"2007 Detroit Lions prediction"

Hey, good news if you're a Lions fan.

The Detroit Lions will start the season 2-0. Yeah, that's right, you heard it here first. They'll be on top of the NFC North. They might even get an article in a prominent magazine after defeating Oakland and Minnesota. Fans will stop yelling for Matt Millen's head, instead praising him for drafting all those wide receivers and putting together such a "complete" team. The team will be the toast of the town (Tigers??? Puh-lease. They'll be in last place by then) for those two weeks.

Then everything will return to normal.

With that said, here is my always fun Lions prediction (which, as you may notice, is made before the NFL draft/free agent acquisitions because not even LaDanian Tomlinson could save this franchise).

Week 1: Detroit at Oakland
Randy Moss left Oakland for Green Bay. The Raiders have no quarterback. Warren Sapp has food poisoning.
- Lions 13, Raiders 6

Week 2: Minnesota at Detroit
Who's Minnesota's quarterback? Tarvaris Jackson? And do the Vikings even have a running back? Jason Hanson - who should have left town 12 years ago - kicks four field goals.
- Lions 19, Vikings 10

Week 3: Detroit at Philadelphia
The losing begins, and this will be ugly.
- Eagles 35, Lions 6

Week 4: Chicago at Detroit
No Roy Williams prediction before this one. But does it really matter?? Nope. Not unless Grossman throws six INTs (which, I guess, is possible).
- Bears 20, Lions 10

Week 5: Detroit at Washington
Yes, Washington will be bad. But not as bad as Detroit. Get outside instead of watching this barnburner.
- Redskins 17, Lions 9

Week 6: Bye week
Huge off week for the Lions. Plenty of quotes about regrouping and refocusing. Maybe a prediction from Williams.
- No wins, no losses

Week 7: Tampa Bay at Detroit
Yay!! Back on the winning side of things. Lions do a great job of preparing two weeks for the Bucs' vaunted offensive attack led by the aging Jeff Garcia. They even knock him out of the game, riling up the city's stupid fans.
- Lions 24, Bucs 13

Week 8: Detroit at Chicago
Lions start their annual streak of losing close games and blaming each one on something different. This one's on the wind that forked a Hanson field goal wide left.
- Bears 16, Lions 13

Week 9: Denver at Detroit
This time second-year man Jay Cutler engineers a last-minute drive for the Broncos.
- Broncos 21, Lions 17

Week 10: Detroit at Arizona
The backbreaker of the season. Lions lead 21-3 in the third quarter, but Matt Leinart leads a feisty comeback, bringing the Cardinals all the way back. Then Kitna throws an INT in OT, and the season is as good as done.
- Cardinals 30, Lions 24

Week 11: NY Giants at Detroit
Hah, hah. Lions get burned by Eli. On the bright side, there's something positive for Detroit's columnists to write about as former Michigan State player Plaxico Burress has 10 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns.
- Giants 24, Lions 13

Week 12: Green Bay at Detroit (Thanksgiving)
Relish it while you can, Lions fans. It'll be your last positive moment of the season (besides realizing in late December that you've got the No. 2 pick again). Lions rough up Favre in his final game in Detroit.
- Lions 31, Packers 21

Week 13: Detroit at Minnesota
Are you kidding me? When was the last time Lions won in the dome? 1979? I'm not even looking it up.
- Vikings 20, Lions 16

Week 14: Dallas at Detroit
Another close one. This time Romo (check that, it's some obscure backup quarterback now) handles the snap and the winning field goals is GOOD!
- Cowboys 20, Lions 17

Week 15: Detroit at San Diego
Oh, boy. This one ain't close to close. The Chargers lock up homefield advantage in the AFC.
- Chargers 42, Lions 10

Week 16: Kansas City at Detroit
Big game for Chiefs, who are fighting for that final wild card. Big game for Detroit's fans, who finally stage a "Fire Millen" walkout, not that it's gonna work.
- Chiefs 16, Lions 13

Week 17: Detroit at Green Bay
Man, this is cruel. It's hard enough for the Lions to play the Pack in early December. Now late December? And Favre's last game as a Packer?? WOW.
- Packers 34, Lions 17

So there you have it. A 4-12 season. A one-win improvement over last season. And another No. 2 draft pick. And remember, I'm not changing this even if they get Tomlinson, or Tom Brady, or Peyton Manning or...

It doesn’t matter. These are the Lions, the worst franchise in professional sports, and this is a tradition.

No one loses like the Lions.

"Where'd my money go?"

In this modern world of sports, where athletes make millions of dollars often before they've even proven themselves at the professional level, it's difficult to feel sorry for them or sympathize with their “difficult” situations.

