy Reid continues to give Westbrook some touches he might be able to produce just in time for a playoff run. 

Runners-Up

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers
Williams ran for four scores against the Packers on Sunday. This performance further solidified his status as Carolina’s number one back. He’s been scoring touchdowns left and right and has the quickness necessary to break away from the line of scrimmage for huge plays. He should continue to plead his case for Sleeper of the Year with some big stat lines down the stretch.

Donovan McNabb, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Showed he doesn’t suck all the time with a four score performance on Turkey Day. His 260-yard game on Thursday likely won’t be replicated as he heads into the Meadowlands to face the Giants on Sunday. Also, he didn’t turn the ball over on Thanksgiving; something he’s sure to do this week and after. Still though, nice showing in Week 13 but not quite good enough to edge out teammate Brian Westbrook.

Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Romo showed he’s close to 100 percent with a huge showing on Thanksgiving. Problem is, those numbers are inflated because the Boys played Seattle at home. But 331 yards and three touchdowns combined with the re-emergence of tight end Jason Witten could mean big things for Romo owners through the ‘08 finale.

MOST SURPRISING PERFORMANCE

Mark Clayton, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Hell of a one-handed catch. Five catches for 164 yards and a receiving touchdown coupled with some help for rookie QB Joe Flacco in the form of a 32-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason landed Clayton in prime position to take home Week 13’s Most Surprising Player Award.

Runners-Up

Cleveland Browns D/ST
The Browns held Peyton Manning to 125 yards passing. They also picked him off twice. Considering that Manning is the face of the NFL and the Browns are the NFL’s 26th ranked defense, this was startling.

LenDale White, RB, Tennessee Titans
Heading into Week 13 White had been complaining about playing time. His complaints may have been valid considering in Week 11 and 12 White combined for 15 carries for 51 yards. He’s been a staple of the Titans redzone offense all year and broke out of a funk as soon as he got his touches. Granted it did come against a Lions team that, in all honesty, will go down in history as the worst team ever. But, 23 carries for 106 yards and two scores is a good day at the office regardless of the opponent.

Bernard Berrian, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Berrian went for 122 yards including a 99-yard touchdown catch. A huge catch that swung the momentum in favor of Minnesota and helped the Vikings come back and beat the Bears. A much needed big game as the Vikings and Berrian owners are vying for playoff spots.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE

Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Only 125 yards. Zero touchdowns. Two picks. Piss poor day. Manning needs to get it together so his owners can sneak into the playoffs despite wasting a first round pick on Manning in ’08.

Runners-Up

Brett Favre, QB, New York Jets
Favre’s Jets were the team to beat heading into a Week 13 matchup with Denver. Favre had thrown 20 TD passes through the first 12 weeks but couldn’t toss one for a score against the NFL’s 27th-ranked pass defense. Favre’s numbers have been relatively consistent in ‘08 but a big dud in Week 13 may have fantasy owners taking his name in veign as they’re left out in the cold during playoff time.

Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay Packers
Took 12 carries for only 39 yards as second-on-the-depth-chart Brandon Jackson showed him up against the Panthers on Sunday. Grant has no-showed quite a bit this season and has thrown his hat into the “biggest bust of ‘08″ ring as well.

Clinton Portis, RB, Washington Redskins
Portis came into Week 13 still a little banged up and was facing a tough Giants defense. Never-the-less, 22 yards and no score isn’t going to keep fantasy owners happy. Especially since games like this and a few absences due to injuries have cooled Portis MVP talks.

CUTTABLE PLAYER

Plaxico “Cheddar Bob” Burress, WR, New York Giants
After accidentally shooting himself in the leg Friday night, Burress forced everyone in America to compare him to the character from 8 Mile. Regardless of the injury and its effect on the wideout, Burress is facing weapons charges because he didn’t have a concealed weapons permit. He’s looking at some jail time so his NFL future is up in the air. The event seems to be a fitting end to a 2008 that was littered with off-the-field problems for the former pro-bowler. Another candidate for Bust of the Year.

WAIVER WIRE SPECIAL

Leon Washington, RB, New York Jets
He only ran for four yards in Week 13, but he caught three passes for 60 yards. He’s scored half of his six TDs in the past three weeks and the Jets have San Francisco, Buffalo, and Seattle left on the schedule this fantasy season. He’s a good option for a flex position especially if you’re in need of a replacement because one of your receivers shot himself over the weekend.

DREAM LINEUP
QB - Donovan McNabb, PHI
RB - DeAngelo Williams, CAR
RB - Brian Westbrook, PHI
WR - Mark Clayton, BAL
WR - Anquan Boldin, ARI
TE - Jason Witten, DAL
K - Rod Bironas, TEN
D/ST - Tennessee Titans

NIGHTMARE SQUAD
QB - Peyton Manning, IND
RB - Ryan Grant, GB
RB - Clinton Portis, WAS
WR - Dwayne Bowe, KC
WR - Laveranues Coles, NYJ
TE - Antonio Gates, SD
K - Shaun Suisham, WAS
D/ST - Arizona Cardinals

HIGHLIGHT REEL (Best Play)

Week 13 proved to be crucial for many teams in the NFL. Same can be said for many fantasy teams. A few guys showed up in big ways to make some things happen over the weekend.

