NFL Week 15 Recap

The Dallas Cowboys had to play nearly perfect football in order to defeat the New Orleans Saints. They realized that their season was on the line last Saturday night, using Tony Dungy's "they don't have a chance" speech as a source of motivation to pull off the upset. And what a surprising upset it was. The Cowboys did what no other team could do for for the first 14 games of the season against the Saints: they got to Drew Brees. On the whims of a courageous performance from DeMarcus Ware, the Cowboys managed to pressure Brees consistently in the backfield. This forced him to make uncomfortable throws periodically and he simply could not develop a rhythm with any of his receivers. The Cowboys were very efficient at stopping the run, limiting the Saints to just 65 yards on the ground. There is no doubt that they played their best defensive game of the season and they did so at the threshold of enormous adversity. The Cowboys could have easily faltered in this situation. They could have allowed the Saints to march right through them on Saturday night, which would have ultimately led to another December collapse and the possible firing of Head Coach Wade Phillips. Tony Romo had another great game on Saturday as he threw for 312 yards and a touchdown. By leading the Cowboys down the field and putting points on the scoreboard early, Romo forced the Saints to play catch-up. The deficit was simply too great to overcome as DeMarcus Ware had a strip-sack of Brees in the final minutes, which sealed the victory for the Cowboys. The Cowboys also did something they have been unable to do in the past few weeks; they ran the ball extremely well and torched the Saints for 145 yards on the ground. Marion Barber had 2 touchdowns and played a significant part in the upset of the Saints. We shall see now if the Cowboys can build on this for the rest of the season. Their problem all year has been consistency, which means we have to look at their next game against the Redskins with some skepticism. The Cowboys have the opportunity to go one of two ways at this point. They can use this victory as a motivational factor, which will catapult them on a successful run through the postseason. Or they can falter back to their old ways and allow the success to get to their heads, which will ultimately leave them vulnerable to the upset. The Redskins may have played horribly against the Giants last week. But they will treat this game against the Cowboys as if it were their Super Bowl. They will be very hungry to score the upset and very bitter after getting embarrassed by the Giants, which can be two very lethal components against a hated division rival. The Cowboys are on the precipice of something big right now. Fans should watch with intriguing eyes at where this team goes from now on. As for the Saints, there really shouldn't be a cause for concern. Every team is entitled to a bad game now and again. It doesn't signify any long-term problems because the Saints are still the best team in the NFC. And they very nearly came back against the Cowboys the other night so let's not write them off just yet. Granted the Saints have had problems against the 3-4 defensive scheme all season long, which might expose their weaknesses should they encounter one in the playoffs. But as history has always told us in the NFL, great teams persevere. The Saints are a really good football team right now. If they really are a great team, they will put this loss behind them and begin to focus on the task of winning a championship.