But when it comes to NFL players and their non-guaranteed contracts, I feel their pain. Imagine one day being on top of the world, having been drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. You sign a multimillion dollar deal and endorsements are on the way. Then, out of the blue, you fall down the stairs, or get hit by a car, or struck by lightning. Whatever the catastrophe, it causes a career-ending injury.

Almost magically your money disappears. The companies knocking on your door to sponsor you run in the other direction. You don't have a college education. You don't have any money. You're S-C-R-E-W-E-D. Such is the life of an NFL player.

Yesterday was a perfect example of how NFL players are thrown around by their supposed "loyal" teams in order to save money. Several top-notch players - such as Pittsburgh's Joey Porter and New Orleans' Joe Horn - were released by their teams so the organizations wouldn't have to pay their bonuses. Releasing a player also ends whatever contract he had with the organization, and teams will often waive a player and then attempt to resign him for a smaller amount of money - a scheme that can certainly work if the player had a poor season.

In baseball it's very common to see a relatively unknown player put together one great season and get a huge, guaranteed contract for his good six months. In football, a big season might get a player a nice contract, but how much of that cash ends up in their bank account is a completely different bag'a beans. As long as a team either doesn't believe it needs a player or feels it can re-sign him (for less money), there's no harm in waiving him before free agency begins, especially if it means not having to dole out a bonus.

Players such as Porter and Horn shouldn't have a problem finding new homes and fat contracts. They're impact players in the NFL. Teams will do anything to win, and Porter and Horn are winners - with Porter’s Steelers winning the Super Bowl a year ago and Horn helping the Saints put together an amazing comeback season last fall. But plenty of other players whose names aren't in the headlines every day are waived by their teams and forced into signing wimpy contracts by professional sports' standards. It's either that, or call it a career at a very young age.

No, I don't feel sorry for NFL players. They still make a few bucks here and there. And they get to retire at a very young age. But when compared to new San Francisco pitcher Barry Zito, who is making hundreds of millions to pitch a game every fifth day, NFL players are getting... yeah, that "screwed" word again.

Poor guys.

"Who's soft now?"

Who's soft now?

Certainly not the Indianapolis Colts. Not a defense that was the worst in the NFL this regular season. Not four defensive linemen and five offensive linemen who completely dominated the "Physical Bears" in the trenches.

Who's a dome team now?

Certainly not those Colts. Not when Peyton Manning disregarded the Miami downpour and made a perfect pass downfield to Reggie Wayne to get Indianapolis on the board. Not running backs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes who continued to razzle-dazzle all night long, even as the Pro Player Stadium sod became soaked and slippery. Definitely not Adam Vinatieri, who actually missed a field goal, but came back, of course, to make two in the second half to claim his fourth Super Bowl ring.

Peyton Manning may have received the MVP in South Beach Sunday night, but this was the definition of a team effort. An effort by a team completely different from anything we saw between September and January.

Seriously, who are these guys?

The Bears were supposed to be the more physical team, the smash-mouth style team. But instead it was the Colts. Sure, Manning passed for a good chunk of yardage. But the Colts won this game between the trenches.

It is about time the following nine players be mentioned. We talk about Manning 59 times a day. We love to compare Marvin Harrison to Jerry Rice. But these guys deserve a ton of the credit for the Colts second Super Bowl win - and its first since moving to Indy.

The Colts offensive line: Jeff Saturday (C), Tarik Glenn (LT), Ryan Lilja (LG), Jake Scott (RG) and Ryan Diem (RT).

Plus, of course, possibly the most underrated tight end in the NFL: Dallas Clark.

This rarely-talked-about O-line allowed Manning to be sacked just once Sunday night. At the end of the game, despite the condition of the field, Manning's jersey - one, I'm sure, he will hold onto for years to come - was barely dirty.

This O-line allowed the Colts to run for 191 yards against that vaunted Bears defense. Addai and Rhodes ran free into the Chicago secondary all night. Aside from a couple big tackles, Brian Urlacher was unheard from.

Credit the O-line.

On the other side of the ball, these guys need to be mentioned: Robert Mathis (LDE), Anthony McFarland (LT), Raheem Brock (RT) and Dwight Freeney (RDE).

The Bears scored a touchdown on the opening kickoff and one later in the first quarter, which was basically the product of one big Thomas Jones run of 52 yards. In the second half, the Bears got the ball in Colts territory thanks to a good kickoff return and an unnecessary roughness penalty, leading to their final points of the night - a field goal.

So, basically, the Colts defense gave up seven points because of one play. Besides that, they shut down the Bears all night long. That front four hassled Rex Grossman, forcing him into four turnovers (although, Grossman would admit, a couple of the turnovers were simply miscues on his part).

Anyone who picked the Bears before the game (including, I must say, myself) thought Jones and Cedric Benson would wear down the Colts defense. That was far from the story. Aside from Jones' 52-yard saunter, the Colts gave up just 59 yards on the ground. And 165 yards through the air.