The “GAME-CHANGER” Award

Jared Allen, DE, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings found themselves down 7-0 and the Bears were on the doorstep. A controversial decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal left Allen and the Vikings defense out there to make a big stop. Allen came up huge by dragging Matt Forte down from behind forcing a turnover-on-downs. The next play was an exclamation point in the form of a Bernard Berrian 99-yard touchdown catch. The Vikings ran away with it from there.

The “COUGH IT UP” Award

James Harrison, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
For the second straight week Harrison is taking home hardware in the form of the “COUGH IT UP” Award. On Sunday Harrison forced two Matt Cassel fumbles as the Steelers worked over the Pats.

RB Steve Slaton and WR Andre Johnson were once again the stars of the evening for Houston, along with its solid defensive play and disciplined coaching. While the chances of Houston making the postseason are slim to none even with the win, the team has much to build on and can improve with four games down the stretch.

Jacksonville’s train wreck only continues to plunge deeper into the abyss. As a playoff team last year, the Jaguars were supposed to contend for the division crown. Now, Jacksonville has all but locked up last place in the AFC South, and even 2009 doesn’t look so friendly for a team with no chemistry and little hope.

From way down in Houston, it’s the new eighth wonder of the world………

The U’s Primetime Players:

Quarterbacks:

Sage Rosenfels, Texans
He was no Matt Schaub, but Rosenfels did enough for the Texans to steam roll Jacksonville. Rosenfels was 14-for-24 and passed for an even 200 yards, matching his only interception with a first quarter touchdown from 31 yards out. This will likely be the last start of the season for Rosenfels, as Schaub is likely to return as Houston’s starter next week in Green Bay. Even so, he’s gotta be happy with his sendoff performance on Monday night. MNF Grade: B

David Garrard, Jaguars
This clearly hasn’t been the same quarterback from last year. Garrard threw only three interceptions in 2007 and already has nine through 12 games in 2008. Against a subpar Houston defense, Garrard did little to prove critics wrong about this down year, and only got the offense going when the game was out of reach. His 25-for-35 numbers look good, along with 287 yards passing, but his only touchdown came late and he accounted for two turnovers. Garrard, if he hasn’t been already, needs to be dropped as a fantasy starter immediately. MNF Grade: C +

Running backs:

Steve Slaton, Texans
Slaton was brilliant running the ball for Houston, especially in the fourth quarter. While both offenses were slow in the first half, Slaton basically iced the game with huge touchdown runs of seven and 40 yards. On his 21 carries, the speedy back earned 130 yards, including 83 of them in the fourth quarter alone. MNF Grade: A -

Maurice Jones-Drew/Fred Taylor, Jaguars
Another 100-plus yard performance from the two-back combination, yet the offense has to be dispirited after the loss. Taylor reeled off 67 yards on only 9 carries with a four-yard touchdown; Jones-Drew rushed the ball 12 times for 49 yards. The two backs posted modest rushing stats, and even contributed to Jacksonville’s lackluster passing game: Taylor had a catch for six yards, and Jones-Drew caught three for 22 yards. Although Taylor is being phased out slowly in Jacksonville, it was nice to see him become the franchise’s all-time touchdown leader with 70. MNF Grade: B -

Wide receivers:

Andre Johnson, Texans
Johnson was out and away the Texans best weapon aside from Slaton, proving that he is one of the most dominant receivers in the league. He collected seven receptions for 75 yards and that 31-yard TD from Rosenfels gave him a fantastic night. He’s not T.O., Randy Moss, or Chad Johnson; Andre Johnson is proving that he is his own receiver and stands alone as a dynamic threat every game. Already a No. 1 receiver option for fantasy owners, just imagine what this guy will do when Matt Schaub returns to the lineup next week. Although they won’t make the playoffs, the sky is the limit for Johnson this season. MNF Grade: A

Matt Jones, Jaguars
He was Jacksonville’s best receiver on the field Monday night, but that isn’t saying a lot. Jones posted only his second 100-yard receiving game in 2008, hauling in eight catches for 104 yards. He didn’t cross the endzone, but Jones accounted for one-third of Garrard’s completions and established himself as the best target in a Jags uniform. His eight catches on Monday night matched a career-best for a single game. MNF Grade: B +

Tight Ends:

Owen Daniels, Texans
Daniels caught two passes for 25 yards, and while he didn’t find the end zone in this one, continued an underrated fantasy season. Daniels ranks fourth among tight ends with 50 receptions and 608 yards, and he has scored two touchdowns, even with a backup quarterback for a good part of the season. MNF Grade: C +

Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars
Jacksonville’s tight end needs to do a better job of establishing himself in the often sluggish offense. Without a dominant receiver, Lewis should be getting more looks and playing a bigger part on the team to develop offensive chemistry. Two catches for 37 yards and no scores is decent for some tight ends, but not great on a team that is desperate for vertical weapons. MNF Grade: C

Defense/Special Teams:

Houston
Mario Williams continues to show why he was the No. 1 overall draft pick just a few seasons ago. “Super Mario” made 6 tackles, earned three of the team’s three and a half sacks and forced a fumble in the fourth quarter. The rest of the defense, although giving up almost 400 yards, collected two more turnovers and didn’t let Jacksonville get comfortable on offense until the game was well out of hand. The Texans are a sleeper defense. MNF Grade: B +