There is absolute chaos in the AFC Wild Card race right now. The Broncos and the Ravens currently hold the two positions with 8-6 records. However, there are six (count 'em six) teams with 7-7 records sitting on their tail just waiting for one of them to falter. Anything can happen in this AFC Wild Card race and we will most likely see some shocking things occurring in the final two weeks of the season. Let's examine how the NFL introduced a little anarchy into the situation (yes I used a Joker reference) by beginning with the Dolphins and the Titans. I think Chris Berman said it best in proclaiming that these two teams "are like heavyweight fighters that have taken a pounding throughout the season and yet still keep coming back." Well, these two teams put up a super fight on Sunday the likes of which could rival Pacquaio-Mayweather should it ever happen. The Titans controlled the pace of the game throughout, jumping out to a 24-9 lead in the 4th quarter thanks in large part to the arm of Vince Young. Young would pass for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns, which included 2 endzone strikes to Justin Gage and a 32-yard beauty to Nate Washington. Chris Johnson was effective between the tackles on Sunday, grinding it out against the Dolphins defense and wearing them down throughout the course of the game. Johnson would finish with 104 yards rushing and is still on pace to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. However, the Titans would let the Dolphins back in the game as Ricky Williams pounded the ball into the endzone and cut the deficit to 24-16. Chad Henne would then lead a crucial drive down the field in the final minutes of the 4th quarter, sealing a touchdown with a 2-yard pass to Anthony Fasano. Miami would convert the 2-point conversion and send the game into overtime. The difference in this game turned out to be ball security. Henne launched a ball over the middle to Davone Bess, which sailed over his head and landed in the arms of Michael Griffin. The Titans would run the ball a few times to set up Rob Bironas, who proceeded to nail the game-winning field goal and send the Dolphins home crying. The Titans are playing some of the best football in the NFL right now. With a little luck, they could find themselves in the playoffs after a dreadful 0-6 record. That would be one of the most remarkable accomplishments in NFL history and would certainly make Chris Johnson the MVP of the league. However, the Titans will be hosting the red-hot San Diego Chargers on Christmas night. If they are going to complete this wonderful turnaround, they are going to have to earn it because the Chargers will not be playing the role of Santa Claus. As for the Dolphins, they are still in the mix but face a very difficult schedule against the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both of those games are winnable in that both will be played at home. Yet in order for the Dolphins to make the playoffs, Chad Henne has to limit his amount of interceptions and has to practice good ball security. He cannot force throws down the field because, as Sunday proved, they will cost you some victories. The Dolphins are down for the count. But they are certainly not out of this fight.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were left for dead after losses to the Oakland Raiders and the Cleveland Browns. And by all accounts, they really should have lost that game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The defending Super Bowl champions are on life support right now and have yet another prime opportunity to make some noise in the final two weeks of the season. But let's examine how they got themselves in this position. Ben Roethlisberger had the game of his life on Sunday night, throwing for 503 yards and 3 touchdowns, which included the game-winner to Mike Wallace. To say that Roethlisberger's performance was instrumental to the team's victory on Sunday would be a distortion of the truth. Roethlisberger's performance is the reason why the Steelers are still alive in the playoff race. Granted Rashard Mendenhall have a productive day running and catching the football. And I acknowledge the fact that Green Bay's defensive penalties in the final minutes proved to be very costly. However, one must also consider that the Steelers defense had yet another porous effort on Sunday night. Aaron Rodgers completely picked apart the Steelers secondary for 383 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. The Steelers' front seven could get absolutely no pressure on Rodgers as he sat comfortably in the pocket all day long and zipped throws to 8 different receivers. Rodgers had no problem opening up the field and spreading the ball around in this game as the Packers offense certainly did their part in order to win. The Steelers were successfully able to shut down Ryan Grant. Yet their inability to cover the deep ball and stop the big play very nearly led to their sixth straight loss. This makes Big Ben's performance all the more important because he was able to match Rodgers stride for stride. Roethlisberger proved why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He made plays with the game on the line and is the only reason why the Steelers are still alive in the playoff race. The Packers have nothing to be ashamed of with this loss to the Steelers. Granted they might have some concerns in the secondary, which is understandable considering they allowed over 500 yards passing. But they played with heart throughout and never let the Steelers pull away on the momentum of their home crowd. The Packers have a very easy schedule down the stretch. They will face off against a Seahawks team that just lost to the Buccaneers and a Cardinals team that will most likely rest its starters before Wild Card weekend. It will take a complete collapse for the Packers not to make the playoffs at this point, which means they should rest easy on Christmas morning. As for the Steelers, they will complete their season with the Ravens and the Dolphins. These are not going to be easy games for the Steelers and they will need Big Ben to keep stepping up and delivering on the offensive side of the ball. And they need to find a way to contain the deep threat because if they don't, then they will be sitting at home come playoff time. Lucky for them, the Ravens and the Dolphins are more committed to the run. And the Steelers are pretty good at stopping the run, which will lead to plenty of defensive stops and plenty of opportunities for the offense to build their drives. The Steelers are hoping for a miracle this Christmas. Victories against the Ravens and the Dolphins could provide them with one.

It's good to know that Rex Ryan thinks his team is out of the playoffs right now. If that's true, then the Jets should have no problem slipping by the wayside in their final two games against the Colts and the Bengals. But wait a minute, the Jets are STILL ALIVE, REX!!!!!! First rule of coaching: you do not come out and say your team is done. Your team is never done until the season is over. But the way this team looks right now, their season is most definitely over. The Jets had plenty of opportunities to secure a victory over the Falcons on Sunday. There were three opportunities in particular that proved to be very costly, all of which might prohibit the Jets from clinching a winning season. Let me start out by saying that the fact that you can't put the ball in the end zone at least once during those three possessions is very disconcerting when you have the #1 ranked rushing offense in the NFL. But what's even more troubling is the fact that you have a holder who can't hold on to the football. I echo the sentiments of Jets fan when they say that Kellen Clemens should be cut right now. He is not the future of the franchise, nor is he the future of any franchise. He is one of the main reasons why the Jets aren't sitting in a prettier position right now in the playoff race. But the poor special teams doesn't end there. Jay Feely missed a 38-yard field goal before halftime, which would have given the Jets a 10-3 lead. Feely has been reliable all season long, which means he is entitled to miss one field goal from time to time because nobody is perfect. Yet as the old adage proclaims, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." The Falcons managed to block a field goal late in the game, illustrating how the Jets simply could not distance themselves from their opponent. And as Matt Ryan's short touchdown pass connected to Tony Gonzalez on 4th and goal, you could literally feel the pain and the heartbreak of the moment for Jets fan. The Falcons moved the ball with ease against the #1 ranked defense in the NFL, which is certainly not #1 in terms of making plays in clutch situations. Darrelle Revis may be the best cornerback in the NFL, but he could have sealed that game with an interception on 3rd and goal as opposed to giving the Falcons one more play from scrimmage. And let's not forget our favorite GQ quarterback. The "Sanchize" proved yet again why he is the best player in the NFL with yet another game-losing interception. What a savior of the franchise. What a tremendous effort from the rookie sensation. It is clear that if the Jets don't make the playoffs this season, Mark Sanchez will be the one primarily responsible. His play has been abysmal all season long and there is absolutely no excuse for the fact that he simply can't hold on to the football. 15 weeks into the season means you should know that ball security is the most important asset of being a quarterback in the NFL. Sanchez will have an entire offseason to figure out his problems, which does wonders for the Jets right now. The Jets face an impossible schedule against a Colts team looking to go 16-0 and a Bengals team with a renewed focus on winning a championship for their fallen teammate. Stranger things have happened in the NFL this season. If the Jets make the playoffs, they will most definitely have earned it.