It all started up front.

Manning will likely snare all the front pages of this nation's newspapers tomorrow morning. Manning's legacy will be talked about for the next week. There will be plenty of talk about how he compares to other Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks.

But this was all about the team. Two years ago, even five months ago, the Colts were a one-dimensional team. Manning and his offense were amazing. The defense was not.

Not anymore. Sunday’s Colts were a well-rounded bunch, with no player needing to stand above the rest.

There are no lingering questions now. No questions about this team's toughness, its resolve. No questions about this team being able to win an ugly, defensive battle.

No, Sunday's victory wasn't pretty. You didn't see a lot of beautiful Manning-to-Harrison hookups. The Colts weren't mistake-free - to the tune of three turnovers.

But, here's a question: Who really cares?

That team you saw dominate almost the entire game was the Indianapolis Colts.

You better believe it.

"Super Bowl preview"

Since I know you haven't gotten enough analysis from Sean Salisbury n' Crew shoved down your throat the past two weeks, here is everything you need to know about today's big game.

Here are the keys to victory.

Yesterday, Florida beat Tennessee in basketball. We all know where Rex Grossman and Peyton Manning went to school.

Also, when Manning was at Tennessee, he never beat Florida. That can't bode well for him.

Also, Chicago's Alex Brown is a Florida alum.

Also, Florida was the first school to win both the college basketball and college football national titles in the same year.

Also, Udonis Haslem and Jason Williams of Florida won the NBA title with the Miami Heat last June.

Also, David Eckstein of the Florida won the World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals last October.

Also, this is the fourth time in Super Bowl history that the NFL's best defense has met the NFL's best offense. Advantage defense every time.

Also, the team with the least amount of turnovers has won 28 of 32 Super Bowls. The Bears have two turnovers the past two games. The Colts have three.

Also, Lovie Smith's alma mater, Tulsa, is 14-7 this season. Tony Dungy's alma mater, Minnesota, is 9-14 and both the football and basketball coaches were fired.

Also, everyone is picking the Colts to win. Remember, back in early January, when everybody picked the Buckeyes to win?

Hmmm....

Need I say more?

Bears 28, Colts 24

"That ain't right"

Enter my hypothetical world for a few moments.

It's June 2007 and the two-month-long NBA playoffs are finally nearing their conclusion. In a matter of days, the NBA Finals will get under way. It's a rematch of last year: Dallas vs. Miami.

Except that Miami will be without one of its key players. Udonis Haslem was arrested a month ago - during the second round of the playoffs - when police found three handguns, three rifles and ammunition in his house. This was the third time in 18 months Haslem was arrested.

Haslem was relegated to home confinement and was not permitted to play the rest of playoffs with the Heat. Commissioner David Stern, acting in order to prevent public outcry, immediately suspended Haslem for his conduct.

Skipping forward a week or so, Dallas wins its first NBA title. The Heat, with Shaq not close to 100 percent, is lacking in big men and gets dominated down low. Haslem's absence kills it.

All right. Snap back to the real world. Yesterday, Tank Johnson, a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears, was granted permission to play in the Feb. 4 Super Bowl against the Indianapolis Colts by Cook County (Ill.) Judge John Moran. Johnson was arrested for exactly what I placed on poor Udonis Haslem, who is a good person (sorry, Udonis, I had to use somebody as an example).

Personally, I don't have a huge problem with Johnson playing in the Super Bowl. I believe in second chances (although he has been arrested three times). I think the guy should get the opportunity to right himself. But I am shocked at the lack of public displeasure about this decision. It's as if, since Johnson is a key contributor for the Bears, of course he should play.

Let the past be the past.

This decision highlights a significant difference between how malcontents in the NFL are viewed and treated and malcontents in the NBA and MLB are treated. Players in the NFL are able to get away with a lot more off-the-field issues than professional basketball or baseball players. Players will be on trial for a crime and cheered by their fans at the same time (example - Chris Henry, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals).

When an NBA player is arrested, he is not easily forgiven by the fans and he is constantly portrayed by the media as a thug. Even Kobe Bryant, one of the league's biggest names, was booed for a full season after accused of sexual assault. I hate to say it, but there are NFL players on active rosters who have been accused of similar crimes - and they're not booed.

A big reason for this is familiarity. Basketball players are the most visible team sports figures. There are only 10 of them on a court at a time and it's easy for a casual observer to memorize the faces they see playing. The same can just about be said of baseball players. But football players? Not so fast, my friend.

Football players' faces are hidden behind facemasks. Some players, such as LaDanian Tomlinson, even wear tinted visors that completely shield their faces from everybody. Additionally, because there are 22 players on the field at a time, there aren't nearly as many close-up camera views of football players as there are of basketball or baseball players.

