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THIS WEEK: We have four Wild-Card playoff games:
The Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts - Saturday, 1:30 p.m. PT on NBC
The Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks - Saturday, 5 p.m. PT on NBC
The New York Jets at New England Patriots - Sunday, 10 a.m. PT on CBS
The New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles - Sunday, 1:30 p.m. PT on FOX
The Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers all have byes.
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BALTIMORE RAVENS
As Carroll County Times staffer Aaron Wilson noted Tuesday, like any other football team populated by six veteran players with 10 or more years of experience, the Ravens probably didn't need a first-round bye in the playoffs as much as other teams.
But they'll take it. And some can use the week off.
Those older players include 10-time All-Pro offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, who missed his second consecutive start with a hyperextended toe. Ogden actually jogged lightly off the field Sunday, and was limping much less noticeably in the locker room afterward.
"One thing is for sure: I'll be back for the playoffs," said Ogden, who was replaced at left tackle by Adam Terry against the Bills.
Ogden's return to the lineup should coincide with right offensive guard Keydrick Vincent (groin) after he sat out Sunday with rookie Chris Chester replacing him for the fourth time this year.
Hence, the importance of the bye.
"It's big because at this time of the year, there's nobody that's healthy," Steve McNair said. "It's good to rest your body and to go out and get away from the game a little bit and concentrate on what you have going on in your personal life and come back and focus again and reenergize and be ready to play."
Whereas the Ravens' yet-to-be determined opponent in the AFC divisional round against the highest-seeded AFC team that wins in the first round will have played 17 games, the Ravens will have the advantage of rest, recuperation and an extra game to compile a detailed scouting report.
As receiver Derrick Mason explained: "It's a chance to sit back and watch the games and scout our opponents and watch them beat themselves up while we rest. It's very important. When you have that extra week to rest, it does wonders for your body. It also gives the coaches an extra week to prepare. You realize you only have two games as opposed to that three-game cycle. The odds are in your favor."
Wilson went on to point out the Ravens enter the playoffs with the top-ranked defense in the league, which allowed only 39 rushing yards to the Bills, McNair as the most accurate passer in team history with a 63.0 completion percentage and running back Jamal Lewis having rushed for 1,132 yards and nine touchdowns.
Baltimore Sun reporter Paul Mullen made an interesting note: The Ravens won a franchise-record 13 regular-season games.
And in the regular-season closer against the Bills -- for the 13th time this season -- they won the time of possession.
As Mullen suggested: "It's no coincidence: A football team that controls the ball in turn controls the scoreboard. McNair isn't going to produce the highlights of Peyton Manning and get his face time, but the Ravens are following a venerable formula, one that has produced plenty of Super Bowl champions. ..."
He further explained, a cumulative effect takes hold when the Ravens get a lead, their defense forces a series of three and outs, and an opponent playing catch-up has to throw the ball.
As the game lengthens, Lewis becomes more of a factor. The fresher the defense remains, the more dangerous it becomes, and the NFL's best turnover margin increases.
It makes them a dangerous playoff contender -- a team with major designs on returning to the Super Bowl, which they won following the 2000 season. Entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the AFC and with the best record in franchise history after winning nine of their past 10 games, they're brimming with confidence.
"If you had to ask me who's the best team in football, bottom line, we're sitting right now at 13-3 with the No. 1 defense across the board," middle linebacker Ray Lewis said. "So, if anybody wants to come see us in Baltimore, we've got two weeks and we're waiting."
We are, too. ...
It might be worth noting that extended time off has benefited the Ravens all season.
As the Sports Xchange reminded readers this week, after coming off their bye at the end of October, the Ravens became the first team to defeat the Saints at the Louisiana Superdome since Hurricane Katrina.
Then, following their last extended rest (nine days off after their loss in Cincinnati), the Ravens became the first visiting team to win at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium in December in a decade.
Since that win against the Chiefs, the Ravens went on to beat Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo by an average of 15.3 points. ...
Meanwhile, a few notes of interest. ... Also according to Wilson, McNair joined exclusive company when he surpassed the 30,000 career passing yardage mark, becoming the third quarterback to hit that milestone along with rushing for 3,500 yards. He joins Hall of Fame members Fran Tarkenton (47,003 passing yards, 3,674 rushing yards) and Steve Young (33,123 passing yards, 4,235 yards.
"It feels good to be mentioned with those guys," said McNair, who now has 30,191 passing yards and 3,558 rushing yards. "It's always a team effort.. I think when you look back at my career, it's been a blessing for me to do the things I've done on the field."
The offensive line, despite several lineup changes due to injuries, set a team record by allowing only 17 sacks to break the record of 35 established in 2004. "It's great, it's always pride," center Mike Flynn said. "Steve, he's a vital cog to our team obviously. He's the guy that makes us run, so the last thing we want is that guy on his back."
Tight end Todd Heap (73 catches, 765 yards, seven touchdowns) finishes as the team's leading receiver ahead of Mason (68 catches, 750 yards, two touchdowns) and Mark Clayton (67 catches, 939 yards and five touchdowns). Rookie receiver Demetrius Williams caught 22 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns. ...
One last note here. ... Pro Football Weekly reports that QB coach Rick Neuheisel and OL coach/assistant head coach Chris Foerster have played important roles in the offensive game-planning in the 10 games since Billick took control of the offense.
PFW went on to suggest that Neuheisel is likely to take over as Baltimore's offensive coordinator in 2007.
John Madden said it on the NBC telecast Sunday night: Rex Grossman just doesn't look like a confident guy right now. In the last six weeks, Grossman has had three bad outings (15 of 34, no TDs, three picks at New England; 6 of 19, no TDs, three picks against Minnesota; 2 of 12, zero and three again against the Packers).
All of which prompted King to add: "I don't know how in good conscience Lovie Smith can put his playoff fate in the hands of Grossman. Even though Brian Griese was no gem Sunday night, I'd get him practiced and ready to go for the first playoff game in two weeks at Soldier Field. ..."
And I don't disagree. I'm just not sure changing horses is the way to fix this problem. Of course, I'm not sure staying the course is the answer either.
Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Morrissey was more to the point: "Grossman is the quarterback of the future. The Bears don't seem to have a quarterback of the next several weeks."
But hey, that's why Smith makes the big bucks. Or at least he will -- if he makes the right decision here (which will be a factor in off-season contract talks management). I certainly don't envy him.
Looking for positives?
Grossman can't wait to prove his worth when Chicago hosts a divisional playoff game Jan. 13 or 14.
"I'm excited about the challenge," Grossman said after compiling a passer rating of 0.0 in a 26-7 drubbing at the hands of the Packers. "I've been in this position before, so I'm just going to go back into my fort and fight my way out.
"I wish we could end on a high note going into the post-season, but it is what it is."
And as DailySouthtown.com staffer Gene Chamberlain suggested Tuesday, exactly what the Bears are remains to be seen.
They finished the regular season as the NFC's top playoff seed with a 13-3 mark, earning a first-round bye. But while that earned them the right to host either the New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks or Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round, they have hardly looked like Super Bowl contenders over the past month or so.
Sunday night provided evidence. Grossman was 2-of-12 passing and threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns as the Bears fell behind 23-0 in the first half. The defense was less than spectacular, too, allowing Brett Favre to pass for 285 yards.
"The team's performance concerns me from the game," Smith said after being asked whether he was worried about Grossman heading into the playoffs. "Rex, offensively, what we were able to do defensively. ... Again, I'm lumping all of us together on this game. We all have to play a lot better."
Smith said there would be no change at quarterback for the playoffs. Griese did relieve Grossman to start the second half against the Packers, but he was just 5-of-15 passing and threw two interceptions.
"Everything that could go wrong went wrong," Grossman said.
Grossman was supposed to come out some time in the third quarter, but the Bears shifted gears at halftime with the score 23-0 and the outcome relatively meaningless.
"After you have a game like that, there's no need in putting him back into the game," Smith said.
Grossman had thrown 111 straight passes without an interception going into the game.
Chamberlain went on to suggest that at times this season, the Bears were dominant even as Grossman struggled, because the defense picked up the slack. That hasn't been the case of late, but offensive coordinator Ron Turner sounds certain the offense will do its share come the playoffs.
"Again, you don't want to sit here making excuses, but I'm sure we weren't as sharp as we need to be, we weren't as focused as we need to be," he said. "We've got to zero in, tighten up the focus and go out and play the way we're capable of. If we do that, we're a good football team."
Whether the Bears can simply flip the switch with the upcoming games being meaningful again remains to be seen.
"I think the sense of urgency will be a lot higher coming up," defensive tackle Tank Johnson said. "We're excited about the opportunity to play in the postseason."
"I think we'll put it (the latest loss) away within 48 hours," wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad said. "We'll put it away. ..."
The good news? They have more than 48 hours to get it together. ...
Other notes of interest. ... According to Tribune staff reporter Brian Hamilton, the first time Cedric Benson touched the ball against Green Bay, he didn't hit the turf until he was 30 yards downfield. And so it went all night, with the Bears second-year tailback cutting a wake through the Green Bay defense, prompting a half-heartedly cynical thought:
Benson and the Bears still can't get on the same page.
As Hamilton suggested, while his teammates seem to going through the motions, "Benson didn't have the common courtesy to slog through the season finale like everyone else," instead rushing for 109 yards on just 13 carries, the first time he had eclipsed the 100-yard mark.
"It's really awesome," Benson said. "I've been thinking about it forever. I've been dreaming about it forever. And it finally came. Ended '06 on a good note. ... Personally."