With regards to the other teams involved in the AFC Wild Card race, the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars are not making the playoffs. There is just no other way around it. They are not making the playoffs because both teams have been inconsistent all year long. The Texans are facing a Dolphins team that will capitalize on their mistakes and match them stride for stride in terms of scoring points. The Jaguars are heading up to Foxboro to face a Patriots team that is looking to clinch the AFC East on Sunday. It also doesn't help that the Jaguars have a 1-7 record against the Patriots in franchise history. I think it's safe to say that both teams will be suffering some holiday blues on Sunday night. As far as the NFC Wild Card race is concerned, the Giants managed to keep pace with the Cowboys and the Packers on Monday night with their destruction of the Redskins. The Giants not only had one of their best offensive games of the season, but they also got a terrific effort on the defensive side of the ball. They were able to pressure Jason Campbell early and often, forcing him to make errant throws in the pocket and turn the ball over many times. There was absolutely no rhythm to the Redskins offense on Monday night, and the Giants were able to successfully capitalize on every mistake they made. Eli Manning threw for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the Giants offense with another terrific performance. Brandon Jacobs may be getting suspended for throwing punches at DeAngelo Hall, but he is starting to run the ball with force and tenacity at the line of scrimmage. The Giants offense is coming together at the right time. The only question is if it's too little, too late. I think it will come down to the final game of the season when the Cowboys host the Eagles and the Giants travel to Minnesota. The Giants will be hoping for an Eagles victory in Dallas and will be looking to take advantage of the chaos in Viking land. They are certainly not out of the playoff race and it would be unfair to count them out right now.

But let's turn our attention to the situation brewing in the Twin Cities. The Minnesota Vikings were once thought of as possibly the best team in the NFL. But recent beatdowns at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers have left many experts to start questioning whether or not the Vikings are primed for a Super Bowl run. There is no question that the Vikings boast one of the most talented offensive units in the NFL. But their recent struggles have suggested that something is rotten in the state of Minnesota. And it exists in the conflict between Brett Favre and Brad Childress. Recent reports have indicated that Childress wanted to take Favre out of multiple games this season for changing the plays at the line of scrimmage. The unwritten tension came to fruition on the sidelines during the Panthers game on Sunday night. Favre and Childress got into a "heated exchange" because Childress wanted to take Favre out with a 7-6 lead. Later on in the week, the two would get into a "expletive-laden exchange" in the coaches' office as both men decided to blow off steam and figure out their problems. All is not well in Vikings nation. And if I were a fan of the Purple People Eaters, I would be very concerned right now. This team is clearly not focused on winning a championship right now. They are having tremendous problems on the offensive side of the ball, which starts with the lack of production from Adrian Peterson. The Vikings live and die on the legs of Adrian Peterson. Without him, the Vikings cannot win a playoff game much less a championship. In order for the Vikings to right the ship, Peterson must finish well down the stretch and start looking like he is the best running back in the NFL. But that may not be the solution to all of their problems. This conflict between Favre and Childress could be what keeps the Vikings away from the Super Bowl in February. And I think the onus is on Brad Childress in this particular situation. First of all, you brought Favre in to provide that extra spark at the quarterback position. You brought him in to take you to the promised land and to save your job. Hell, you even picked him up at the airport when he signed with the team. As a result, you have put yourself in the uncompromising position of handing Favre the keys to the Mercedes. He is the controller of the offense and the leader of that team, which means that your authority is now susceptible to public scrutiny. It is too early to tell if Childress made a mistake in bringing Favre to Minnesota. But it is fair to say that everyone knew Favre was a diva before this move was made. Childress cannot be pulling this stuff right now, not when his team is on the cusp of the playoffs and readying itself for a Super Bowl run. He must have faith in his quarterback and rely on him to do what is best for the team. Granted I think Brett Favre is very selfish and thinks more about himself than the rest of the team. But since you brought the man in to win the big game, you are now under his control. And, to be perfectly honest, you cannot pull your star quarterback out of the game WHEN YOU HAVE THE LEAD!!!!!! I don't care what he does at the line of scrimmage. You cannot pull your quarterback out when you have the lead. As long as your team is in the football game, there is no excuse for that. Brad Childress made a huge mistake in calling out Brett Favre for insubordination right now. We shall see if the Vikings pay for it down the stretch.

That's all for now...Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all. I will try to write a quick preview of the Chargers/Titans game tomorrow night. But if I don't get a chance, I think the Chargers win 34-27. Anyways, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. Stay tuned for Part II of my bowl preview and my Week 16 NFL Preview on Saturday. Til then...