If a baseball fan saw a head shot of the Yankees' Bernie Williams, they would immediately recognize him. If a football fan saw a head shot of Rams' offensive tackle Orlando Pace, I'm guessing they'd struggle to identify him. While most football fans recognize quarterbacks and running backs - high-profile players - when it comes to recognizing, say, Tank Johnson, they struggle.

And how can one possibly rant negatively about a person when they are not familiar with that person's appearance?

It's not easy.

It's easy to hate Barry Bonds. Every average Joe in America who follows sports at all knows who Bonds is, has seen pictures of Bonds - has seen that HUGE head - and many of these fans (another hypothesis) would protest if Bonds was honored for breaking Hank Aaron's home run record.

It's easy to dislike Ron Artest. Anyone in America with a television likely saw the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills more than two years ago. They saw how Artest maliciously rushed into the stands to confront a Pistons' fan. There weren't too many non-Indiana Pacers fans who didn't support Stern for suspending Artest for the rest of the season.

But Tank Johnson can have loaded guns in his house - accessible to his two infant children, no less - and he gets to go to Miami to play football.

Where’s all the criticism? Where are all the Tank Haters?

Something’s ain’t right here.

It also ain’t right that Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers will be playing in the Pro Bowl on Feb. 11 despite the fact that he violated the league's steroids policy earlier this season, resulting in a four-game suspension. No one cares about that anymore though. To them, Merriman is just one heckuva linebacker.

Mark McGwire, on the other hand, will likely never make the Hall-of-Fame because he took a substance that was legal at the time and he hit 70 home runs because of it. Not talking about the past in front of Congress didn't help McGwire, either.

Still... that ain't right.

No one will argue that football is more physically demanding than basketball or baseball. To be a good football player, you've got to have that mean streak in you. You have to be aggressive all the time. Finesse doesn't work.

Some players, apparently, can't leave their violent style on the field. For this, I pity them. But this should not - by any means - give them a free pass from crimes they allegedly commit. Or make them any less guilty in the court of public opinion.

All athletes should be treated the same way. Whether their faces are visible on our televisions or not.

"Peyton's saviors"

Peyton Manning sat on the sideline, head in his hands, praying. He did not look like a quarterback who had just engineered a perfect 80-yard drive in 1 minute, 17 seconds.

He looked scared. Can't-watch scared. He knew who was standing on the opposite sideline, preparing to take the field.

Tom Brady. Manning's nemesis. The quarterback whom everyone referred to as the best clutch player at his position in the NFL (and arguably, in history). Not Manning. But Brady.

And after the kickoff return, Brady had 54 seconds and two timeouts, with the Patriots trailing 38-34, to lead them down the field. For any other quarterback, this would seem very unlikely. For Brady, I was thinking there was about a 40-60 chance.

If Brady led his team to victory, Manning, despite playing a nearly perfect second half - leading the Colts to 32 points to bring them back from an 18-point deficit - would be devastated. The press would eat the "Manning can't win the big games" apple, despite his performance. The Patriots would go to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in six years. The Colts would stay home, maybe never to make the big game during Manning's career.

Brady looked good to start the drive. After an incompletion, he completed two straight passes to get the Patriots to the Colts 45-yard line with 24 seconds to play and a timeout. He was a big play from getting his team into that range where he could start taking shots into the end zone.

Manning buried his head deeper between his knees, praying for what had eluded him twice: a playoff win over the Patriots.

And then he quickly looked up and smiled. He stood up, took a long sigh of relief and walked toward the field. The offense was going back on the field. He had to take one more snap, and all he would need to do was kneel down.

The Colts had won. The defense had held.

How 'bout that defense?

During the regular season, the Colts defense looked about as special as a piece of cotton candy at a carnival. It couldn't stop the run. Teams scored against it late in close games. It was anything but clutch.

On Sunday, the Colts defense did just as much as Manning and his offense to win the game. On the surface, giving up 34 points seems like anything but an admirable performance. But if you look beneath the number, you will notice these things:

- One of the Patriots touchdowns came on an interception return by Asante Samuel in the second quarter, which made the score 21-3 New England.
- The Patriots' lone touchdown in the second half came after an 80-yard kickoff return. Furthermore, the touchdown, a completion to Jabar Gaffney, was very questionable. It was ruled that Gaffney was pushed out of bounds, but I don't think he would have gotten both feet in had he come straight down.
- Twice, in the fourth quarter, the Colts held the Patriots to field goals.

When Brady and his offense got the ball with 3:22 remaining - and the Colts in possession of just two time outs - I thought it would be over within a matter of plays. Brady and the Patriots would pick up two first downs and run out the clock, leaving Manning & Crew helpless.