It was an appropriate disclaimer, duly noted by his boss afterward.
"I was pleased with how Cedric Benson ran the football," Smith said. "We've seen flashes of that from him for a while.
"Besides that, we didn't get a lot done as a football team."
Actually, Benson wasn't alone in backfield highlights. Thomas Jones made it 16 starts in 16 games for the first time in his career, not to mention pushing past the 1,200-yard mark and finishing with 1,210. And Adrian Peterson caught a 37-yard fake punt toss from Brad Maynard midway through the third quarter.
"If you can start 16 games as a running back, it says a lot about your durability, your willingness to play hurt," Jones said. ...
According to Pro Football Weekly, despite his strong showing down the stretch, Benson has not done enough to force a change in the Bears' usual backfield rotation. PFW added: "Jones will resume his role as the primary ballcarrier in the postseason. ..."
It's worth noting that Chicago's major strength throughout the season -- its defense -- hasn't played well over the last month.
In fact, the Bears have allowed an average of 294 passing yards over the past four games while only occasionally putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Right end Alex Brown had one of the Bears' two sacks Sunday, giving him a total of two in the past seven games and seven all year. Left end Adewale Ogunleye has 6.5 for the season.
As the Sports Xchange noted, because of the diminished pass rush -- only rookie Mark Anderson has been a threat lately -- along with injuries at cornerback and lack of deep help by the safeties, the Bears have been burned by big plays.
Although they've permitted just 10 pass plays of 30 yards or longer all season, six have occurred in the last three games.
They'll need to correct the problems to make a serious playoff run -- especially with Grossman running the offense.
It's hard to argue Banks' point. ...
After beating the Giants on the road to seemingly seize control of the NFC East in Week 13, Dallas was 8-4 and had the look of a team that could do a lot of damage in the playoffs. They had a hot quarterback with the Midas touch, a seasoned playoff savvy head coach, and a defense that was starting to live up to all those lofty expectations.
They even found a kicker who could make a field goal now and then.
But as Banks suggested, that was then, and this is now.
Since that afternoon in the Meadowlands, when Bill Parcells looked like the cat who ate the canary, the Cowboys are 1-3, with all three losses at home, to the Saints, Eagles and Lions. Their quarterback is suddenly quite defensible, their pass defense is a sieve, and they've given up 132 points overall in the past four games (33 points per game).
They're going to the playoffs, but only because they play in the NFC, whose six-team postseason field is equally split between pretenders and contenders.
What happened to Dallas, a 39-31 loser to the woeful Lions on Sunday?
"I can't tell you how disappointed I am," Parcells said after the Cowboys lost to Detroit. "I really can't. This is a low point for me."
According to Banks: "From wonder boy Tony Romo on down, they look like a team that started to believe its own hype, and forgot the formula that got them into playoff contention to begin with. They thought they had arrived when they were merely in mid-journey.
"And now they're not exactly sure where they're headed. ..."
Bottom line? The Cowboys are headed in the wrong direction at the wrong time. As Associated Press sports writer Jaime Aaron put it: "They're headed to Seattle on Saturday night with nothing going for them but hope. ..."
At 9-7, the Cowboys have the same record that kept them home last January. Romo is 3-3 in his last six starts, the same record that got Drew Bledsoe benched six starts into the season.
For Parcells and team owner Jerry Jones, the most alarming part of the December disaster is that the performance began going down when the stakes went up.
There was a stomping by New Orleans when Dallas could've gotten the inside track on the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. Then came an ugly loss to Philadelphia with the division title waiting to be clinched, followed by the loss to the Lions -- an embarrassment not simply because it was the Lions, but also because the Cowboys would've still had a shot at the NFC East title with a win.
Pressure didn't seem to bother the club in October and November, but maybe luck factored in.
Until it all caught up to them. Maybe the more Romo played, the more teams figured him out. And the longer Dallas went without injured linebacker Greg Ellis, the more foes figured out how to exploit his absence.
"We have got to stay focused at this point and have to be able to find confidence," tight end Jason Witten said. "We are one of 12 teams in this, nothing else matters right now. We clinched in Week 14; we didn't back into anything."
The bleakest assessment I saw this week?
Dallas Morning News beat man Jean-Jacques Taylor suggested the team enters the playoffs in disarray; Romo has regressed and the defense has been horrendous. Taylor went on to suggest the team has shown signs of fracturing: The secondary is complaining about the lack of a pass rush; the defensive line is complaining about a lack of blitz and stunt calls; the receivers are complaining about their roles in the offense.
All of which led Taylor to sum up: "Dallas has not won a playoff game in nine years -- there's a good chance that streak will stretch to 10 years. ..."
Positives?
Aron suggests that if we look hard enough and there are some bright spots.
Whether the Cowboys play one post-season game or four, none will be at Texas Stadium. That's a good thing considering they lost their last three home games. Dallas was 5-3 on the road, 4-1 in Romo's starts. The only loss came on a crazy ending that began with the Cowboys attempting the winning field goal as time expired at Washington.
While he's yet to play a regular-season game in Seattle, he did play the entire preseason opener there, a performance that was a big first step toward what eventually became his breakout to Pro Bowler.
So much has happened since. Yet Romo realizes the bottom line on his rapid rise will be how he plays in the postseason.
"Everything will be written about how the next three or four weeks go," he said. "That allows us to at least go back to work and be ready to go. We'll be ready."
Parcells and Romo discussed the QB's problems Monday. Parcells emphasized he still wants Romo to try making things happen -- he just wants him to be smart about when and how he tries it.
"I don't want to discourage his ability to create," Parcells said. "But the judgment has to improve on some things or else you have what happened on Sunday."
Parcells was asked if Romo's inexperience was a factor.
"No," Parcells said. "Overconfidence. ..."
It will help that Seattle is wobbling into the playoffs, too, having lost three straight before beating Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Then again, the Seahawks (9-7) are the reigning NFC champs and still have many players who got them to the Super Bowl last year, starting with the damaging combination of quarterback Tim Hasselbeck and running back Shaun Alexander.
The Cowboys are thin on playoff experience and even thinner on guys who've won playoff games. Dallas is seeking its first postseason victory since 1996, a year after its last Super Bowl title.
"We haven't been playing well of late, but it's a new season," Terrell Owens said. "We have one game. Once we win that, we can keep going. ..."
Other notes of interest. ... According to Morning News staffer Calvin Watkins, Julius Jones was not a happy man on Sunday. Jones, the Cowboys' leading rusher, finished with 10 carries for 27 yards in the loss to Detroit.
Jones had two touches in the second half and one was on the first play of the third quarter – a flea-flicker, which resulted in a 54-yard pass to Terry Glenn.
Dallas mainly used backup Marion Barber on running plays in the second half. Barber finished with seven carries for 15 yards.
"I didn't play man, [expletive]. It's whatever," said a disgusted Jones. "I'm putting that game behind me. We'll see what happens this week. I have no idea. One snap that's it. The game is over with and we'll see."
The Cowboys' plan is to share the carries with Barber and Jones. Parcells uses Barber as a change of pace and for carries inside the 20.
Parcells has called Barber a closer for his ability to get into the end zone. Barber has a team-leading 14 rushing touchdowns this season. The coach is fond of Barber calling him Droopy.
But with Barber getting the bulk of the third-down and inside the 20 carries, it was supposed to help keep Jones fresh for late in the season.
Parcells is concerned about Jones' durability.
In each of his first two seasons, Jones has missed games because of injuries.
But in December, spanning five games, Jones, who said he's healthy, has carried 54 times for 231 yards.
In the first five games of this season, Jones rushed 108 times for 494 yards. During that time, Jones had three 100-yard games.
Jones finished the regular season with career-highs in carries (267) and yards (1,084). Parcells, however, doesn't believe Jones is a 350-carry running back.
But on Sunday, Parcells sat his No. 1 back as he elected to pass more, especially in the second half.
"I'm surprised, but there's nothing I can do about it," Jones said. "It's the coach's call. ..."
With six catches for 109 yards, Terry Glenn cashed in on a $125,000 incentive by finishing the season with 70 catches.
Glenn finished with 70 catches for 1,047 yards, marking the second straight year he has gone for more than 1,000 yards and the fourth time in his career. ...
And finally. ... Romo was named the winner of the Bob Lilly Award as voted on by the fans for the player who displays sportsmanship, dedication, leadership and achievement.
Lilly presented the award to Romo's parents at halftime. It's the seventh time in the award's 21-year history a quarterback was honored. Bledsoe won it last year.
It's not a post-season trend they like, but the only way the Colts can change their image as Team October is to start winning in January.
"Yes, you are judged by that," head coach Tony Dungy said Monday. "That's how our league is set up and that's how you win championships, by winning in the playoffs."
Marot went on to suggest that Indy understands the lesson better than most teams.
A year ago, the public virtually crowned Indianapolis the AFC champions after going 13-0, capturing the No. 1 seed and earning the right to play indoors through the playoffs. A stumble against Pittsburgh in the divisional round ruined what many considered its best Super Bowl shot.
In 2004 and 2005, Indianapolis also won its division title and wild-card games over Denver before eventually losing to the Patriots.
Three straight times they've been eliminated by the Super Bowl champs.
This year, after winning a fourth straight AFC South title with the league's worst run defense, the Colts are expected to follow their old trend.
Opponents rushed for more than 2,700 yards this season and Indianapolis broke a dubious franchise record that stood since 1953 -- its first year back in the NFL after a two-year hiatus -- by allowing 5.3 yards per carry. The previous mark was 5.2.