Jacksonville
The Jaguars’ top-notch defense of a year ago is officially gone this entire 2008 season. Steve Slaton scored on not one, but two plays where he went completely untouched into the end zone. That’s 14 uncontested points, and no team can come back from holes the defense gives up like that. Jacksonville managed a first-quarter interception, yet otherwise made Sage Rosenfels look good on primetime; NO sacks really hurt this group’s psyche. MNF Grade: C

Kickers:

Kris Brown, Texans
A perfect night for Houston’s kicker, minus the botched field goal that wasted a Texans possession in the second quarter. Still, it wasn’t Brown’s fault, so no penalty in his grade; he didn’t even throw the wobbly incomplete pass on the failed three-point attempt. Other than that, a perfect night for Brown: three field goals (38, 50, 20) and three extra points. MNF Grade: A

Josh Scobee, Jaguars
Scobee made both extra point attempts, yet missed one of his field goal tries from 43 yards wide right. His other field goal was successful from 29 yards, and accounted for the first points of the night for the Jaguars in the third quarter. MNF Grade: B -

Join us next Monday night for a huge playoff implication battle when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) face the Carolina Panthers (9-3) for first place in the NFC South.

While Manning’s vital statistics - 61.3 percent completions, 9 interceptions, 86.6 rating, 6.8 yards per attempt - remain near career-low levels, the futility is weighted by a few minor blowups. Manning and the Colts have a favorable schedule down the stretch, especially against the pass with San Diego (No. 31 pass defense), Cleveland (No. 22) and Detroit (No. 23) among the team’s last six opponents. His struggles appear to be over.

Another glimour of hope for Manning is the thought of Joseph Addai and the running game finally starting to gain momentum. Manning had his ups and downs in the early going, but wasn’t helped when opposing defenses were able to consistently drop seven back in coverage. Even after Addai’s first 100-yard game of the season, the Colts still rank dead last in the NFL in rushing offense.

This Colts offense is only beginning to hit its stride, which is a dangerous thought for would-be AFC playoff teams. The last thing they want to see is a red hot Colts team guided by a healthy Manning. As Addai gets on track and the timing continues to improve with Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark, Manning and the Colts will be even more potent.

In terms of fantasy, there are only a handful of quarterbacks that are as desirable as Manning the rest of the way. Kurt Warner, so long as “Bad Kurt” doesn’t show up. Drew Brees, maybe. Philip Rivers, possibly if the Chargers don’t fully go in the tank. Jay Cutler, if he cuts down on the turnovers. Brett Favre, if cold weather doesn’t get to him.

The point is, ditch any notions you have that Manning is washed up or a serious bust in 2008. Things change and evolve throughout a season, and Manning is a long way from his early inconsistencies.

Not much of the offensive juggernaut like last year’s record-breaking New England Patriots, Tennessee has relied on one of the game’s best defenses to keep its season perfect. While surprisingly not in the top five statistically in rushing, passing or even total defense, the Titans have given up only 131 points through 10 games. That’s about 13 points per game and tops in the league for those playing along at home.

With six games left on the docket and a three-game advantage over both Pittsburgh and the Jets for the best record in the AFC, it seems as if a home game in the divisional playoffs is imminent for Tennessee. The team could theoretically stumble down the stretch with a 2-4 showing and still finish 2008 with a 12-4 record and home-field throughout. It’s almost as if things are all wrapped up for the playoffs in Nashville.

But, the question on all our minds, can the Titans win out their final six contests and actually go undefeated? Critics of last year’s Patriots team said it was nearly impossible to win all 16 regular season games, yet somehow they beat everyone in their way. Those same critics may argue that Tennessee is not nearly as good a team as New England.

But then again, even though it may not have been pretty or inspiring, the Titans still have beaten every foe they’ve faced.

We could argue that if the Titans do lose one or two games down the stretch, they would still rest players after they wrap up home-field advantage. However, no one would be surprised if we see every starter on the field for 60 minutes if Tennessee has a chance at perfection. Jeff Fisher may be a modest coach, but he’s not stupid. 16-0 is perfection, and you just can’t pass that up.

Of their remaining six games, three will be at home inside LP Field and three will be on the road. This week, the Titans entertain the league’s other hottest team: the New York Jets. Fresh off a huge win against New England last week on Thursday night, Brett Favre’s team is playing strong coming into Tennessee. Yes, the Titans should be favored to win again, but you can never count out the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Favre makes this game interesting by himself.

The Titans return home on Dec. 7 to face Cleveland. This should be another win for Tennessee, considering the Browns are still coming into their own with QB Brady Quinn. He’s played well against Denver and Buffalo, but those teams boast two defenses that can’t be proud of much. The Titans defense will smack Quinn around all day.

Tennessee’s toughest remaining game right now will be Pittsburgh. Thanks to NBC’s flex scheduling for Sunday night games in the later weeks, this battle will likely go primetime. This matchup is probably the most even between two teams all season; both defenses likely won’t give up 20 points while the two offenses should flounder. The Steelers have the best defense in the league, period. Expect a 16-13 or 10-7 game that could go either way; advantage Tennessee for being at home.

Fortunately, the three road trips can be considered favorable for the Titans: at Detroit, at Houston, and at Indianapolis during the last week of the season.