But the Colts defense came up big. On 3rd-and-4, a run-pass option down, Brady dropped back to throw, had time, released the ball... and it was nearly intercepted by Bob Sanders. The safety, who had missed the previous two playoff games due to injury, had moved up from his position, read Brady's eyes, and gotten in front of Troy Brown and a potential game-ending completion.

After that, it didn’t take long for Manning to drive the Colts down the field for that game-winning touchdown.

Not much time for Sanders & Crew to rest. But again, with Manning, the rest of the offense, the coaches, an entire stadium full of rabid fans, an entire state watching from their homes, and an entire nation of "Patriots haters" counting on it, the defense stepped up.

Marlin Jackson, who, it should be noted, is a University of Michigan man - just like Brady - stepped in front of Brady’s pass, took a few steps forward, then fell flat on his back on purpose. There was no need to run. It was over. The Colts were headed to the Super Bowl. Manning's defense had come through for him.

Why was this so surprising? After all, that defense has saved Manning and his offense this entire postseason. The defense played inspired football against the Chiefs and Ravens while Manning, basically, stunk up the joint. It shut down Larry Johnson, Jamal Lewis, and, on Sunday, perhaps the best two-man combo in the league of Corey Dillon (powerful, experienced) and Laurence Maroney (more speed, more moves). At the end of the night, the Patriots finished with just 93 yards, well below the 150-plus yards Indianapolis gave up per game during the regular season.

And it slowed down Tom Brady. A controversial touchdown and two field goals in the second half. That's all Brady could muster.

During the next two weeks, Manning will likely get more attention than the Colts defense. He will be favorably compared to mercurial Bears QB Rex Grossman. He will be talked about, finally, as a quarterback who can win the big game. Analysts will mention how if he leads the Colts to victory on Feb. 4, he will already be a Hall-of-Famer, up there with Montana, Elway and company.

And he deserves all of this.

But just remember - if not for his defense answering his prayers, Manning would be at his home the next two weeks, trying to digest another playoff defeat to the Patriots, banging his head against a wall over and over again.

Thanks, guys.

"The Colts play defense?"

The Indianapolis Colts became the Baltimore Ravens for three hours Saturday. Now they're moving on and the Ravens are emptying their lockers.

Call it identity theft. Notify the authorities. It doesn't matter. All we know is that in the biggest game of the season, the Colts defense played like the Baltimore Ravens defense usually plays. The Baltimore defense was pretty darn good, too.

In fact, the game was very, very even.

Peyton Manning had his second consecutive poor playoff performance, throwing zero touchdowns and two interceptions. If it wasn't for an incredible diving catch by Dallas Clark on Indy's final possession, the Colts' vaunted offense would have given the ball back to Baltimore for one final chance to win the game with a touchdown.

But there would be no miracle for Steve McNair's team on this afternoon. Instead, he got a steady dose of pressure, which is defined in Webster's as: "the burden of physical or mental distress." Dwight Freeney and the rest of the Colts' defense partied in Baltimore's backfield all day, harassing McNair into two interceptions, including a very key pick by Nick Harper in Colts' territory in the final quarter.

Indianapolis' first interception was almost just as important. Baltimore's best drive of the game ended at the 1-yard line in the second quarter when Antoine Bethea got his hands on McNair's pass.

The Colts forced four Baltimore turnovers, which resulted in six points – the difference in the score until Indy’s final field goal with 23 seconds remaining iced the contest.

All season long the Colts tricked teams into thinking they had a bad run defense by giving up huge chunks of yards on the ground. I think it was a setup. Kansas City's Larry Johnson had no luck against the Colts' defense last weekend. Ditto Jamal Lewis on Saturday. He ran for a measly 53 yards on 13 carries.

It's still hard to believe, so repeat after me: "Peyton Manning had two bad games and the Indianapolis Colts won both of them by nine points or more."

Wow. Amazing stuff.

Will the Colts win next week if Manning completes the bad performance hat trick? No. Not going to happen.

But with the way this defense is playing, plus the impeccable kicking of Adam Vinateri (5-for-5 on field goals Saturday, including ones from 42, 48 and 51 yards), Manning won't have to be indomitable next Sunday.

Just good. Just turnover-free.

Wow! Never thought I'd be saying that about a Peyton Manning-led Colts team. Trent Dilfer maybe, but Peyton Manning?

He is supposed to carry this team. He is supposed to play flawlessly each week for the Colts to have a chance at tasting victory against the league’s best teams. The Colts of a year ago wouldn’t have even played Baltimore on Saturday. It would have been the Chiefs, after defeating Indianapolis in the Wild Card round.

A year ago the Colts defense showed glimpses of having potential during the regular season, only to fold in the playoffs (along with Manning and a jobless kicker named Vanderjagt).