With Kansas City and Larry Johnson coming to the RCA Dome on Saturday, Indy is likely to get another steady diet of power football.
Four losses in seven weeks, including four straight on the road, hasn't helped turn doubters into believers.
"I think we're definitely under the radar," Dungy said. "But that's not really a good thing. Usually when everyone thinks you're playing well, it's because you are."
Sunday's 27-22 victory over Miami has at least given the Colts some momentum.
Ronnie Brown rushed for 115 yards, a pedestrian number against this defense, and although the Dolphins moved inside the Indy 25 six times, they managed only one touchdown and five field goals.
Manning, the two-time MVP, also has played well. Over the last three games, he completed 72 percent of his passes, threw for 769 yards and nine TDs with no interceptions.
But to stick around for a few more weeks, Dungy realizes the offense must continue to play well while the defense needs to demonstrate it can improve.
"You have do what you do and do it in high stakes situations," he said. "You can make 100 straight free throws, but can you make the one to win the game? It's about whether you can function and do what you're called on to do when everything is on the line."
A game like Sunday's would normally create optimism.
But Manning is likely to hear more this week about his 3-6 playoff record, which includes those two wins over Denver and one over Kansas City, with no Super Bowl appearances on an otherwise impeccable resume.
"A lot of that is how games play out," Dungy said. "If you get behind and you're throwing because you have too, they can run pass-rush stunts and blitzes without regard for the run."
Marot suggests the Colts can use history as a roadmap, too.
The Steelers, the AFC's No. 1 seed in 2004, lost at home in the AFC Championship Game, then sneaked into the playoffs last year and wound up winning it all.
Denver followed a similar path after cruising to the AFC's No. 1 seed in 1996, getting eliminated in the divisional round and then winning the Super Bowl in 1997 as a wild-card team.
The Colts know it can be done. They just have to prove they can advance in the playoffs.
"If you have one good game, you're the hero. If you have one bad game, you're out," Dungy said. "It's kind of like the Indy 500. You get that starting position and then you run the race. Everyone remembers who won, not who got the pole. ..."
Other notes of interest. ... According to Indianapolis Star beat man Mike Chappell, for a player who had missed the past four games with a sprained anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, tight end Dallas Clark looked to be in mid-season form. Better yet, he appeared to be in post-season form.
Clark caught four passes for 56 yards, including a 30-yarder that helped set up the winning touchdown as the Colts beat Miami.
"It was tough because you're worried about the knee; you're worried about it getting hit," Clark said. "In the same sense, you're just so excited to be back out there because I just thought for sure my season was over."
Clark's big play came on first-and-20 at the Colts 32. He lined up in the slot and got a step on his defender down the hash marks. Manning's pass came in just a bit long, but Clark reached out and took the football in his right hand and tumbled to the turf at the Miami 38.
It was the kind of play that had to be made in a tense, tight game, the kind that has to be made in a playoff game.
"Yeah," Clark agreed, "especially when you drop a ball a couple series before. You definitely have to make something happen. It was just a good play and definitely gave us a little spark."
The Colts planned on limiting Clark's playing time. But he estimated he was on the field for 29 plays in the first half.
"I lost count in the second half," Clark said. "But I felt great. Adrenaline is an amazing thing. ..."
Manning moved into seventh in career touchdown passes Sunday when he connected with an unfamiliar target -- defensive tackle Dan Klecko -- early in the second quarter.
Manning's 2-yard scoring throw, his 30th of the season, capped a drive that lasted 10:09 and gave the Colts a 7-3 lead. It was his 274th career TD pass, breaking a tie with Joe Montana (273).
Klecko, the son of former New York Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko, reported as the Colts' fullback and was uncovered in the right flat when Manning found him. It was the first touchdown reception of Klecko's four-year career.
Former Colts quarterback John Unitas is sixth in NFL history with 290 TD passes.
Along with moving into the No. 7 slot in touchdown passes, Manning led the NFL this season with 31 touchdown passes and a 101.0 QB rating. It marks his third straight season with a rating of at least 100. Steve Young holds the league record of four straight seasons with a rating of at least 100 (1991-94).
Manning also finished with a career-low nine interceptions. He became only the second quarterback in league history to pass for at least 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions. Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb had 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2004.
Manning's 11-yard touchdown run was his fourth of the season, matching a career high.
Wide receiver Reggie Wayne finished the season with a career-best 86 receptions. That's three more than he posted last season. ... Marvin Harrison's 27-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter was his 12th of the season and sixth in the past three games.
Overall, Harrison's five-game hot streak came up just a few yards short. Three to be precise.
After three consecutive years as the runner-up, Cincinnati's Chad Johnson led the NFL in receiving yards with 87 receptions for 1,369 yards this season. Harrison caught five passes for 74 yards against Miami to run his season total to 95 catches for 1,366 yards.
Wayne tied Detroit's Roy Williams for third. Wayne had 86 receptions for 1,310 yards.
Harrison has led the league in receiving yards twice, with 1,663 yards in 1999 and 1,722 in 2002. Over the final five games this season, Harrison caught 34 passes for 545 yards and seven touchdowns. ...
The Sports Xchange reports that veteran receiver Ricky Proehl's availability for the Kansas City game won't be determined until later in the week. Proehl has not played in the past two games due to a sore hamstring.
For the record, Clark (knee) and Wayne (quad) are both listed as questionable this week. The Colts have listed most players this season as questionable, and often they've played. ...
And finally. ... Dungy has no plans for returning to college, even if he gets a call from his alma mater, Minnesota. Dungy on Tuesday denied a report out of Minneapolis saying he was near the top of the Golden Gophers' wish list and that there was mutual interest.
The job opened Sunday when coach Glen Mason was fired, two days after his team blew a 31-point lead in a 44-41 loss to Texas Tech. It was the largest rally in Division I-A bowl history.
King went on to suggest that Kansas City's strategy will be clear: Limit Peyton Manning's possessions by having long ones. Houston limited the Colts to seven possessions and 46 offensive plays eight days ago, and Kansas City is precisely the team to do what the Texans' Gary Kubiak and Ron Dayne did the week before. ...
I agree. I'm picking the Chiefs to handle the Colts this weekend -- even if they did luck into the playoffs.
Oops. ... Hope the coach wasn't listening. ...
In case you missed it, Herman Edwards lashed out Monday at anybody who says his Kansas City Chiefs lucked into the playoffs.
"Let's don't get this thing twisted and think we backed into this deal," he said, eyes flashing. "We didn't lose. We won. We won the game we were supposed to win."
Nevertheless, as Associated Press sports writer Doug Tucker pointed out, the Chiefs (9-7) seemed the longest of long shots on Sunday when with several other teams they went into the final regular-season game with a chance to grab the sixth and final seed in the AFC.
The Chiefs needed to beat Jacksonville, then have Denver, Tennessee and Cincinnati all lose at home.
The Chiefs did their part, beating the contending Jaguars 35-30 behind Johnson's three touchdowns. Then New England beat the Titans, Cincinnati missed a field goal with a few seconds left and lost in overtime to Pittsburgh and Denver squandered an early lead and lost in overtime to San Francisco.
The players all left the stadium Sunday shortly after the Broncos and 49ers kicked off, thinking they would probably come in on Monday, pack and say their goodbyes.
Instead, many of them spent Sunday night and Monday morning canceling travel plans and they'll begin preparing to play the Colts on Saturday in Indianapolis as seven-point underdogs.
"Those other teams played at home. They didn't win," Edwards said. "That's not our fault. All we can do is win, and we did that and that's why we're in the playoffs, to be quite honest. We won enough games to get in the playoffs. It's very simple.
"Twenty teams are packing up today. We're not one of those 20. I don't want to hear about luck."
In a meeting that lasted only 15 minutes, Edwards pounded on the same theme with his players.
"I hear a lot of things about how we lucked into it, and how we did this," he said. "You know what? If we don't get in, if we don't win, and those other teams do, you know what they'll say? You didn't win."'
Tucker reminded readers the Chiefs survived a rash of adversity and a three-game December losing streak to get to the postseason.
"And this team deserves it," Edwards said. "After everything they went through ... they won their way into the playoffs, period."
The Chiefs' first-year coach, who took the New York Jets to the playoffs three of his five years there, acknowledged he was feeling "defensive."
And in an article published Tuesday, Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock shed further light on just why Edwards might have felt the need to launch an offensive.
Maybe, Whitlock suggested, Edwards thought it was important to convince his players, the local and national media and Kansas City football fans that the Chiefs weren't lucky because he knows Carl Peterson sent the clear message he didn't think the Chiefs would qualify for post-season play when he placed Jason Dunn and Kyle Turley on injured reserve before the Jacksonville game.
The move means Kansas City won't have the services of one of the league's top run-blocking tight ends in a playoff game that likely will hinge on their ability to control the clock with Johnson.
Peterson, in Whitlock's opinion, made a gigantic tactical error.
He placed Dunn, Turley and Rich Scanlon on injured reserve so the Chiefs could elevate practice-squaders Casey Printers, Chris Hannon and William Kershaw to the 53-man roster. By placing Printers, Hannon and Kershaw on the final 53-man roster it protects the Chiefs from an opposing team poaching one of the three players from the practice squad this offseason.
The Chiefs said they placed Dunn on IR because doctors won't clear him to play now that they miraculously discovered he has a herniated disk in his back in week 16.
Dunn told Whitlock on Monday that he's played with the injury for six weeks. When he entered Arrowhead Stadium on Monday for a brief team meeting, Dunn told Whitlock he hoped the Chiefs could reverse the decision.
