NFL Roundup: Week 15

Some observations, comments and opinions about last weeks NFL games.

Buffalo 21, Miami 0
Overcoming wet and blustery conditions, J.P. Losman threw three touchdown passes and the Bills limited the Dolphins to 212 yards. It was the fifth win in seven games for the Bills (7-7), their first shutout since a 2003 season-opening 31-0 win over New England and their first against the Dolphins since a 29-0 win in November 1987. The Dolphins (6-8) were eliminated from postseason contention.

Baltimore 27, Cleveland 17
Kyle Boller, playing in place of injured Steve McNair, threw two touchdown passes, including one of 77 yards to Demetrius Williams that ended a tie and propelled the host Ravens to the win. Jamal Lewis ran 22 times for 109 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens (11-3), who are assured a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2003. The Ravens will win the AFC North if Cincinnati losses to Indianapolis tonight. The Browns fell to 4-10 on the season.

Denver 37, Arizona 20
Jay Cutler threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns to get his first NFL win as a starter and help the Broncos (8-6) end a four-game losing streak. Matt Leinart was 20 for 35 for 214 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions for the Cardinals (4-10). He was sacked three times and was hit as he threw on several other occasions.

Pittsburgh 37, Carolina 3
Willie Parker rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown and Ben Roethlisberger threw for a score and ran for another in the win. The Steelers (7-7) also blocked a punt and returned another for a touchdown to win their third consecutive game and keep alive their playoff hopes. The Panthers (6-8) lost their fourth game in a row. The Steelers, who started 2-6, have given up 13 points in the last three games.

NY Jets 26, Minnesota 13
Chad Pennington and the Jets (8-6) stayed in the playoff chase for at least one more week and knocked the host Vikings (6-8) just about out of it. Pennington passed for 339 yards and one touchdown, and Laveranues Coles had 12 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown for the Jets before leaving because of an apparent back injury late in the fourth quarter. Minnesota has now lost six of eight.

Green Bay 17, Detroit 9
Brett Favre surpassed Dan Marino's record for career completions in the Green Bay victory. It was the second home victory this season for the Packers (6-8). The Lions (2-12) are winless in seven games on the road. Favre connected on a 21-yard pass to receiver Carlyle Holiday just before halftime for his league-record 4,968th completion.

New England 40, Houston 7
After a six-week stretch in which they were 3-3 with 19 turnovers, the Patriots committed no turnovers and intercepted four passes for the win. The Patriots (10-4) lead the AFC East and can clinch the title with a win at Jacksonville on Sunday. The Texans (4-10) were outgained, 147-76, in the first half alone.

Tennessee 24, Jacksonville 17
Vince Young and the offense couldn't move the ball against Jacksonville. So the Titans' defense beat up David Garrard and returned turnovers 83, 92 and 61 yards for touchdowns and beat the Jaguars for their fifth consecutive victory. Credit a franchise-record three defensive touchdowns and a team-record 370 yards of returns. Tennessee (7-7) won for the seventh time in nine games, keeping its faint playoff hopes alive. Jacksonville fell to 8-6.

Chicago 34, Tampa Bay 31 OT
The Bears (12-2) squandered a 21-point third-quarter lead, recovering in overtime behind plays from backups Rashied Davis and Adrian Peterson to beat Tampa Bay and clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Bucs dropped to 3-11 on year.

Washington 16, New Orleans 10
The Saints lost but still won on Sunday. With Atlanta and Carolina both losing, New Orleans and first-year coach Sean Payton Clinched the NFC South title. New Orleans (9-5) still holds the No. 2 seeding in the NFC, having beaten Dallas last week. Clinching a first-round bye just got a little harder, however. The Redskins improved to 5-9 as Jason Campbell threw for 204 yards.

St. Louis 20, Oakland 0
The Rams (6-8) took advantage of Oakland's inept offense to post their first shutout since 2003 and win for only the second time in nine games. Their two touchdown drives came after Oakland turnovers: St. Louis drove only 43 yards combined to get 14 points. The Raiders (2-12), who have lost seven straight, equaled their most losses in a season since Davis joined the franchise in 1963. Steven Jackson ran for 127 yards and two scores to lead the Rams.

San Diego 20, Kansas City 9
The Chargers (12-2) inched closer to clinching home-field advantage in the playoffs with a convincing victory over the Chiefs (7-7). LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns to continue his record-breaking season. With his two trips to the end zone Sunday — including a career-long 85-yard touchdown run — he set single-season records with 186 points, 28 rushing touchdowns, 31 total touchdowns and eight consecutive multi-touchdown games. Kansas City fell to 7-7 and saw its playoff hopes slip farther and farther away.

Philadelphia 36, NY Giants 22
Jeff Garcia threw for 237 yards and improved to 3-1 as a starter as the Eagles stand on the verge of clinching a playoff berth and winning the NFC East. The win was the third straight for the Eagles (8-6) and left them in control of their playoff destiny. If they win at Dallas next week and over Atlanta at home two weeks later, they take the division. The Giants (7-7) still have a shot at the playoffs despite losing for the fifth time in six games. They face New Orleans at home next in Week 16 and then close at Washington. However, they hold a tiebreaker with the Falcons for the sixth and final playoff berth in the conference.

Dallas 38, Atlanta 28
Tony Romo passed for 278 yards and two touchdowns, both to Terrell Owens, as the Cowboys (9-5) bounced back from a 42-17 home loss to New Orleans and protected its NFC East lead. Michael Vick tied a career high with four touchdown passes and eclipsed Bobby Douglass' 34-year-old record for most rushing yards in a season by a quarterback. He has 990 yards, breaking Douglass' mark of 968 with the 1972 Chicago Bears. Atlanta (7-7) is tied with the Giants for the final wild card spot, but New York holds the tiebreaker edge. Dallas can clinch the division with a win over the Eagles.

San Francisco 24, Seattle 14
Alex Smith accounted for three fourth-quarter touchdowns -- two passing, one running -- and the 49ers (6-8) prevented the Seahawks (8-6) from clinching the NFC West with a surprising win. Frank Gore, who ran for a franchise record 212 yards in the first meeting between the two teams, had 104 of his 144 yards in the fourth quarter.

The Philadelphia Eagles were the big winners this weekend grabbing control of the wild card and quite possibly a division title. Proof positive that anything can happen in the NFC. Three weeks ago, the Eagles looked dead, now they could be NFC East champions with a 36-year old starting quarterback who was run out of Detroit last year. Go figure.

Six playoff spots clinched and six more to go with only two weeks left in the regular season. It can't get any better than that.

The Indianapolis Colts (10-3) need a win to keep hold of a first-round bye and have a chance at home field when they play the red hot Cincinnati Bengals (8-5), winners of four straight, on Monday Night Football.

Look for Carson Palmer and company to put away the air cannon and give the Colts a steady dose of Rudi Johnson. After surrendering 375 yards rushing to Jacksonville last week, the Indy run defense, last in the league, will have to step up if Manning and crew hope to defeat the Bengals.


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