Not this time around. The Colts have proved what last year’s Pittsburgh team made clear: once a team – any team – gets to the playoffs, everything that happened during the regular season is out the window. There’s a reason the regular season ends in one year and the playoffs commence in the next.

They are two completely different seasons.

Just ask the Indianapolis Colts defense.

"Romo's other mistake"

Tony Romo sat on the field, head in hands, probably near tears. It took a minute for him to finally get to his feet and return to the sideline, only to find a solitary spot on the bench to continue his mourning.

The game was over.

Or was it?

As heartbreaking as Romo's botched snap on what could have been the game-winning field goal must have been, when he was tackled just shy of the 1-yard line - giving Seattle the ball with a 21-20 lead in the NFC wild card matchup - there was still hope for Dallas.

Problem was, the Cowboys - especially Romo - didn't seem to see it that way. No one will argue that Romo's mishandle on the 19-yard field goal attempt was the key play in Seattle's 21-20 win. If he had gotten the snap down and Martin Gramatica made the rudimentary kick, the Cowboys would have had a very good chance of playing again next weekend. But what nobody - and I mean not a player, coach, or media member - mentioned during the postgame swarm was this:

After the play, Seattle had the ball just outside its 1-yard line.

There was still 1:14 left on the clock.

And, most importantly, Dallas had all three of its timeouts remaining.

Three stops, three TO's, and the Cowboys could have had the ball back - with great field position and at least 50 seconds. Romo could have retook the field and gone from goat to hero.

In a matter of minutes.

But it didn't come to that. Shaun Alexander reeled off a 20-yard run on the first play. After Dallas burned its timeouts, Seattle was able to run the clock down to eight seconds before punting. The kick sailed out of bounds near midfield, giving Romo one last chance, a Hail Mary attempt.

Thing is, neither Romo nor his teammates seemed adequately prepared for even a last-gasp heave at victory. One would think, with their season on the line, the offensive players would have been on the sideline putting together a play for their last chance. Maybe, once they realized they'd likely have just one play, they could have figured out a tip play, where one receiver jumps above the swarming cornerbacks to tap it back to another wideout. I know, sounds crazy. But as a Michigan fan, I did have to suffer through Kordell Stewart's 64-yard Hail Mary to Michael Westbrook in 1994 that helped Colorado beat Michigan.

Anything is possible.

But most of Dallas' offensive weapons had their heads between their knees during the final minute, wallowing in their sorrows, when, actually, their book of tribulations hadn't quite been finished. NBC's cameras showed the listless face of Julius Jones and the buried helmet of Romo. It was as if the game was complete.

A teammate had to alert Romo that there was still a pass to be thrown. He finally placed his helmet on and trotted onto the field for one last breath. When his desperation throw hit the end zone's turf, it was over - really, this time - and he could do all the sulking he wanted.

It should be mentioned that this is fairly common in sports - especially football, and especially with young players. Romo is not alone. Players let one play decide the outcome of a game. Yes, one play can be very crucial in deciding the victor, but often there remains football to be played. I have no idea what it's like to be inside that helmet - with the crowd buzzing, and a cacophony of noise around the player, and a million things going through his head - but so many players could raise their level of play from good to great by becoming better game managers.

There are few players like Tom Brady, who orchestrates perfect two-minute drives, always knows the situation, and never seems to give up hope or hang his head. He is a proven winner and makes sure a loss isn't a loss until there is nothing he or his teammates can do about it. Brady is a rarity, and someone whom players such as Romo could definitely learn from.

Would Brady have won the game with a Hail Mary on the final play? Almost certainly not. But would he have spent the entire 1:12 Seattle had the ball (plus the three Dallas timeouts) gathering his offense and sketching out a last-ditch plan to snare a victory from the jaws of defeat? Most certainly yes.

Romo is young. He's got a lot to learn. He'll only improve if given the chance as Dallas' starter next season. But he'll still make mistakes - maybe even some as monumental as the botched snap on Saturday.

Which is why one of the biggest lessons he - as well as his offensive teammates - needs to take from Saturday's loss is to always keep fighting until the end.

"Do the right thing"

Shawne Merriman’s invitation to the Pro Bowl in February should be rescinded. No ifs, ands or buts.

The San Diego Chargers linebacker might be the top defensive player in the NFL. He's recorded an incredible 16 sacks in just 11 games this season. You'd have to do some digging to find a player who has put up similar numbers.

But he cheated. No, check that. He got caught cheating. Merriman was suspended earlier this season for four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Yet pundits are saying he still deserves his spot in the Pro Bowl and possibly the defensive player of the year award. On the TV show "Quite Frankly," Rob Parker of the "Detroit News" said he believes several NFL players use performance enhancing drugs, so, therefore, Merriman shouldn't be left out of the conversation about postseason awards just because he got caught.