When Dunn left Arrowhead, he explained that assistant general manager Denny Thum told him that the Chiefs regretted placing Dunn on IR and they wouldn't have done it if they thought they were going to qualify for the playoffs.
Dunn was visibly disappointed.
"I could play four more games," said Dunn, who admitted he'll undergo surgery this offseason. "I've been playing with it."
Whitlock added, Dunn's absence Saturday will place more pressure on Tony Gonzalez and Kris Wilson. Gonzalez will have more blocking responsibility. Wilson will pull double duty between fullback and tight end. Linemen John Welbourn and Chris Bober will get some time at tight end. ...
While I agree that Dunn's absence will be noticed, I don't think it will be a determining factor.
Why? Because Johnson will handle that role just fine without Dunn.
And speaking of the star halfback. ... Johnson's massive workload earned him the NFL record for carries Sunday. It could give him a big payday soon, too.
Shortly after Johnson's 138 yards and three touchdowns helped the Chiefs beat Jacksonville on Sunday, Peterson said he'll work to get Johnson a new deal this spring.
Johnson ran for 1,789 yards, breaking a career best from last season. His 416 carries broke Jamal Anderson's 1998 record of 410.
Johnson's contract runs through 2009.
"He's done everything I've asked him to do and more," Peterson said. "He's certainly proved himself and established himself."
As Star beat writer Elizabeth Merrill suggested, what might have been most impressive last Sunday was that Johnson racked up his 11th 100-yard rushing game against the NFL's No. 3 run defense. After being held in check at the start of the game, he busted a 40-yard run up the middle in the second quarter.
He also caught five passes for 22 yards, accounting for 160 yards of total offense.
"It's a testament to the offensive line," Johnson said. "The receivers and everybody else really had a hand in my success this season.
"It just means that I know I can carry the ball through an entire season, and you have something to gauge me by. Hopefully I won't have over 400 attempts after every season, but now you know you don't have to worry about tiring me out because you know how far I can go."
Edwards said Sunday that he promised Johnson in January that he'd get the ball a lot. At the time, he wondered whether Johnson thought he was kidding.
He was very serious. Johnson's most impressive display of durability came in November, when he ran for 154 yards in 31 carries against Oakland, then turned around four days later and had 157 yards in 34 carries against Denver.
Edwards gave him a couple of days off after that. But he obviously doesn't plan on giving Johnson, 27, much of a break again next year.
"Everybody's worried he carries the ball 400 times," Edwards said. "Well, if I give him the ball 25 times for 16 games, he's going to carry the ball 400 times. Do the math.
"Everybody's worried about him getting beat up and all that. Now they're cheering because he broke records and we won the game. ..."
I'm not looking for any major changes in Indianapolis on Sunday; Johnson will get a lot of carries, rack up a lot of yardage, perhaps find the end zone and the Chiefs will win. ...
Other notes of interest. ... Gonzalez is in the final season of his contract and, after hoping he would have an extension by now, has started to think it might not happen at all.
"I'm optimistic we'll get it done," said Gonzalez, a tight end who led the Chiefs in receptions this season for the third straight year and six of the last eight.
"That's what I'm hoping for. We're talking. But you've got to understand that I've seen it happen before with guys around here before. I've seen it happen with Tony Richardson. I've seen it happen with Donnie Edwards. Those are guys you'd think would probably still be Chiefs.
"If it doesn't work out, that's how it goes, and I'm in that boat now. Right now, I can't tell you which way it's going to go."
Peterson said after the game that Gonzalez would play for the Chiefs next season.
"I'm not going to lose him," Peterson said. "If we have to put the franchise tag on him, we'll do it."
According to Star staffer Adam Teicher, the sides are disputing what placing the franchise tag on Gonzalez would cost the Chiefs. It could be as low as $7.8 million for one season or as much as $11 million, and the matter could go to a grievance if the Chiefs make Gonzalez their franchise player.
Doing so would effectively prevent Gonzalez from signing with another team.
"If it's $11 million, we would still franchise him," Peterson said. "I'm not going to lose the guy. He's too good of a football player. I'm hopeful we can come to an agreement before it gets to that point. We've traded proposals. I think we've made him a tremendous offer.
"But it doesn't matter. We have enough money in our salary cap for 2007 for Tony Gonzalez whether the franchise tag is $11 million or $7.8 million."
The Chiefs made Gonzalez their franchise player in 2002 and eventually signed him to the contract that will soon expire.
"I don't want to get franchised," Gonzalez said. "That's no secret. Carl knows that. Who wants to be franchised? But I'll deal with it and move on, like I did last time.
"If they don't franchise me, I would definitely take a look and see what's out there on the market. Hopefully, it doesn't come down to that.
"Having said that, I would still give the Chiefs the first opportunity to re-sign me. This is my home."
Despite leading the Chiefs, Gonzalez's 73 receptions were his lowest total since 2003, when he caught 71. The Chiefs are far less aggressive with their passing game than they've been since Gonzalez arrived as a rookie in 1997, and he said that would be a factor if he becomes a free agent.
"It's frustrating at times," Gonzalez told Teicher. "The thing I'm most concerned with is winning. That's my No. 1 goal as far as my future is concerned. If winning is not a part of the equation, I'm not going to be a part of it. ..."
According to the Sports Xchange, Trent Green walked around Arrowhead Stadium with an ice bag on his right ankle, which he sprained last Sunday. He is expected to start Saturday in Indianapolis.
Now if only he would play better. ...
As the Xchange went on to suggest, with each passing week, it become more evident that Green doesn't have it this season. Last Sunday's two-interception, one-fumble performance was the latest indicator.
Green is struggling with accuracy and decision-making, and with an adjusted offensive approach.
None of these are struggles that appear to be afflicting Damon Huard, who remains the backup quarterback despite vastly superior numbers and a better win-loss record.
The good news? Edwards seems to recognize that.
In fact, Edwards told reporters Tuesday that if the offense struggles and needs a jolt Saturday in Indianapolis, he'd be willing to insert Huard.
"You have to win the game," Edwards said Tuesday. "There's no tomorrow. And you have to do whatever is best for the football team at that point. I'll do whatever I have to do. When you're in the playoffs, you're desperate.
"I think these players trust that whatever I decide to do, it's always in the best interest of the football team. It's never personal. The team knows that."
"We just couldn't do anything right," Tom Brady said after New England's last loss, 21-0 at Miami.
Since then, the club that won three of the past five Super Bowls has outscored opponents by an average of 35-17 and Brady is in the midst of his best stretch of the season.
"We have won three games in a row so I think that I am excited about that, and our defense is playing as good as anybody," Brady said after Sunday's 40-23 win at Tennessee. "But it doesn't mean anything unless we go in and win next week."
The Patriots will be home for Sunday's wild-card game against the New York Jets. The last time they met, the Jets won 17-14 at Gillette Stadium, dropping the Patriots to 6-3.
As Ulman noted, that ended the Patriots' streak of 57 games without consecutive losses, but since then, they are 6-1.
During their current winning streak, the Patriots forced opponents into eight turnovers while committing none. In their previous six games, they committed 19 turnovers, took the ball away just 13 times and were 3-3.
Brady also has stepped up his game during the streak, completing 68.6 percent of his attempts with four touchdown passes, no interceptions and three sacks. Until then, he had a 60.5 completion percentage, 20 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and 23 sacks in 13 games.
With runners Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney, the Patriots also pose a potent threat on the ground.
And with a strong defense, they went 12-4 and set a team record for fewest points allowed per game. Cornerback Asante Samuel tied Denver's Champ Bailey for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions, two coming against Tennessee.
"I dropped a lot of picks in the past and I needed to focus on the ball more," said Samuel, who has practiced catching a nerf ball with his son. "I said, 'I should take this onto the field with me to help me focus on the ball more.'"
As Ulman pointed out, there was nothing soft about last Sunday's game.
The Patriots were incensed about Tennessee receiver Bobby Wade's block in the second quarter that knocked safety Rodney Harrison out with a right leg injury. No penalty was called.
Harrison will miss this weekend's game.
Two other key starters, tight end Ben Watson and nose tackle Vince Wilfork, were sidelined the last three games, and running back Kevin Faulk sat out last Sunday's game. Their status for the playoff opener is unknown -- but you have to believe all three will be on the field if at all possible. ...
For the record, Harrison was the lone player not present for the media-access portion of Wednesday's practice. That meant Watson and Wilfork were present. ...
This will be an interesting game on many levels. ... Relations between Belichick and Jets coach Eric Mangini have been cool. Belichick has hurried from his post-game handshakes with his former defensive coordinator after the teams split their two games.
New York also is surging, with wins in its last three games and a 5-2 record after its victory over New England. It also went 6-2 on the road. ...
Other notes of interest. ... In case you didn't catch Sunday's closer, both Dillon (12 carries, 67 yards, 5.6 average, two touchdowns) and Maroney (13 carries, 73 yards, 5.6 average, one TD) ran very well.
And it was Dillon's 52-yard gain on a screen pass on the second series that woke up the offense.
There was a terrific sequence by Maroney at the end of the first half when he ran 9 yards up the gut on second-and-10 and then picked up the first down on the next snap after getting hit in the backfield.
According to Boston Herald staffer Michael Felger, CBS cameras caught Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck addressing his teammates on the field before kickoff.
"These cats don't want to play," Bulluck shouted, referring to the Patriots. "They don't want to play! (No.) 39 (Maroney) has broken ribs! He's not going to finish the game! We got to do what we got to do!"
