NFL Highway, Week 16

The NFL Highway dodged Santa’s sleigh this week, as several teams solidified their plans for January, while others just played out the string.

The Dallas Cowboys visited Carolina and got a 20-13 win. The Cowboys got a scare as star receiver Terrell Owens suffered a sprained ankle, and will be out until the playoffs begin. I was a little alarmed when the NFL Network showed T.O. in the tunnel with the trainer and the real-life Jerry Maguire, agent Drew Rosenhaus. Rosenhaus is the most high-profile agent in the business. He had to be concerned when one of his meal tickets went down. Does T.O. play for the Cowboys, or for Drew Rosenhaus?

The Cowboys also received an early Christmas present from the Chicago Bears. The Bears whipped their archrivals, the Green Bay Packers, 35-7. Brian Urlacher had an 85-yard interception return to ice the game for the Bears. With this result, the Cowboys clinch home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

In a meaningless game, the Indianapolis Colts flexed their muscle and whipped the Houston Texans, 38-15. The Colts played their starters for the first three quarters in an effort to keep them in playing shape before the playoffs. The Texans are 7-8 in spite of their difficulties. They are 0-5 against AFC South Division teams, and 7-3 against the rest of the league.

Poor Cleveland. All the Browns had to do to clinch a playoff spot was to beat the sad-sack Bengals in Cincinnati, but they couldn’t do it. The Bengals won, 19-14. Derek Anderson threw two touchdowns, but also threw four interceptions. The Browns must now hope for a Tennessee loss to the Colts next week in order to make the playoffs.

The Titans set themselves up to control their playoff destiny by holding off the New York Jets, 10-6. Tennessee is now 9-6, and plays a Colts team with nothing to play for next week.

In a game that was irrelevant all along, the Detroit Lions broke a long losing streak by handling the Kansas City Chiefs, 25-20. The Lions move to 7-8, guaranteeing for the first time in six years that they will not have 10 or more losses. The Chiefs fall to an awful 4-11.

The team no one wants a part of resides in Jacksonville. The Jaguars cruised to their 11th win with a 49-11 rout of the Oakland Raiders. David Garrard had two touchdown passes and another one rushing for the Jags. The Jaguars clinched the 5th spot in the AFC playoffs, and will play either Pittsburgh or San Diego in the first round.

It’s too little, too late, but the Philadelphia Eagles are making a run in the NFC East. The Eagles followed up their Dallas win with a 39-23 win over the Saints in New Orleans. Donovan McNabb improved his trade value by throwing for 263 yards and three touchdowns. The Saints’ playoff hopes were severely impaired with the loss.

There was a game no one wanted to win on Sunday in Arizona. The Cardinals blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, they were playing the awful Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons handed the game back to the Cardinals, and Arizona won on a field goal in overtime, 30-27. Kurt Warner came up big for the Cardinals, throwing three touchdown passes.

Break up the 49ers! San Francisco got their second win in a row behind quarterback Shaun Hill, holding off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a score of 21-19. The Bucs are playing out the string until the playoffs, where they are guaranteed a meeting with the New York Giants.

It was rainy, snowy, and windy on Sunday in Buffalo. That’s not news in December. The Giants came up big in the elements, gaining a 38-21 win over the Bills to clinch the 5th spot in the NFC playoffs. Ahmad Bradshaw had the longest run from scrimmage in the NFL this year, with an 88-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Bills become one of many 7-8 teams.

The Miami Dolphins played really, really hard on Sunday. That’s about all you can say for a 1-14 team, as the Dolphins lost to the undefeated New England Patriots, 28-7. The Patriots became the first NFL team to go 15-0. They can complete an undefeated season Saturday night with a win over the New York Giants.

The Baltimore Ravens started rookie Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith at quarterback on Sunday in Seattle. The Seahawks dominated the game, winning 27-6. The Seahawks will be seeded third in the upcoming NFC playoffs.

In the Sunday night extravaganza, the Minnesota Vikings blew a golden opportunity to clinch a playoff spots. Washington came into the Metrodome and kicked the Vikings around, winning 32-21. Clinton Portis scored one touchdown rushing and another one passing for the Redskins. The Skins can clinch a playoff spot next weed with a win over Dallas.