The last team possibly standing in the way of 16-0: the Indianapolis Colts. This team was a mystery for the earlier parts of 2008, but three straight wins behind Peyton Manning’s solid play has this squad ready for another playoff push. Trust us; fighting for their playoff lives this year, the Colts won’t be resting anyone in Week 17. The question is whether Tennessee will have anything left to play for after clinching home-field.

If Tennessee loses before its finale with Indy in Lucas Oil Stadium, you won’t see more than 10 minutes of the Titans starting lineup. Yet, should this team reel off five straight wins and sit at 15-0 on Dec. 28, the quest for perfection will be one of the best and most hyped games of 2008.

Unblemished in January or not, Tennessee fans will most likely never forget this already incredible year. Perhaps this is also the season when everyone else will ‘remember the Titans.’

This has us wondering: weren’t these the same Bills who were once a trendy pick to win this division with Brady out? Isn’t this the same team that was 4-0 and looked so promising a quarter into the season?

Unfortunately, we can attribute this breakdown to the team being the same old cursed franchise, nothing Bills fans haven’t been used to in their sad and tragic history. Buffalo won the AFC Championship game four years straight, from 1990 to 1993. But even in four tries, the Bills couldn’t win a Super Bowl, and haunting memories of kicker Scott Norwood’s missed field goal as time expired in Super Bowl XXV linger to this day in western New York.

One couldn’t help but feel sorry for this year’s team thanks to the clever highlights on SportsCenter: side-to-side replays of Norwood and Lindell’s wide-right missed field goals (the two stunned looks on QB Jim Kelly’s face in split-screen were priceless).

Now, of course the Norwood kick in 1991 was much more significant considering the circumstances, but Lindell’s shank on primetime the other night still defines the familiar sinking feeling in Buffalo.

Didn’t we watch this special teams horror scene play out last year in Buffalo? On the fifth Monday Night Football game in 2007, the Bills led the Dallas Cowboys at home 24-22 with two seconds left. Cowboys K Nick Folk hit not one, but two improbable 57-yard field goals to suck the life out of Orchard Park. The 2007 season basically went down the toilet from there into a 6-10 disappointment.

This 2008 team was 4-0 with a two game lead in the division after Week 4. What’s happened since is a complete collapse of a once-first place contender. The Jets, Dolphins and Patriots have all made considerable improvements in their last six games (Miami 4-2, New England 3-3 and New York 5-1). The Bills aren’t even close to .500 in their previous six outings, winning only one game to go along with five defeats.

The reason? Buffalo was never going to contend. Right now, they stand at 0-3 against their division, with three straight losses to Miami, the Jets and New England. The good news is that two of their three remaining division games will be at home; the bad news is that every team, even Miami, is better than Buffalo.

QB Trent Edwards is nearing 2,000 passing yards but has been horrendous in his recent performances. He has thrown only three touchdowns in the team’s five losses to match his equally disappointing eight interceptions. In five victories, WR Lee Evans has caught 22 passes for 421 yards. In five losses, he’s only grabbed 15 receptions for 279 yards. Evans’ trademark game was just this past Monday: 0 catches, 0 yards and 0 touchdowns against Cleveland.

And finally, the tragic tale of the kicking game. As if last season’s heart-wrenching Monday Night Football loss at home against Dallas wasn’t painful enough, another kick had to crush the hopes of Bills fans everywhere.

This game should have been much worse for the psyche of the team; at least they lost to Super Bowl contenders last year against Dallas. Losing at home to a sub-par Cleveland team on national television? That’s enough to crush the hopes of most teams in the NFL.

The Buffalo Bills are no exception.

Brady Quinn and the Browns used it to their advantage and escaped Buffalo with a narrow 29-27 win on Monday night. The victory moves Cleveland to 4-6 on the season and keeps its razor-thin-playoff hopes alive, while Buffalo’s setback drops them to 5-5 and last place in the AFC East.

The game was back and forth from start to finish, and ultimately came down to a Bills missed field goal with under a minute remaining to seal Cleveland’s win. It wasn’t pretty by any means on a night in which the defenses came to play.

From 56 or 47, you just can’t miss with……

The U’s Primetime Players:

Quarterbacks:

Brady Quinn, Cleveland
Quinn has to get the game ball in the locker room from his coach after this one. If we’re comparing him to the rest of the quarterbacks in the league, we could say he had a below average night. No touchdowns while completing only 14-of-36 passes, turning in a 40 percent passing night. However, for the kid to earn his first victory as a pro with a gutsy performance is what it’s all about. Sure the numbers weren’t there, but for the second week in a row Quinn put his team in a position to win, something Derek Anderson had failed to do. MNF Grade: C +

Trent Edwards, Buffalo
THREE FIRST QUARTER INTERCEPTIONS. I’m not sure we need to continue, although we will. Edwards had possibly the most miserable opening 15 minutes of any quarterback this season, giving up three turnovers that led to six Cleveland points. After the setbacks though, Edwards turned in a pretty good game the rest of the way. Like Quinn, he even led his offense into field goal range, giving his kicker a chance to win the game. Edwards will clearly need to evaluate his play on Monday night going into next week’s game against Kansas City. Don’t be surprised if J.P. Losman makes an appearance if Edwards can’t right Buffalo’s sinking ship. MNF Grade: D +

Running backs:

Jamal Lewis/Jerome Harrison, Cleveland
It never seems like Lewis gains any more than four or five yards at a time. Somehow, the huge back put up 65 yards on 18 carries, setting up the suddenly dangerous change-of-pace back Harrison. Coming out of basically nowhere this season, the third-year rusher unleashed a monster 72-yard touchdown scamper to put Cleveland up by 10 points. Harrison also caught a huge 21-yard touch pass from Quinn to set up a key field goal with only three minutes remaining. Neither of these players could match Marshawn Lynch’s fantastic night, but Harrison definitely came the closest. MNF Grade: B

Marshawn Lynch/Fred Jackson, Buffalo
Lynch was an absolute beast in the second half. After the Browns defense appeared to have solved the Bills tailback for a good part of the first half, Lynch exploded out of the backfield for big plays en route to his biggest game in 2008. He ran for 119 yards on 23 carries, and led the team in receiving with 10 catches, 58 yards and a touchdown. Lynch was all-around Buffalo’s best player on Monday night. Jackson’s complementary role was mixed as a running back: he did collect 12 carries and 60 yards, but fumbled twice and did little on a big special teams night for the Bills. Lynch’s performance alone almost makes this grade. MNF Grade: B +

Wide receivers:

Braylon Edwards, Cleveland
We’re not sure whether to praise or denounce the standout Browns wide receiver. Once again, Edwards had one of his best performances of the season on Monday Night Football (Week 6 vs. the Giants). Against Buffalo, Edwards caught eight passes for 104 yards. Those are the numbers that the fans and fantasy owners will see on paper; looks like a very good night. What they won’t see is his drops, most of which came on key third down plays. Edwards was thrown to 17 times by Quinn in the ball game, and nine passes were incomplete. Although the coverage by Bills CB Terrance McGee was outstanding all night, Edwards dropped several of those would-be completions, and lowered Quinn’s numbers. He needs to cure the illness he’s had all season: a very bad case of the “drops.” MNF Grade: C +

Paging the Bills receivers …
You have Lee Evans. You have James Hardy. You have Josh Reed. You have Roscoe Parrish. The Bills leading receiver (that wasn’t a running back) on Monday night……..rookie Steve Johnson? That would be all well and good for the Bills and Johnson, had he not made only three catches for 41 yards. The only other Buffalo receiver to catch a pass was Parrish, a 21-yard completion over the middle. Other than that, there was zero. Nothing for Evans, Hardy or Reed. A terribly disappointing night for the Buffalo wide receiving corps; we don’t remember Cleveland’s secondary being so good. This group has a lot of accounting for in the next week. MNF Grade: D -

Tight Ends:

Kellen Winslow, Cleveland
Not really sure things are working out the way Winslow expected it to go this season. Only weeks after feeling betrayed by the team, the former star tight end just has not produced the numbers we’re sure most of Cleveland expects him to. Three catches for 40 yards against Buffalo is just average for a prolific tight end that used to be a dynamic play-maker for this Browns team. Much like Edwards, Winslow caught less than half the passes that were thrown his way. This isn’t going to cut it for a once viable fantasy option. MNF Grade: C

Bills tight ends?
With both quarterbacks under 200 yards passing, it was an all-around slow night for most receivers and tight ends. It was certainly no exception for the Bills, who had only six catches between four targets while Lynch alone had 10 receptions. Robert Royal and Derek Fine each made only one catch apiece, for a total of 28 combined yards. These guys shouldn’t feel too bad; Buffalo’s offense isn’t tailored around tight end production and the receivers didn’t have a much better night (see above). MNF Grade: C

Defense/Special Teams:

Cleveland
The Browns forced four Buffalo turnovers, including three interceptions off Edwards in the first quarter alone. Cleveland only scored nine points off the four takeaways, but their defense played steady for most of the night. Of the 334 total yards given up, 177 were earned by Marshawn Lynch alone. The Browns defense shut down Lee Evans and James Hardy, which is a positive for a questionable secondary. MNF Grade: B -

Buffalo
This night was all about Leodis McKelvin on special teams. His 98-yard touchdown return immediately after Cleveland’s touchdown put the Bills back in the game and had fans in Ralph Wilson Stadium erupting. Other than that, the Bills defense did a fairly good job against Brady Quinn’s offense, limiting him to under 50 percent passing. The bad news: no turnovers forced. MNF Grade: C

Kickers:

Phil Dawson, Cleveland
Dawson did his job on Monday night and then some. The Browns placekicker nailed all of his five field goal attempts, from 40, 33, 43, 22, and of course, the eventual game-winning 56-yarder with the wind at his back. Two successful extra points raised his scoring total to 17 points on a great kicking night. MNF Grade: A

Rian Lindell, Buffalo
There usually has to be a goat in a close game, and unfortunately Lindell takes the honors in this one. He did make all three of his extra points, and two field goals from 26 and 31 before the fourth quarter. Regrettably, his night came down to one missed Bills field goal that fittingly sailed “wide right.” MNF Grade: C +

Join us next Monday night from the Big Easy as the suddenly first-place Green Bay Packers (5-5) battle the New Orleans Saints (5-5) inside the Superdome.

First tie in the NFL since 2002 … first 11-10 final score in league history … Tampa Bay beats Minnesota 19-13 … Miami edges Oakland 17-15 … Dallas beats Washington 14-10 in Romo’s return.