Maroney not only finished the game, it was his 31-yard run down to the goal line with under seven minutes left that sealed the deal.
Felger also give high marks to fullback Heath Evans, who continues to clear the way for Dillon on many of his scoring runs.
Otherwise, Reche Caldwell provided some sorely needed big plays downfield.
As the Sports Xchange noted, Caldwell set a single-game career high with 134 receiving yards on four catches, achieving a high in that category for the second time this month. He hauled in 112 yards worth of passes in New England's 28-21 victory over Detroit on Dec. 3.
Caldwell's touchdown catch in the third quarter was his fourth of the season, a mark that sets a single-season career high, topping his totals of three touchdown catches in 2002 and 2004 for San Diego. ...
According to the Boston Globe, rookie Chad Jackson, the wide receiver picked in the second round out of Florida, was in for 22 offensive snaps against Tennessee -- an opportunity to show that he can make a contribution, and not just in future years.
With Faulk inactive, Jackson was slotted into the punt-return spot, returning two for a total of 65 yards, including a scintillating 39-yard jaunt that set up Maroney's fourth-quarter touchdown. Jackson had just one return prior to the game. ...
And finally. ... As SI.com insider Don Banks suggested Sunday, hat an old softie Belichick is turning into in his mid-50s. Last year, it was letting 43-year-old Doug Flutie attempt a drop-kick in New England's meaningless regular-season finale against Miami. This time, it was inserting third-team quarterback Vinny Testaverde into the game at Tennessee, in order to give the 43-year-old Vin-Man a shot at throwing a touchdown pass for the NFL-record 20th consecutive season.
Testaverde got the job done, finding Troy Brown from six yards out with 1:45 remaining, prompting an eruption of celebration along the Patriots' sideline. Belichick, a noted football historian, even wore a huge smile and gave Testaverde a slap on the shoulder pads.
One season later, McAllister has a fourth 1,000-yard rushing season, he's going to the playoffs for the first time in his career, and isn't about to complain.
"It was always going to be a work in progress early on, but the more comfortable we got in the offense and just trying to play off of each other, it's gone pretty good for us," McAllister said. "Reggie's a play-maker, so we've just got to find ways to continue to get us both the ball."
New head coach Sean Payton said there was never any plan to throw an almost perfect balance of the speedy, flashy Bush and the stout, powerful McAllister at opposing defenses.
But as Martel noted, it worked out that way.
McAllister finished the regular season with 1,057 yards rushing on 244 carries and 198 yards receiving on 30 catches. Bush had 565 yards rushing on 155 carries and 742 yards on 88 receptions.
Total yardage from scrimmage: Bush 1,307, McAllister 1,255.
McAllister led the Saints with 11 touchdowns, often powering his way into the end zone from inside the 10. Bush was second on the team with nine TDs, some of the longer, more spectacular variety -- such as when he turned a screen pass into a 61-yard score in a Sunday night game at Dallas.
They combined for 2,557 yards and 20 TDs, even with McAllister sitting out the final game of the regular season on Sunday. The Saints already had clinched the No. 2 seed in the NFC by then, and Bush played only the first couple possessions of Sunday's game.
"You just want to have enough balance with personnel and enough balance with formations so that it's not predictable," Payton said. "Sometimes that's easier said than done."
Payton often subs Bush and McAllister in and out for one another, which seems to have kept both backs pretty fresh.
Early on, it was especially helpful to McAllister, who spent the offseason rehabilitating a torn knee ligament. Bush said it helped him avoid hitting the so-called "rookie wall," or that worn-down feeling first-year players sometimes struggle with as they adjust from college to the longer NFL schedule.
"I didn't run the ball a whole lot in the regular season, so I feel fresh, like I can go another 10 games," Bush said. "Coach used me a lot more in the passing game and allowed me and Deuce to share carries and I think that saved our bodies both."
When both are on the field, they are sometimes in the backfield together, but more often, Bush is lined up as a receiver. It is similar to the way Bush was used at Southern California, where he won the Heisman Trophy sharing carries with LenDale White.
"It works in the NFL and a lot of people thought that it wouldn't work," Bush said. "First and foremost, I'm a running back. That's how I perceive myself. The coaches perceive me as that, too, but we have both me and Deuce in the backfield, so we have to find ways to get the ball equally. And because I'm able to split out wide and I'm able to catch the ball out of the backfield they use me there, too -- a lot."
That was one of the key reasons Drew Brees threw for a career-high 4,418 yards this season. Bush, often catching swing passes, accounted for nearly 17 percent of that.
Yet, while McAllister and Bush bring obviously different styles of play to the field, Payton continues to allow Bush to try to get some tough yards up the middle and McAllister some room in the flat on short passes.
"You just don't say, 'Hey, here's our guy running inside and here's our guy running outside,"' Payton said. "These guys are good enough backs, I feel like they can do more than just one thing. One's a Pro Bowl player and the other's a Heisman Trophy winner, so it wasn't just from running inside or outside. ..."
Other notes of interest. ... As Baton Rouge Advocate reporter Sheldon Mickles noted with nothing to play for, the Saints rested many of their starters and pulled most of the others in the final three quarters of last Sunday's loss to the Panthers.
And after three days off, Payton expects them to return to work on Thursday refreshed and refocused for the second season.
"I think it's a little unique in that we don't even know when we play in two weeks," Payton said Sunday. "We'll start up Thursday because I don't want them traveling next weekend."
With the second seed in the NFC wrapped up as of last Monday, the Saints will open the playoffs in the divisional round the weekend of Jan. 13-14 in the Superdome.
About the only thing the Saints know at this point is they'll play against either the third, fourth or fifth seeds when they return to the field in two week.
The Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) earned the No. 3 seed when the Dallas Cowboys (9-7) dropped a 39-31 decision on Sunday to the Detroit Lions. The defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks (9-7) earned the No. 4 seed in the playoff bracket, while the Cowboys and New York Giants (8-8) are the fifth and sixth seeds, respectively.
If the Eagles beat the Giants in the wild-card round next weekend, the Eagles would come to the Superdome to face the Saints. But if the Giants were to upset the Eagles, they would face the Bears and the Saints would get the survivor of the Cowboys-Seahawks game.
After their three-day respite, the Saints will have a team meeting on Thursday and run and lift weights. They'll practice Friday and possibly Saturday -- depending on if they play on Jan. 13 or 14 -- before turning their thoughts to their playoff opponent.
"We'll see where we are with our time frame," Payton said.
"A lot of it has to do with them getting ready for the weekend and not having to worry about guys getting in for the start of the work week. ..."
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Payton said he heavily considered the makeup of the roster in deciding which players to sit. McAllister was de-activated strictly because of game circumstances. Of the other inactives, receiver Joe Horn, tight end Mark Campbell, halfback Aaron Stecker and receiver Terrance Copper were nursing injuries of various degrees of severity.
Most, if not all, likely would have played if it were a playoff game.
With the key front-line players out, the offense relied on seldom-used reserves Jamie Martin, Jamaal Branch, John Owens and Jamal Jones for extended duty.
One last note here. ... Devery Henderson hurt his right ankle making a third-quarter reception last Sunday, but he returned to finish the game.
But they'll need to pick up the pace. As New York Daily News staffer Ralph Vacchiano noted Tuesday, Tiki Barber carried the Giants when they needed it most last Saturday night.
Now they're hoping Eli Manning can step up and do the same.
Vacchiano went on to suggest there hasn't been much evidence of that in what has been a disappointing second half of the season for the Giants' quarterback, who turns 26 tomorrow. He ended the regular season on a down note in Washington, completing just 12 of 26 passes (46 percent) for only 101 yards in the Giants' 34-28 win.
But Coughlin is sure he saw signs that Manning is improving. If he's right, with a first-round playoff game in Philadelphia coming on Sunday, the timing couldn't be better for Manning to emerge.
"I thought he managed the game very well," Coughlin said. "He did a lot of good things with the run game. He did a lot of going back and forth between run and pass, recognized the blitz, particularly in the first half, very well and was very much into the game and heady as far as that goes.
"The thing that would really make this whole situation that much (better), obviously -- and he would tell you this himself -- is if that (26) passes thrown had like 20 completions. I think we can improve in that area. We certainly would like to have a higher percentage."
According to Vacchiano, that's been a theme of Manning's two and a half seasons as the starter. The Giants thought he had his accuracy problem fixed when he completed 67 percent of his passes in the first four games of this season. But he regressed, completing only 54 percent over the final 12.
Things got worse in his final two games -- a 30-7 loss to New Orleans and the win in Washington -- when he completed just 41 percent of his passes (21-of-51) for 175 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
If Barber hadn't rushed for a career-best 234 yards against the Redskins, would Coughlin still have been happy with Manning's game?
Vacchiano went on to advise readers the Giants hope this season-ending slump for the struggling young quarterback won't turn into the disaster that last year's became - when he bottomed out by completing just 10 of 18 passes for 113 yards and three interceptions in a 23-0 playoff loss at home to the Carolina Panthers.
Most of that hope stems from Coughlin's decision to strip the play-calling duties from deposed offensive coordinator John Hufnagel and hand them to quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride, the assistant coach who knows Manning best.
The sample was small on Saturday night, but it did appear as if Gilbride fixed two Hufnagel errors that, in the short run, might help Manning. First, and most importantly, he relied on the running game, though Barber made that choice easy with 137 first-half yards.
Gilbride also appeared to be managing his quarterback, whose longest completion was 14 yards. Hufnagel favored low-percentage, long-range passes. That's a dangerous game to play with a quarterback who has lost his confidence and has a completion percentage hovering around 50 percent.