While Parker may be right about several players using, he's wrong about Merriman. He broke a rule, was punished and should have to stay home whenever San Diego's playoff run concludes. What kind of message would the NFL be sending if it named Merriman the league's top defensive player?

That if you cheat to become a great player then you can make it to the top and soak up all the honors while clean players busting their butts only make the back page.

That ain't right.

There are so many issues in today's sports world involving athletes cheating or getting arrested or jousting with their teammates and coaches. This situation provides an opportunity for the NFL to step in and say it isn't going to reward players who haven't played and/or acted by the rules.

Strip Merriman of his Pro Bowl spot. Give the defensive player of the year to Miami's Jason Taylor, who shouldn't have been the one to speak out against Merriman, but I can't really blame him. No one else was doing it. Taylor has had a great season. His numbers don't match Merriman's, but by no means would it be wrong to give him the award.

Like it would be to hand it to Merriman.

Even if it was a simple mistake, one of those "how did that get in my morning smoothie?" occurrences, a message needs to be sent here. No, it likely won't stop others from taking whatever their taking. Yes, Rob Parker, there will still be drug use in the NFL. But the players will know that if they are caught, any chance they have of being recognized for their play on the field with a piece of hardware will be gone.

Their name will not be added to the record books. Only their numbers will be recognized. Do it before it's too late. We all know what steroids have done to baseball and how awkward it will be if and when Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's hallowed home run record.

The NFL can take a baby step toward cleaning up its game in the coming month. While NFL fans will likely enjoy watching Merriman in the playoffs, the only honor he should be able to celebrate this season is being a Super Bowl champion.

"Eagles flying high"

"Philadelphia sans McNabb is nothing better than a middle-of-the-pack team. And no one will be scared of Philly the rest of the year." - my blog, 11/20/06

I was wrong. Completely wrong.

When Donovan McNabb went down in Week 11, with the Philadelphia Eagles 5-5, I thought the Eagles' shot at making the playoffs in the weak NFC was very slim. After all, they'd be starting a 36-year-old quarterback who had struggled the past two seasons on mediocre teams.

Without McNabb, the Eagles appeared to be just that - a mediocre team.

On Christmas Day Philly looked like a championship team. The Eagles went into Dallas with the division title on the line and whooped the Cowboys. There was no question who the better team was after Philly's 23-7 domination of Dallas. With a win at home against Atlanta next Sunday, Philly can clinch the NFC East.

Who would have thought? Not me.

The Eagles have proven what other teams would like to prove - that their season doesn't hinge on one player. San Diego would like to say they could win without L.T. Atlanta would like to say it could win without Michael Vick.

But they certainly don't want to try. The Eagles never complained after losing McNabb. Despite an extremely difficult stretch-run schedule, the Eagles have put together four straight wins after losing their first sans-McNabb game. They've defeated Carolina at home and Washington, the N.Y. Giants and Dallas on the road.

Not exactly easy pickings.

Garcia has stepped in and earned his teammates' trust. He's completed 62.2 percent of his passes and thrown 10 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

Running back Bryan Westbrook hasn't been at 100 percent all season, yet he's only missed one game and has rushed for over 1,200 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He's the most underrated running back in the NFL.

And the defense seems to be coming around too. Philly entered the Christmas Day contest giving up the second-most rushing yards in the league, but it shut down Dallas' two-pronged attack of Julius Jones and Marion Barber, holding them to just 41 yards on 16 carries.

With Garcia playing mistake-free football and the defense shutting down the run and harassing opposing quarterbacks - Philly had three sacks and two INT's Monday against Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo - the Eagles have to be considered a Super Bowl contender.

You can quote me on it. I've already been blatantly wrong about this team once. Another wayward prediction won't hurt.

"Trying to lose?"

We've heard athletes and coaches say it over and over and over again. In post-game interviews, in press conferences, whenever they're interviewed: "All that matters is winning"... "As long as we win I'm happy"... etc., etc.

So, naturally - having been brainwashed - I am a bit surprised when I see things that make me believe a team and organization are not trying to win. A small example to begin with: The Minnesota Vikings were trailing the Miami Dolphins 24-13 this past Sunday in a very important game for Minnesota, which is trying to get back into the wildcard picture in the NFC.

Anyway, the Vikings were driving in the final minute. Their chances of winning the game were not good - but stranger things have happened. There were seven seconds remaining and Minnesota had the ball at the Miami 1-yard line. Now, obviously, they needed two scores. So that would entail a quick touchdown, an onside kick (which, on average, takes 1-4 seconds to recover), and a Hail Mary pass. Again, very, very unlikely, but possible ("We'll do whatever it takes to win").

So what did the Vikings do? Not a quick slant, not a quick out. No, they ran a play-action rollout play, which took six seconds. And they didn't even score. Of course, they punched it in on the next play.