With games like these, how is someone supposed to get excited about heading into playoff football? Weeks like this make me plead with the NFL to abolish the field goal. Seriously, what a boring week of NFL “action”.

If you were busy on Sunday and managed to catch just the Patriots vs. Jets game Thursday night, consider yourself lucky. You will be able to judge Week 11 based solely on one of the best games of the year and not by the bombardment of awful execution, conservative play-calling, sloppy ball-handling, safeties and field goals that was Week 11. These guys really need to shape up and execute before we head into January.

Big Bertha here with your (relative) goods and (understated) bads of Week 11 in the NFL.  

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Matt Cassel, QB, New England Patriots
The golden boy’s replacement may have finally come into his own this past Thursday night. Cassel threw for a Week 11 best 400 yards and added three touchdowns to the box score as well. For those who stuck with Cassel as a fantasy starter, his Week 11 MVP performance might have been good enough to help you improve to 4-7 this season. Stay strong though because Week 12 is a big revenge game for Cassel and company as they head to Miami after getting worked by the Fins at home in Week 3.

Runners-Up

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers
He ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. Granted, it was expected because of Jake Delhomme’s inability to throw the ball and the Detroit Lions’ well-documented tackling woes. But, add the fact that he only got 14 carries and you’re looking at a running back who is, at the very least, efficient and effective.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Cincinatti Bengals
Both the Bengals and Eagles lucked out because neither deserves anything but a loss for their atrocious 13-13 tie. But, one bright spot proved to be Housh, who caught 12 passes for 149 yards and Cincinnati’s only score. Even though Philadelphia’s defensive backfield is over the hill, when you go for that kind of yardage against the likes of Asante Samuel and Brian Dawkins, you’re definitely doing something right.

Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay Packers
Grant had a breakout game against the long-time rival Chicago Bears on Sunday, rushing for 142 yards and a touchdown. It looks like Grant could start posting second half numbers close to his ‘07 figures and help some fantasy owners limp into the playoffs.

MOST SURPRISING PERFORMANCE

Justin Gage, WR, Tennessee Titans
In his first 100-yard game since Week 17 of last year, Gage proved to be a vital part of the Titans’ resurgence against the Jags with four catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns. The unbeatens found themselves down 11 at the half but scored 21 straight in the second to bring home the W. And over those two games we’ve seen Kerry Collins airing it out as Chris Johnson may have hit the bally-hooed rookie wall after Week 9. Gage could come up big down the stretch if the trend continues.

Runners-Up

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
I’m not sure anyone could have predicted that a former Ivy-leaguer would step into an abysmal situation, like in Cincinnati, and engineer a tie against the Philadelphia Eagles and Donovan McNabb. Fitz threw for 261 yards and a touchdown against a tough Philly defense. The blitz packages, speed in the secondary, and big play ability we’ve seen from this D all year made it a tough day for anyone on the Bengals offense. The fact that Fitzpatrick didn’t blow the game came as a huge surprise to everyone.

Willie Parker, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Parker took 25 carries for 115 yards in the ugly Steelers win over San Diego on Sunday. The first NFL game ever with the final score of 11-10 also marked the first 100-yard game for Parker since Week 2. If he can keep himself off the injury report, Parker will be a valuable fantasy asset as the weather deteriorates because the Steelers are going to take the ball out of Roethlisberger’s hands and put it into the arms of “Fast” Willie.

Peyton Hillis, RB, Denver Broncos
Hillis is a former fullback who broke out another gem in Week 11. He only ran for 44 yards, but managed to punch in two scores. With the revolving door of running backs in Shanahan’s backfield, it is always a surprise when someone, especially a fullback, gets the opportunity to grab two scores in a game.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE

Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers
Rivers only threw for 159 yards and added two completions to the other team. The weather was awful and the Steelers defense is suffocating, but that type of fantasy turn-out isn’t going to get the job done, especially when owners are vying for playoff spots. This is crunch time, and when one of the best statistical quarterbacks turns in a dud, regardless of his opponent, it’s a big disappointment in the fantasy world.

Runners-Up

Santana Moss, WR, Washington Redskins
Five catches for 29 yards just isn’t very good. But this is the kind of inconsistency fantasy owners have come to expect from Moss.

Tim Hightower, RB, Arizona Cardinals
11 carries for 35 yards is the kind of stat line you get when a touchdown vulture can’t find paydirt.

Jake Delhomme, QB, Carolina Panthers
For the second straight week, Delhomme played a terrible team and couldn’t perform. He failed to eclipse the 100-yard mark and threw for only one touchdown. Carolina’s effectiveness on the ground with the Stewart-Williams tandem played a role in Delhomme’s inability to produce, but only 98 yards against Detroit is inexcusable. At least it’s better than four picks against Oakland.

CUTTABLE PLAYER

Jake Delhomme, QB, Carolina Panthers
In the past two games, Delhomme has thrown for a combined 170 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. And that was against Oakland and Detroit. Carolina runs the ball too much and Delhomme doesn’t use Steve Smith enough to make himself a legitimate fantasy quarterback. Drop him and pick up Brady Quinn or someone who’s going to drop back and air it out.

WAIVER WIRE SPECIAL

Justin Gage, WR, Tennessee Titans
Gage has three touchdowns in the last two games. Kerry Collins has had two straight 200-yard games (his first of the season) and seems to be improving each week. Gage has the advantage of light secondaries because teams have to stop “Smash and Dash” combination of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Look for Gage to haul in a couple of balls a game and find his way into the endzone a few more times in ‘08.