Vacchiano went on to suggest, maybe the adjustments will help when the Giants play the Eagles -- a team Manning has had mixed results against. Despite facing an unrelenting blitz -- the Eagles sacked him eight times on Sept. 17 -- Manning has completed 71 percent of his passes against Philly this season, and 63 percent against them in five career starts.
He has had two three-touchdown games against them, including that Sept. 17 game when he threw for 371 yards and rallied the Giants from 17 points down in the fourth quarter to win in overtime.
But he also threw two terrible interceptions - including one that was returned for a game-sealing touchdown after he misjudged a blitzing cornerback -- in a 36-22 loss on Dec. 17.
"We'll certainly draw upon elements of both games," Coughlin said. "We'll look at the real good teaching and learning experiences."
The Eagles said they'll be gunning for the young quarterback -- "Get him rattled and his game goes downhill," said Eagles defensive end Trent Cole -- and they have proven in two games this season that they know how to shut down Barber (40 carries, 126 yards).
So as Vacchiano summed up: "Whatever those lessons are that Coughlin teaches this week, the Giants may need Manning to learn them fast. ..."
Other notes of interest. ... In an article published Monday, SI.com senior writer Peter King wondered: "How fulfilling it must be, as a premier athlete, to play arguably the best game of your life in the last regular-season game of your life? I mean, when has that ever happened?"
"I was just running," Barber said after his 23-carry, 234-yard, three-touchdown performance. Where does that performance leave him -- besides with a chance at post-season play? Here's a few notes to help put things in perspective:
For what it's worth. ... NFL Network analyst Cris Collinsworth told viewers during Saturday night's game one of Hufnagel's biggest shortcomings was highlighted by the fact the in New York's scripted first 15 plays of games in the first 16 weeks of the year, Barber got the ball on 60 percent of the plays.
On all remaining offense snaps, he touched the ball on 48 percent of the plays. ...
In a related note, Coughlin revealed that Hufnagel is longer with the organization.
"We worked together on last week and then John felt it was best for him to move on," Coughlin said. ...
Meanwhile, Giants.com staffer Michael Eisen reports that Coughlin does not know if (but is said to be optimistic that) Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey will be available for the Wild Card game. Shockey did not play in Washington because of an ankle sprain.
But, Shockey's swollen left ankle has reportedly improved considerably and there is a good chance the Pro Bowl tight end will play on Sunday.
"I want to play every Sunday," Shockey said Wednesday. "I felt bad I couldn't play last week. It's the nature of this sport, being hurt. You have to deal with the injuries. It's the one thing I don't deal with very well. It's getting better every day and hopefully I'll be able to do something this week."
Coughlin said that Shockey, who had a team-high 66 catches for 623 yards and seven touchdowns, would do some individual work Wednesday and possibly practice on Thursday.
Bergen County Record staffer Vinny DiTrani reports that Shockey was walking through the locker room with no noticeable limp Tuesday as the Giants did some lifting and jogging.
My best guess: Look for Shockey to make good on Coughlin's hope he's able to get in some serious work Thursday and then play Sunday.
Who would have imagined a playoff berth?
But Sunday's win over the Raiders -- the Jets' fifth in the last six games -- also completed the second-biggest turnaround in franchise history, jumping from last year's injury-riddled 4-12 season to a 10-6 campaign. The team also went from four wins to 10 in the 1981 season and made an eight-game improvement when it followed the 1-15 season in 1996 with a 9-7 effort.
Some, however, were more impressed than others.
In an article published Sunday, SI.com insider Don Banks wrote: "Not to in any way belittle the Jets' accomplishment of making the playoffs in head coach Eric Mangini's first season, but if you're wondering exactly how they cobbled together a 10-win season, here's a hint: They beat the teams they were capable of beating. New York won just one game against a team that finished the season with a winning record, that being their 17-14 road upset of the Patriots in mid-November. ..."
Whatever the case, New York gets a shot to prove that win over the Patriots and their improbable turnaround weren't flukes.
And as New York Daily News beat man Rich Cimini suggested Tuesday, it seems only fitting that Mangini's first playoff game as a head coach is against Bill Belichick, the man who taught him so much about football -- the same man who has so much contempt for his former protege that he refused to look him in the eye for the post-game handshake in November.
Cimini went on to suggest if you're expecting a thaw in the relationship, forget about it.
"My approach is no different, my feelings are no different," Mangini said yesterday, responding to the week's first Belichick-related question in a way that sounded as scripted as his two-minute offense. "I respect and appreciate all of the things that he's done for me throughout the course of my career, and that's never going to change."
Mangini received several questions about his estranged mentor and, perhaps borrowing the technique that Belichick uses quite often, he never mentioned the Patriots' coach by name. Asked if he believes Belichick dreads this matchup -- after all, the pressure is on the teacher to beat his former pupil -- Mangini smiled.
"That's the magic of the conference call," he said, alluding to tomorrow's opportunity for the New York media to speak with Belichick. "That's one of those things that's a better question for the other side."
Any thoughts on why the relationship has soured?
"I haven't given it any thought," Mangini said.
Okay. ... It is worth noting that Belichick did offer some uncharacteristic praise after Sunday's season-ending win over the Titans. Shockingly, he mentioned Mangini by name, saying, "Eric Mangini, his staff and entire team are doing a phenomenal job. The Jets are playing extremely well."
The two coaches worked together for 10 years, but their friendship started to deteriorate last January when Mangini left the Patriots for the Jets. Mangini reportedly tried to lure some of Belichick's assistants with him, but the relationship-breaker was the Jets' involvement in the Deion Branch trade talks, according to people familiar with the situation.
In September, the Patriots filed tampering charges against the Jets, escalating the enmity between the two coaches and two franchises. New England wound up trading Branch to the Seahawks.
Cimini went on to remind readers the feud's signature moment occurred Nov.12 after the Jets' win in Foxboro, where Belichick performed his no-look handshake at midfield. After the game, a watershed victory for the Jets, several players said they wanted to win badly for Mangini because of the way he had been dissed publicly by Belichick. The players haven't forgotten.
"I don't know much about that world, but you could see (the handshake) was pretty cold, to say the least," said tight end Chris Baker. "It wasn't a spoken thing like, 'Let's win this for Eric.' It's unspoken, but it's definitely a feeling you have."
Since beating the Patriots, the Jets have lost only twice, finishing 10-6. Clearly, that victory, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Patriots, did wonders for their confidence. As running back Leon Washington said, "Ultimately, it gave us the push to go 6-2 in the last eight games."
It also evened the score: Mangini 1, Belichick 1. Rubber game on Sunday. ...
It should be noted, however, that not everybody is looking forward to a Jets-Patriots matchup. In fact, Laveranues Coles was hoping for a different first-round opponent.
"I guess we didn't have much luck," Coles said Monday. "They're an excellent football team and I really didn't want to play them in the first round. ... New England is a totally different team in the playoffs. When you watch them, they're the last team you ever want to see in the playoffs."
In the Bill-Belichick era, the Patriots are 10-1 in the postseason, winning three Super Bowls.
"We're playing a team that's lived in the playoffs for quite a few years and that locker room is filled with playoff experience," said Mangini ....
Other notes of interest. ... According to Newark Star-Ledger staffer Dave Hutchinson, the Jets will be without cornerback Andre Dyson (sprained knee) and running back Kevan Barlow (thigh), according to a member of the organization who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of Mangini's policy of not giving out details on injuries.
Barlow, who rushed for 75 yards in the second Patriots game in Week 10, was also injured against the Dolphins. The Jets won't rush him back with Cedric Houston available.
Meanwhile, rookie center Nick Mangold (leg) and guard Brandon Moore (knee), who were both injured against the Raiders, underwent treatment yesterday and are expected to start Sunday.
Mangold was injured on a FG attempt just before the half and returned to start the second half. Moore missed only a few snaps in the first half before returning. Both played the entire second half.
In a semi-related note. ... Cimini reports that Coles engaged in a heated altercation yesterday with a reporter who questioned him about his physical status after Sunday's win over the Raiders.
Coles and Dan Leberfeld, of "Jets Confidential," both had to be restrained during a brief but ugly scene at Coles' locker. Coles, who has suffered back, head and chin injuries in recent weeks, grew tired of answering questions about his health from other reporters.
When Leberfeld joined the crowd around Coles' locker, he asked another injury-related question.
"Don't ask me about injuries," Coles said, alluding to Mangini's team policy.
According to witnesses, Leberfeld walked away, muttering that Coles shouldn't be allowed to dictate the line of the questioning. They exchanged words. Leberfeld did an about-face, returning to Coles' locker.
Two public-relations staffers stepped in. One restrained Coles, who was dressed in a shirt with a sequined Pink-Panther logo and bright pink matching jacket. The other PR staffer pulled Leberfeld back from the fray. There was a huge equipment bag between them, along with other reporters. They never came close to blows.
When the altercation was defused, Coles turned back to reporters and said, "Sorry you had to see that."
Later, Leberfeld explained, "I just told him, 'You can't set the agenda for what reporters are allowed to ask.' It escalated from there. The rest is a blur. Here's the bottom line: Mangini doesn't set the rules for reporters. I'm not going to stop asking about injuries."
Coles' injury status was a bit hazy after last week's game in Miami. He suffered from concussion-like symptoms from a helmet-to-helmet hit by Zach Thomas, but he was sent back into the game. Mangini refused to confirm or deny whether it was a concussion. Thomas was fined $7,500 by the league for the illegal hit.
