NFL Roundup: Week 16

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

Houston 27, Indianapolis 24
Ron Dayne had a career-high 153 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and Kris Brown kicked the winning 48-yard field goal as time ran out giving the Texans their first win over the Colts. The loss denied the AFC South champions the chance to clinch a first-round playoff bye. It was the first time Dayne had gained 100 yards since September 2001 with the New York Giants. The Texans (5-10) used Dayne and rookie Chris Taylor to eat up the clock and exploit the Colts' suspect run defense, ranked last in the NFL, and broke a nine-game losing streak to Indianapolis (11-4).

Arizona 26, San Francisco 20
Kurt Warner and the Cardinals extinguished the 49ers' flickering playoff hopes with one last commanding drive. Matt Leinart passed for 162 yards before spraining his left shoulder before halftime, ending his rookie season early. Warner finished with 105 yards passing in the visiting Cardinals' fourth victory in six games. Edgerrin James had 105 yards to become Arizona's first 1,000-yard rusher in eight years, and Marcel Shipp ran for a score as the Cardinals (5-10) jumped to an early 20-3 lead, then held on for their fourth straight win over the 49ers (6-9).

Chicago 26, Detroit 21
Backup quarterback Brian Griese directed a 72-yard drive that set up Robbie Gould's field goal midway through the fourth quarter, helping the Bears win in Detroit. Gould's fourth field goal — after Lions quarterback Jon Kitna committed his NFL-high 30th turnover — gave Chicago (13-2) a six-point cushion with 2:50 to go, ending a drive that starting quarterback Rex Grossman watched from the sideline. The Lions fell to 2-13 on the season.

Baltimore 31, Pittsburgh 7
Steve McNair threw three touchdown passes on the road and the Ravens moved ahead in the race for a first-round AFC playoffs bye. They shut down the Steelers for the second time in a month and eliminated the defending Super Bowl champions from playoff contention. The Ravens (12-3) matched a franchise record for victories in a season set by their Super Bowl championship team in 2000 and swept the season series from the Steelers (7-8) for the first time since the former Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996.

Tampa Bay 22, Cleveland 7
Derrick Brooks returned one of the Buccaneers' four interceptions 21 yards for a touchdown and Tampa Bay won its first road game in more than a year. The Buccaneers (4-11) had lost eight straight outside Florida since winning at Carolina on Dec. 11 last season. But they had little trouble with the Browns (4-11), who lost their third straight and managed just 187 yards of offense.

Denver 24, Cincinnati 23
Needing only to beat the Broncos to get into the postseason, the Bengals (8-7) drove 90 yards in 12 plays, with Carson Palmer throwing a 10-yard touchdown strike to T.J. Houshmandzadeh with 46 seconds left. Brad St. Louis' snap went off the mark to allow the Broncos (9-6) to get the win. Denver can clinch a playoff spot with a win next week against San Francisco.

New Orleans 30, NY Giants 7
The Saints (10-5) got contributions from everyone in handing the Giants (7-8) their sixth loss in seven games. Reggie Bush ran for a career-best 126 yards and a touchdown, Deuce McAllister had 108 yards rushing and a touchdown and the defense limited New York to six first downs and 142 yards in a rout that turned Giants Stadium into a ghost town in the fourth quarter. The Saints can clinch the No. 2 seeding in the NFC if Dallas loses either of its final two games or New Orleans wins at home against Carolina. the Giants (7-8), who did not have a snap in Saints territory all game, remain in the playoff hunt.

San Diego 20, Seattle 17
The San Diego Chargers stole Seattle's win but left the stunned Seahawks with the NFC West title. Philip Rivers, who missed on 19 of his first 27 passes, found Vincent Jackson alone in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds left to send the Chargers (13-2) to their ninth straight win. But the Seahawks' sting was somewhat soothed by Arizona's upset at San Francisco minutes earlier. That meant Seattle (8-7) clinched its third consecutive NFC West title despite its third straight loss.

Carolina 10, Atlanta 3
Carolina outgained the Falcons' league-leading rushing attack, 183-83. DeShaun Foster had 102 yards in 28 carries to lead the Panthers (7-8) to the victory over the Falcons (7-8), who have now lost four straight home games. Carolina's time of possession was 41:47, to 18:13 for Atlanta.

St. Louis 37, Washington 31 OT
Steven Jackson capped an impressive day with a 21-yard touchdown run in overtime, Marc Bulger tied his career best with four touchdown passes and the beleaguered St. Louis Rams defense made a big play in regulation to beat the Redskins (5-10). St. Louis (7-8) has won two straight after losing seven of the previous eight, keeping alive its faint NFC playoff hopes. Jackson had 150 yards in 33 carries and six catches for 102 yards, a day that made him the Rams' first 2,000-yard man since Marshall Faulk in 2001. For the season, he has 88 catches, breaking the franchise record that Faulk set in 1999, and Jackson is the only Rams player to get 100 yards rushing and receiving in a game.

Tennessee 30, Buffalo 29
If Vince Young keeps this up, the Tennessee Titans just might do the unthinkable and make the playoffs. The rookie first-round draft pick has the Titans (8-7), who lost their first five games, alive in the AFC playoff race entering the final weekend after rallying them to a win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Young passed for two touchdowns and ran for another to engineer his fourth comeback in the fourth quarter or overtime. This time, he helped Tennessee overcome a 29-20 deficit in the final 12 minutes. The loss knocked the Bills (7-8) out of playoff contention. Young is 8-4 as a starter and has led the Titans to six straight wins as they attempt to become the first NFL team to qualify for the playoffs after starting the season 0-5.

New England 30, Jacksonville 24
Tom Brady directed three long touchdown drives, capped one of them with a perfect touch pass to David Thomas, and helped the Patriots clinch their fourth consecutive AFC East title with a victory over the Jaguars. Brady completed 28 of 39 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown, picking apart the NFL's No. 2-ranked defense. He also ran 10 times for 31 yards, getting several first downs on sneaks and scrambling for yards to avoid sacks. Brady and the Patriots (11-4) also hurt Jacksonville's postseason chances. The Jaguars (8-7), who have lost two in a row, need to win at Kansas City next week and get a lot of help to earn a wild-card spot.

Kansas City 20, Oakland 9
A trip to Oakland was just what the Kansas City Chiefs needed to snap their three-game losing streak and keep their faint playoff hopes alive. Larry Johnson ran for 137 yards and a touchdown to help the Chiefs (8-7) become the first team to beat the Raiders eight straight times. The Raiders (2-13) have lost eight straight overall and matched the franchise record for losses in a season set when they went 1-13 in 1962 - the season before Davis arrived to coach and eventually own the team.

Eight teams have clinched a playoff berth and we have 12 teams fighting for four playoff spots, six teams each in the AFC and NFC, with one more week left in the season. You can't ask for anymore parity than that.

Two Monday night games mark the Christmas Day slate with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles battling for the NFC East title at 5:00, and the New York Jets trying to keep their playoff hopes alive when they face Miami at 8:30.

Terrell Owens against his old team for the division crown. How's that for TV drama?

Merry Christmas everyone!


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