NFL Week In Review, Week 12

Another weekend in the NFL is in the books….

Life is good, because the Dallas Cowboys are in first place. The Rib Man, Tony Romo, threw for five touchdowns and got his fourth win as the starter, as the Cowboys manhandled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 38-10. The Cowboys are on a major roll, and are favored by some to reach Super Bowl XLI. I’m not drinking that Kool-Aid just yet, but this run is fun. One week at a time, boys, one week at a time….

Also on Thanksgiving, Jake Plummer had his last start as quarterback of the Denver Broncos, as the Broncos lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 19-10. I called last week for a new quarterback in Denver, and apparently, I was not the only one. The Chiefs are now 7-4, and are tied with the Broncos in a dogfight for a wild card berth with five games to play.

The first of the Turkey Day specials was a turkey, as the putrid Detroit Lions lost to the Miami Dolphins, 27-10. Joey Harrington played quarterback, and the Lions lost. However, Harrington now plays for Miami, and got a win in his return to the Motor City. The Lions are owned by the Ford family, and play in a stadium called Ford Field. Ford really stands for Found On Road Dead. In five weeks, the Lions will be on the clock. That’s the draft clock, and the first pick in the draft.

Another competitor for that first pick in the draft resides on the South Loop in Houston. The Texans laid another egg, losing their second game in New York in ugly fashion. The Jets defeated the Texans 26-11 in a game that wasn’t even that close. It is becoming apparent that David Carr is not the answer for the Texans. He may go somewhere else (see Joey Harrington) and do well. It looks like the Texans may need to look elsewhere for a quarterback.

A quarterback that the Texans could have had is in Tennessee. Vince Young is doing good things in Music City, leading the Titans to a 24-21 comeback win over the New York Football Giants. The G-Men had a 21-0 lead, before the Titans came back. The Giants are in full meltdown mode, and are in danger of flat-out mutiny against coach Tom Coughlin. Yesterday, Eli Manning threw an ill-advised interception which led to the game-winning field goal. Coughlin called Manning out in the post-game press conference, only a week after he admonished Tiki Barber to keep team business in the locker room. Good luck in putting out that fire, Coach. Hopefully, this meltdown will last another week, as Tony Romo and the Cowboys visit the Meadowlands next week.

There will be another Super Bowl champion this year. It’s not official yet, but Pittsburgh is now 4-7, and the Steelers were spanked by the Ravens, 27-0 in Baltimore. The Ravens’ defense had nine sacks, three turnovers, and a touchdown. The Ravens are a very good team, and will be a tough out in the playoffs.

The team that formerly resided in B-More still sits on top of the AFC. The Indianapolis Colts pulverized the reeling Philadelphia Eagles, 45-21. Joseph Addai scored four touchdowns for the Colts, who ran their record to 10-1. The Eagles played their first game without QB Donovan McNabb, who is out for the season due to injury. The Colts are still the team to beat in the AFC, but the Chargers and Ravens will have a lot to say in the matter.

The Cincinnati Bengals are trying to make another run at the playoffs. They need a few more games like yesterday, when they drilled the Cleveland Browns, 30-0. Carson Palmer threw for four touchdown passes for the Bengals. The Browns are still trying to break up that argument between WR Braylon Edwards and QB Charlie Frye.

The Buffalo Bills won their second game in a row, as Rian Lindell kicked a field goal to give the Bills a 27-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills are now 5-6. This game also has the distinction of being the first game to be blacked out to local television this season. Ralph Wilson Stadium did not sell out prior to 72 hours before kickoff, so the folks in Buffalo had to listen to this one on the radio. If I lived in Western New York, I don’t think I’d want to pay NFL prices to sit in the cold and see that team.

The Chicago Bears are mortal. Da Bears went to Foxboro and were handled by the New England Patriots, 17-13. The Bears now sit at 9-2, still 2 games better than anyone in the NFC, but not playing their best football and playing better teams on their schedule. The Bears are still hoping for home field advantage in the NFC playoffs. The Patriots have not given up on their season by any stretch of the imagination. I wouldn’t want to have to play them in the playoffs, especially in Foxboro.

In Landover, Maryland, Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell got his first win as the starter, connecting on a 66-yard touchdown pass to Chris Cooley as Washington defeated the Carolina Panthers, 17-13. Just when you give them up for dead, the Redskins come alive. Just when you think they’re going to be pretty good, the Panthers lay an egg. Go figure.

Elsewhere in the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints tightened their grip on the division with a 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Drew Brees threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns. The Saints look like geniuses with that signing. They have a big game in Dallas in two weeks.

Upriver, way upriver, in Minnesota, the Vikings broke back into the win column with a 31-26 victory over the sorry Arizona Cardinals. Dennis Green did not have a happy return to Minnesota. The Vikes are now 5-6, while the Cardinals are contending for that first draft pick at 2-9.

Their other competitors for the top pick in the draft are the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders gave a valiant effort, but came up short against the San Diego Chargers, losing 21-14. The great LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for two touchdowns, and threw for another. The Chargers are now 9-2, and are in command of the AFC West division.

The other Bay Area team also lost on Sunday, as the San Francisco 49ers’ winning streak was halted by the St. Louis Rams, 20-17. Both teams still trail the Seattle Seahawks, who host the Green Bay Packers tonight.