Sunday, Coles played the entire game. He caught only two passes for 24 yards, but he made a key block on Washington's 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. ...
So what's the bottom line heading into Sunday's game?
As The Sporting News put it Monday: "The Jets are a disciplined and smart team that makes good adjustments to attack an opponent's flaws. Pennington can pick apart a suspect secondary with short and intermediate throws, which is important because Coles and Jerricho Cotchery aren't vertical threats.
"The offense grinds it out, though Washington has big-play potential and could factor into the passing game."
I agree with all that. I also believe the Jets desperately need to average more than the 3.2 yards per carry they finished with against Oakland to get the job done. The staff might need to commit to Houston in order to get that done.
"We want the big one," said Jeremiah Trotter h, the middle linebacker and an emotional team leader. "The goal was to win the NFC East and though we're excited about it, this is just the first step in where we are trying to get to."
As Associated Press sports writer Rob Maaddi, after falling 3 points short against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl two years ago, the Eagles completely fell apart last season. A slew of injuries to key players and the turmoil surrounding Terrell Owens contributed greatly to a 6-10 finish.
Coming into this season, players and coaches were determined to prove last year was merely an aberration. With Donovan McNabb playing at an MVP level, the Eagles opened 4-1 and seemed on their way back to being one of the elite teams in the league.
But a three-game losing streak followed, McNabb went down with a season-ending knee injury and a once-dominant defense turned soft. The future looked bleak, particularly after a 24-point loss at Indianapolis left Philadelphia at 5-6.
Six weeks later, the Eagles (10-6) are riding into the postseason on a five-game winning streak thanks to stellar play from backup quarterback Jeff Garcia and a rejuvenated defense.
Maaddi went on to note the Eagles have to travel a different path than usual this postseason.
From 2002-04, they earned the No. 1 seed in the conference, so they had a first-round bye and played at home throughout the playoffs. As the No. 3 seed, the Eagles will host the New York Giants (8-8) on Sunday.
If they advance, they'll play at New Orleans in the second round. The NFC title game could be in Philadelphia if Chicago loses next weekend, but the Eagles first have to beat the Giants and the Saints.
"You have to take your play up another notch," running back Brian Westbrook said. "Play goes up from the preseason to the regular season and from the regular season to the postseason. Everybody's going to come out and give you their best shot. It's their last chance. It's lose, you go home."
The Eagles have been playing with a must-win mentality for a while now. Even in a mediocre conference, they couldn't afford to slip up down the stretch.
Once Dallas lost to New Orleans on Dec. 11, the Eagles controlled their destiny. They had won two straight games and three more wins would guarantee another division championship. The task would be daunting, however. The Eagles had to beat the Giants and Cowboys on the road.
Nearly a touchdown underdog in both games, Philadelphia knocked off New York and dominated Dallas on Christmas Day. When the lowly Detroit Lions upset the Cowboys earlier Sunday, the Eagles secured first place, rested their starters and still beat Atlanta.
"We've worked hard over this past month to scratch and claw our way back," Garcia said. "It's very special to be among a group of guys like we have here that just continue to battle, continue to prepare, continue to focus week in and week out, to do the necessary things on and off the field, allowing yourself to really concentrate on your position, your responsibilities and not worry about outside distractions. ..."
In an article published Monday, Trenton Times beat writer Mark Eckel suggested the Eagles are the NFC's hottest and perhaps most dangerous team. They enter the postseason as healthy as they have been all season.
Head coach Andy Reid and coordinator Marty Mornhinweg have tailored the offense to maximize Garcia's ability. It looks more like a true West Coast attack and replaces the big-play approach under McNabb.
According to Philadelphia Daily News beat man Les Bowen, since he first drew the assignment, Mornhinweg has been less than comfortable discussing his playcalling duties.
In fact, he said he was surprised Reid talked to reporters about it, after it first came up, in the wake of the Eagles' 27-3 victory over the Redskins back on Nov. 12.
Monday, Reid spoke extensively about the process and its impact on him -- according to Bowen his day-after news conference lasted 26 minutes (and left reporters "gazing about in wonder as the head coach actually talked about his thoughts and feelings") -- and again, reporters went to the offensive coordinator for further insight.
Again, Mornhinweg seemed uncomfortable, like a man who does not want to overstep his bounds, or say anything Reid might construe as criticism of the head coach or his playcalling.
"You need to ask him about that. I can't speak for him," said Mornhinweg, when asked how the change has changed the head coach. "We talk a lot, but we don't get that deep."
Bowen went on to suggest that Mornhinweg's emergence seems to have streamlined the playcalling process and freed Reid to become more of a presence on the sideline, discussing things with players, offering encouragement, moving around without a chart propped in front of his face.
Mornhinweg knows how much Reid enjoyed calling plays.
He was a head coach himself in Detroit, albeit briefly, in 2001 and '02. The first season, Mornhinweg didn't have an offensive coordinator and called the plays himself, he said. The second year, he had a coordinator and they switched the responsibilities back and forth.
Mornhinweg said he didn't think there was a right or wrong way to do it -- situations vary. He said he feels there isn't a big difference in the playcalling, given their similar pedigrees, whether he or Reid is doing it.
"We're so close, I think, philosophically. About as close as you can get that way," he said. "But everybody sees the next upcoming game just a little bit differently. ... Andy puts us, as coaches on offense, in position to have success."
Mornhinweg was a college quarterback at Montana and for Denver in the Arena Football League, Reid was a guard at Brigham Young. In personality terms, you might think that would tend to make Mornhinweg the gunslinger and Reid maybe a little more conservative, but almost the opposite seems to be true.
"I consider myself very aggressive on offense," Mornhinweg said. "Andy's kind of a step above that. For an offensive lineman, that's unique. But he played at BYU, for LaVell Edwards, so that kind of puts the stamp on that. He's very, very aggressive."
Asked about Reid's bye-week decision to completely transfer the playcalling duties they had been sharing, Mornhinweg said: "It's been so long ago, it's hard for me to remember. It seems like two years ago, really... Andy made some decisions. He makes decisions every day. He's pretty good at making decisions."
The results suggest that's the case.
The 2006 Eagles set a team record with 6,103 total net yards of offense (which the team media relations department helpfully converted to 3.5 miles). Their previous best of 5,766 yards was accomplished in 1980. This season, the Eagles led the NFL with 74 offensive plays of 20 yards or more (18 of those for touchdowns).
The Eagles' 398 points this year ranked second in team history to the 415 scored in 2002.
On the injury front. ... Running back Correll Buckhalter and defensive end Juqua Thomas are both suffering calf strains. However, Reid is hopeful that both players will be able to play Sunday against the Giants.
"Both have a chance to be back for practice (on Wednesday)," Reid said. "J.T. is probably a little worse."
Buckhalter has seen increased action down the stretch and has played well as the backup to Westbrook. Buckhalter has contributed 345 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns this season, and has also set career highs in receptions (24) and receiving yards (256) to go along with one touchdown catch.
Of course, Buckhalter missed three out of the last four seasons to injuries. ...
In case you missed it last weekend, A.J. Feeley took over for Garcia on the Eagles' second possession and had the best game of his career against Atlanta, completing 22 of 33 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns.
Was he surprised by how well he played, considering he hadn't thrown a pass all season?
"Surprised? No, I wasn't surprised," he said. "This is the one offense, like I've said before, this is the offense that I feel comfortable in, and it kind of shows, I guess. I take a lot of mental reps during the week, and a lot of playing quarterback is preparation. ..."
Westbrook, who spent much of last week battling a stomach virus, had just two touches Sunday against Atlanta before he was taken out of the game after the Cowboys' loss to Detroit clinched the division title for the Eagles. ...
And finally. ... Koy Detmer returned to the Eagles on Tuesday to provide insurance at quarterback going into the playoffs. Detmer will be the No. 3 quarterback behind Garcia and Feeley.
The 33-year-old Detmer spent nine seasons with Philadelphia after being selected in the seventh round of the 1997 NFL draft. He was cut in training camp and was out of football this regular season.
Detmer has started eight games in his career while serving mostly as a backup to McNabb and a holder for kicker David Akers. He's completed 52 percent of his passes (184-for-354) for 1,944 yards, 10 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
And as the Sports Xchange pointed out, the Chargers not only paced the NFL in scoring this year but they set a team record with 492 points.
And none of it matters anymore.
The Chargers have just completed the best regular season in their history, 14-2, and finished with the league's best record, a record that has accorded them a week's rest as well as home field for any games leading up to the Super Bowl.
But now it's a single-elimination tournament, and one loss will undo everything they've accomplished.
"That's the amazing thing about this game," Philip Rivers said. "We've played 20 games, counting preseason, and now really it's down to one. ... If you don't win that, you don't have the other two to play.
"You can't let it overwhelm you. And this team has the right attitude, the right focus, the right mind-set. I think we're going to be tough to handle here at home in a couple of weeks."
If the Chargers needed any sobering reminders, there was this: Rivers and Tomlinson both on the sidelines in the fourth quarter with the game still up for grabs.
Rivers hurt his right foot in the first quarter when he took a sack -- in the midst of a stretch when he completed 16 of 18 passes.
He went into the locker room before halftime to be re-taped and stayed in until late in the third quarter, finishing 19 of 24 for 231 yards and two touchdowns, before Billy Volek took over.
Tomlinson gained 66 yards on 16 carries, didn't score a touchdown but wrapped up his first rushing title with 1,815 yards. But he came to the sideline limping late in the third quarter after having his foot stepped on, and he watched Michael Turner carry the ball in the fourth quarter.