DREAM LINEUP
QB - Matt Cassel, NE
RB - DeAngelo Williams, CAR
RB - Frank Gore, SF
WR - T.J. Houshmandzadeh, IND
WR - Anquan Boldin, ARI
TE - Benjamin Watson, NE
K - Neil Rackers, ARI
D/ST - Green Bay Packers

NIGHTMARE SQUAD
QB - Kyle Orton, CHI
RB - Tim Hightower, ARI
RB - LenDale White, TEN
WR - Chansi Stuckey, NYJ
WR - Steve Breaston, ARI
TE - Antonio Gates, SD
K - Josh Scobee, JAC
D/ST - Chicago Bears

HIGHLIGHT REEL (Best Play)

Week 11 was rough. A lot of bad weather and bad football. But after watching an entire day’s worth of games, there are a few plays worthy of some Week 11 hardware.

The “CATCH ME IF YOU CAN AWARD” Award

Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans
Slaton broke threw the line and into the Colts secondary after bursting through a huge hole created by his offensive line. His quick feet and explosive acceleration made it clear that his speed was a tough matchup for the Colts defense. Slaton was barely touched on a 71-yard score.

The “COUGH IT UP” Award

James Harrison, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Harrison blitzed Chargers QB Philip Rivers from his blind side deep in San Diego territory and hit him from behind, forcing a fumble and a safety. The Steelers won by an 11-10 score and Harrison’s play ended up being the difference.

The “Y2J” Award

Jerricho Cotchery, WR, New York Jets
Cotchery pinned a 46-yard pass to the side of his helmet with his biceps while being molested by a Patriots corner. It was ridiculous.

The “HERE’S YOUR ‘TOM BRADY’” Award

Matt Cassel, QB, New England Patriots
Cassel topped off a beautiful last-drive by shedding a tackle, rolling out of the pocket, and delivering a perfect 16-yard bullet to Randy Moss with one tick left on the clock. The score tied the game against the Jets and may have earned Cassel a fat check in the offseason as he’s due to be a free agent. It also helped to illustrate that the NFL overtime policy of sudden-death is a devastating way to end a football game.

WEEK 11 BONUS AWARDS

THE “AND THAT’S WHY YOU’RE A LION” AWARD

Daunte Culpepper, QB, Detroit Lions
You’re the Lions. You’re down by two in the second half against a 7-2 Panthers team. You miss the two-point conversion but get a HUGE stop on Carolina’s ensuing possession and have the opportunity to drive down the field and take the lead. But Culpepper throws a pick inside your own red zone and now you’re down nine and it’s all downhill from there. And that’s why you’re the Lions.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Ahman Green, RB, Houston Texans
There were a lot of comeback scenarios in Week 11: Romo back from injury, Cadillac re-activated, Culpepper getting the start for Detroit, and Tatum Bell’s first game back in Denver. We could not, however, have come up with the possibility that Green would score … twice. It was his first two-score game since Oct. 29, 2006, when he was a Packer.

Unfortunate for Graham, who was a terrific story in emerging from journeyman to starter in rushing for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. The Bucs rewarded him with a contract extension in the off-season, then paired him with veteran Warrick Dunn to round out a formidable 1-2 punch in the backfield.

While Williams has work to do, both to re-gain top form and to assert himself in Tampa Bay’s backfield, he clearly has the talent to do so. The aging and slightly built Dunn is no longer a true feature back, which leaves virtually all of Graham’s touches up for grabs. By the fantasy playoffs, Williams is likely to be the guy who takes them.

Former Auburn teammate Ronnie Brown also suffered a season-ending knee surgery last season, but is now back and running effectively in Miami. If Williams can pull off the same feat, a favorable run of defenses lies ahead with Detroit, New Orleans, Atlanta and Oakland among Tampa Bay’s last six opponents.

We recommend parking Cadillac in your garage and waiting for a perfect time to use him.

For football fans and Bill Belichick bashers, there was more joy in reality than in fantasy Thursday night. For fantasy owners with enough reason to put Cassel in their starting lineups, there was plenty of joy in a breakout performance that went into the NFL record books. In addition to monster passing numbers, Cassel rushed for 62 yards and became the first quarterback in league history to accumulate 400 passing yards and 60 rushing yards in a game.

Cassel’s skills and limitations were on full display in the OT loss. As New England fell behind, the burden was on him to lead the Patriots back, and he did. Cassel threw touchdown passes to three different receivers, highlighted by a game-tying, bullseye throw to Randy Moss with one second left in regulation.

What we also saw was Cassel’s inability to throw the deep ball. And that’s OK, as far as his fantasy value is concerned, but it’s what has prevented Moss from being an elite wide receiver in 2008.

Where Tom Brady could get the ball downfield at will, Cassel has been forced to move the chains more gradually and focus on Wes Welker, Jabar Gaffney and Benjamin Watson. Those were his three top targets on Thursday, while Moss caught just three passes for 26 yards.

We’ll have to see if there is a formula here for more monster performances by Cassel. The Jets can stuff the run, which forced the Patriots to attempt twice as many passes (50) as runs (25). A new team and a new gameplan could just as easily put the ball in the hands of Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Depending on league scoring systems, Cassel’s Thursday night performance stacks up favorably against any other quarterback so far in 2008. Here are the top five, according to our calculations.