"It was a sharp pain for a little while, then it started to go away," Tomlinson said. "It wasn't a big problem at all."
Both probably could have gone back in, but Schottenheimer wasn't going to take a chance with either one.
"You have to look at the big picture," he said, specifically referring to Rivers but probably indicating his mind-set with Tomlinson as well. "In the big picture, (the medical staff) indicated to me that we should seriously consider taking him out of the game, and I said, 'Let's take him out of the game.'"
Meanwhile, as San Diego Union-Tribune staffer Jay Posner noted, he downplayed the goal during the week. But when it was over -- and Tomlinson was the NFL rushing champion for the first time -- he could concede that, yes, this was a meaningful achievement.
"You always have that kind of hanging over your head when you haven't won the rushing title," Tomlinson said. "So to win my first one feels real good because it's another accomplishment.
"This is special, I think, because this is what I do: I'm a running back. I think a lot of times (with) running backs, you measure them by if they won the rushing title, at least in my mind. All the great ones pretty much have."
Tomlinson became the first Chargers player to join that club with slightly more than five minutes remaining in the first half of Sunday's win. Kansas City's Larry Johnson ended his season earlier in the day with 1,789 yards, meaning Tomlinson needed 41 yards to surpass him.
On his 10th attempt, Tomlinson gained 8 yards, giving him 43 in the game.
"He deserves it," said his backup, Michael Turner. "He's been one of the greats in this league for some time now and for him not to have a rushing title is kind of crazy."
Tomlinson fell 11 yards short of leading the league in total yards from scrimmage -- the Rams' Steven Jackson had 2,334 yards to his 2,323 -- which would have made him the first player since Emmitt Smith in 1995 to be No. 1 in rushing yards, total yards and touchdowns.
But that "didn't really matter to me," Tomlinson said. He had the touchdown title -- with a league-record 31 -- and the rushing title.
"Sometimes the things that happened this season, you never imagine things like that – all the accomplishments," he said. "But you try to put together consistent, productive seasons. To have 1,800 yards, that's a great year to me. That's a whisker away from 2,000. To have that many touchdowns, no one has ever done it. It's been an unbelievable year."
Not surprisingly, Tomlinson wanted to mention his offensive linemen.
"Out of all the guys that have blocked for me," Tomlinson said, "these guys can say they were the ones that brought the rushing title home. We were close a lot of times -- second (in 2002), third (in 2003) -- but to bring it home I think was very special for these guys."
None of the linemen would argue.
"We don't have a stat, so that's kind of our stat," tackle Shane Olivea said.
"That's pretty awesome," center Nick Hardwick said. "It's a huge deal. I'll probably hype myself up to my (as yet unborn) kids when they think their daddy's a bum. It's just some bragging rights, be able to tell people down the road, 'Hey, I was a part of that team when LT made us look great.' "
Said guard Kris Dielman: "We knew what we had to get him, and we got it for him. LT probably isn't going to talk much about it, but we sure as hell will because that is a phenomenal thing to have. That is unbelievable. I'm really proud of it. We're all proud of it. And it couldn't happen to a better guy. ..."
For what it's worth, all indications are River and Tomlinson will both be good to go next week.
According to Associated Press sports writer Bernie Wilson, Schottenheimer said An MRI exam showed "no damage" to the foot's structure. "It's soft tissue, is my understanding," the coach explained.
Players were off Monday and Tuesday and will have short practices Wednesday through Friday.
Schottenheimer said Rivers might not practice this week, but if the Chargers had a game, "there's no doubt" his quarterback would play.
The only player who appears to be in danger of missing the first playoff game is defensive lineman Jacques Cesaire, who has a sprained MCL in his knee. Schottenheimer said there's a chance Cesaire could play, but it's too early to know for sure. ...
The Chargers' first opponent will be New England, the New York Jets or the Kansas City Chiefs. ...
Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will interview this week for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job, league sources told Union-Tribune beat man Kevin Acee Tuesday.
It is also believed Cameron is on the Atlanta Falcons' short list, but they have not formally requested permission to speak to Cameron.
Under league rules, teams have only this week to talk to Cameron, or else wait until the Chargers are out of the playoffs.
And finally. ... When the topic of Schottenheimer's future came up Tuesday, the coach, whose contract runs through next season, replied: "You're asking the wrong guy."
As Wilson reminded readers Schottenheimer's relationship with general manager A.J. Smith has been icy for months. It got so rocky after Drew Brees was allowed to leave as a free agent in the offseason that team president Dean Spanos called them into his office on a Saturday and told them to start pulling in the same direction.
That relationship doesn't appear to have thawed much despite their success this season.
Smith isn't tipping his hand on what recommendation he'll make to Spanos once the season ends.
"We make all our decisions at the end of the year," Smith said. "All the coaches, everybody."
The pressure could be on Schottenheimer, who said these Chargers -- with nine Pro Bowlers, including league MVP front-runner Tomlinson -- are the most-balanced of the 13 teams he's taken to the playoffs.
Schottenheimer said there haven't been any discussions regarding a contract extension.
"I don't think there should be," said Schottenheimer, who has coached the Chargers to 35 victories and two AFC West titles in the last three seasons. "Absolutely not. We've got work to do. Let's not put the cart in front of the horse."
Schottenheimer was reminded that Smith has extended the contracts of several players, some during the season.
"But they weren't 63 years old," the coach said with a chuckle.
One thing Schottenheimer does know is that having home-field advantage throughout the playoffs doesn't assure a thing beyond a first-round bye and at least one home game.
Schottenheimer has had the AFC's No. 1 seed three times before, dating to 1986 with the Cleveland Browns, and is still trying to get to his first Super Bowl.
That year, his Browns made it to the AFC championship game before John Elway pulled off "The Drive" and got the Denver Broncos into the Super Bowl.
In 1995 and '97, Schottenheimer's Kansas City Chiefs had the No. 1 seed and were upset in their opening game both times.
Seattle, which will open the playoffs with a wild-card game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday at Qwest Field, will be without three of their top four cornerbacks after Kelly Herndon and reserve cornerback Jimmy Williams joined Marcus Trufant on the sideline with leg injuries.
The injuries took some luster off a game the Seahawks won convincingly. Matt Hasselbeck put it all together for his best game in his past three starts, completing 17 of 29 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown.
Hasselbeck wasn't alone.
Shaun Alexander rushed for 92 yards and a score. D.J. Hackett came up big once again with four catches -- one for a touchdown -- and tight end Jerramy Stevens shone with four catches for 54 yards. The difference in the game, Hasselbeck said afterward, was the Seahawks' final drive of the third quarter that extended into the fourth: A 14-play, 65-yard drive for a field goal that saw the Seahawks run the ball 10 times and run 8 minutes, 12 seconds off the game clock.
Defensively, Lofa Tatupu led a unit that gave up a few big plays but made more than it allowed in shutting out the Bucs in the second half. The group gave up just 15 rushing yards in the second half.
The downside, of course, is Seattle will be without three of their top four cornerbacks on the depth chart. Trufant, a starter, won't play Saturday unless his high right ankle sprain miraculously heals.
Herndon, lost to a broken left ankle near the end of the first quarter, was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Then Tuesday, Williams joined Herndon on the injured reserve list with a knee injury sustained in Tampa Bay.
Now Peter Hunter, John Howell and Rich Gardner will suit up for Seattle Saturday.
All three signed with the Seahawks in the last week. Not long ago, Hunter was working in Dallas-area mortgage office. Howell was guiding hunts for elk and other game in the Great Plains. Gardner was working out four times a week at a gym in Nashville. ...
But those aren't the only injuries. ... The official injury report won't be released until after the Team Notes are posted, but several players did not practice Tuesday. Of primary interest would be receivers Darrell Jackson and Hackett.
According to Tacoma News Tribune staffer Mike Sando, Jackson and Hackett will both open the week listed as questionable. The team previously described Hackett's injury as a groin problem. They have listed it as a hip flexor, which Sando notes is a very painful ailment according to those who have suffered from them.
Neither man practiced Tuesday. Nate Burleson (ankle) was limited Tuesday, but will be listed as probable.
According to SI.com insider Peter King, the Seahawks might consider signing Marcus Robinson, late of the Vikings, because of the injuries at wideout. ...
The situation certainly bears watching -- especially with Hackett's recent emergence as Hasselbeck's target of choice (Hackett has 19 catches and two touchdowns over the last four weeks, compared to Deion Branch's 15 and 0).
For the record. ... Head coach Mike Holmgren told reporters immediately after the game that Hackett's injury wasn't serious. Hackett and Branch both said after the game they'll be fine this week. ...
Still, you'll want to follow the injury reports closely and keep an eye on the News & Views section of the site in coming days to get a better feel for the progress of all Seattle's walking wounded. ...
I'll also suggest that those skill players who are the field Saturday will benefit from going up against the Cowboys.
Remember, Dallas has allowed an average of 419.2 yards in five games since their Thanksgiving Day victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Tennessee Titans, who ranked last in the league in total defense, allowed an average of 367.9 yards per game.
In their past five games, the Cowboys have surrendered an average of 30.4 points -- including 42 points to the New Orleans Saints, the No. 1-ranked offense in the league; and 39 points to the Detroit Lions, the worst team in the NFC. In between, the Atlanta Falcons put up 28 points and the Philadelphia Eagles 23 points.
Three of those games were played at Texas Stadium.
Even if the offense isn't at full strength (let's assume Jackson won't be available), it's hard to imagine Hasselbeck having a hard time picking this opponent apart.