1.) Brett Favre, New York Jets - 289 yards and 6 TDs vs. Arizona
No quarterback has come close to matching the huge touchdown number this season. Only Denver’s Jay Cutler has a 4-TD game under his belt, making Favre’s 6-TD effort by far the most impressive of the year. And by the way, it came against a playoff caliber Cardinals team.

2.) Matt Cassel, New England Patriots - 400 yards and 3 TDs, 62 rushing yards vs. NY Jets
Rushing yards put him over the top, making Cassel’s big effort the most valuable in fantasy football since Favre in Week 4. It’s worth mentioning here that two of our top three quarterback performances have come in the first two weeks of Thursday Night Football on NFL Network.

3.) Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos - 447 yards and 3 TDs at Cleveland
Entering the fourth quarter of this one, Cutler had 242 passing yards and no scores, but dramatically changed his team’s fortunes by torching the Browns in a comeback win. His 447 yards are a single-game season-high so far in ‘08.

4.) Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos - 350 yards and 4 TDs vs. San Diego
Both sides of this shootout make the list, but Cutler got the better end of it after a botched call set up his fourth touchdown pass. The Broncos won 39-38 in the final seconds after referee Ed Hochuli missed a Cutler fumble, then Denver gambled, went for two, and walked away with a controversial road win.

5.) Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers - 377 yards and 3 TDs at Denver
Rivers and the Chargers faced 21-3 and 31-17 deficits in the second quarter, but they came back to take their first lead with 4:22 remaining in the game. All three of Rivers’ scores came in the final 33 minutes, and he threw for 377 yards on just 33 attempts.

On the flip side, there have been some brutal performances thus far. Here’s a look at the worst of the worst.

1.) Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers - 7/27, 72 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs at Oakland
This was an absolutely miserable performance in Oakland, but the funny thing is, Carolina still won! Consider that an indictment of the Raiders’ franchise and a testament to Carolina and head coach John Fox.

2.) Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals - 16/27, 134 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs vs. Tennessee
There have technically been worse fantasy performances than this one, and I suppose Palmer gets a pass because he faced the Titans’ dominant defense. But, at this point in the year, Palmer was expected to be a frontline fantasy starter. This one sealed his fate as a bust, even before he was struck by an elbow injury.

3.) JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders - 6/19, 31 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT vs. Atlanta
While he had just one turnover, Russell was completely inept passing against the NFL’s 21st-ranked pass defense. He was 2-for-7 for just nine yards and took three sacks in the first half, before “exploding” for 28 yards in the second. Russell completed just one pass to a wide receiver, a 7-yard strike to Javon Walker in garbage time.

4.) Brad Johnson, Dallas Cowboys - 5/11, 72 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs at NY Giants
The line speaks for itself, but Johnson actually had Cowboys fans clamoring for third stringer Brooks Bollinger. They got their wish as Johnson exited early having accumlated (-2) fantasy points.

5.) Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams - 6/13, 65 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT at NY Jets
Against the same Jets defense that allowed 400 yards passing to Matt Cassel Thursday, Bulger could not muster any offense and was benched in favor of Trent Green. He threw one pick and fumbled once, and the Rams were steamrolled 47-3.

Some housekeeping …

Two star running backs are expected to sit this week in Washington’s Clinton Portis and St. Louis’ Steven Jackson. While Jackson shouldn’t come as a surprise - he has missed two of the last three games with a thigh injury - Portis does with a sprained knee that failed to improve during Washington’s bye week. Look for Antonio Pittman and Ladell Betts to fill in for Jackson and Portis, respectively. Only Betts would be a recommended start, but he comes with a risk as Washington plays in the Sunday night game. …

Javon Walker is expected to undergo season-ending ankle surgery, according to the Oakland Tribune. According to our calculations, owner Al Davis got a grand total of 15 catches and countless defensive lapses from free agent signees Walker and DeAngelo Hall this season. …

Can we please cool off these Kerry Collins for MVP talks? Yes, the Titans are undefeated and towering above the AFC, but the man has five touchdown passes this season. One rule of thumb for MVP voting: if a candidate has fewer touchdowns in a season than another player has in a single game (Brett Favre, 6), he should be ruled out. If it’s any consolation, Collins would win our Most Valuable Game Manager (MVGM) award. …

Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli is getting desperate for a first win. He brings in Daunte Culpepper, starts him on about eight minutes of practice time, uses backup Drew Stanton in a gimmicky goal-line role, then reverses course and declares Kevin Smith his No. 1 running back again. All these changes, and the one most needed - his being fired - has yet to be made. …

Earnest Graham is dinged up, Warrick Dunn is old and fragile, and Carnell “Cadillac” Williams is set to play for the first time in a year. The most interesting days are still ahead for Tampa Bay’s backfield. …

Tom Brady’s season-ending knee surgery drew the most headlines, but the Patriots have suffered a plethora of devastating injuries this season. Adalius Thomas, Rodney Harrison, Tank Williams, Barrett Ruud and Laurence Maroney are done for the year; LaMont Jordan and Sammy Morris have missed multiple games; and Ty Warren just missed Thursday night’s loss to the Jets. Those types of injuries would have crippled most teams, but the Pats keep marching on.