But the game was over. Case closed. Time to hit the showers.

Again, I know I'm being nit-picky here, but if professional teams really do want to win every game, the Vikings would have continued to try in those final seconds instead of running a stupid play that decreased their chance of winning from .1 percent to 0 percent.

All right, enough of that.

To move on to bigger and badder things, let's stay in the NFC North where the Detroit Lions are hanging in their usual spot: at the bottom of the standings of the worse division in football. At 2-8, Detroit has no use in playing out the season (except, maybe, to get that No. 1 draft pick - but there are no receivers that good this year).

Ok, no more wide receiver jokes. I promise. The Lions organization is a perfect example for this column. In fact, it made this column. If not for the Lions, I wouldn't be writing this - although I really was enraged with the Vikings' play-call on Sunday.

The Lions' problems are not on the field so much as they are upstairs. Current general manager Matt Millen is an absolute joke. He's been with the Lions for 90 games. They are 23-67. They haven't made the playoffs once. They haven't won more than six games in a season and have suffered two-win and three-win seasons. You get the picture.

And yet Lions owner William Clay Ford Sr. refuses to rid of Millen. Millen continues to bring in new coach after new coach (he's on his third helping with Rod Marinelli); he's drafted a bevy of malcontents (Charles Rogers; Mike Williams, unless he shapes up). And he's cast a dark cloud over this organization. It got so bad last year that before and after the team's final home game fans marched up and down the streets outside Ford Field yielding anti-Millen signs.

Ford could have possibly saved the franchise by ditching Millen before this season. No such luck for Lions fans.

Ford is ridiculously loyal to Millen, and right there, Lions fans, you have your recipe for disaster.

No, it wasn't quarterback Joey Harrington, who's returning Thursday as the starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, a franchise that actually carries a sense of hope. No, the Lions' struggles this season are not because Shaun Rogers flunked a drug test (although that is pretty sad).

I rarely blame losing on someone who doesn't play or stand on the sideline. But in this case, it's too obvious. Millen's coaches haven't succeeded. His draft picks have dogged it. His teams have had chemistry issues. He hasn't done a damn thing right in nearly six years.

And the Lions keep on losing. I found it kind of eerie when I visited the team's official website and couldn't find a link to the Lions' season-by-season records. There was every other possible statistic - but no records. Obviously, not just the fans are embarrassed by their team.

Hopefully Clay's cheeks will begin to redden. Only then, maybe, would he consider throwing Millen into the cold, giving this franchise a chance to win.

Maybe it'll be after Thanksgiving. Could things get any worse than Harrington returning to Detroit and winning?

We shall see.

"NFL Week 11 wrap-up"

"Eagles done"
You can take one team off the list of Super Bowl contenders. The Philadelphia Eagles. After losing star quarterback Donovan McNabb to a season-ending ACL injury in a loss to Tennessee yesterday, Philly is done. At 5-5, they could, possibly, still make the playoffs with Jeff Garcia at the helm. But even then, it would just be cutting into their vacation time. Philadelphia sans McNabb is nothing better than a middle-of-the-pack team. And no one will be scared of Philly the rest of the year.

"Wacky NFC South"
Does anybody want to win this division? Despite the talented teams here, it's beginning to look like the NFC North. OK, maybe not that bad. But it's not living up to expectations. As it stands right now:

Carolina 6-4
New Orleans 6-4
Atlanta 5-5
Tampa Bay 3-7

I fully expect the Panthers to pull away because they are the best team and they have momentum (having won two straight games rather handily), but then again, things are so wacky down south, anything could happen. And momentum means nothing in the NFL. If the Buccaneers had one more win, I'd be tempted to say they've got a chance to steal the division.

New Orleans and Atlanta meet in the Georgia Dome next Sunday. That game should tell us something. If Atlanta loses, I think they're done. Injuries have decimated the Falcons' D, their running game is nonexistent, and Michael Vick got sacked five times Sunday. That's not supposed to happen to Michael Vick. New Orleans, on the other hand, somehow got blown out by Cincinnati at home despite Drew Brees throwing for 510 yards. I never know what to expect from the Saints. But I do know their defense isn't very strong. So that leaves the Panthers, who shut out St. Louis 15-0 yesterday. I'm picking them. But for all I know, they could end up missing the playoffs.

"Wacky NFC West"
This division is even more confusing. The San Francisco 49ers - who won six games the past two seasons combined - are somehow 5-5 after defeating the Seahawks 20-14 yesterday. And they're just a game back of Seattle (6-4). Meanwhile, the Rams, who began the season 4-1, have dropped five in a row - including two two-point losses to the Seahawks - and they're likely out of the race along with the 2-8 Cardinals.

It's hard to imagine the 49ers winning the division - especially with Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck expected to return soon from injury - but with another game against Seattle in December and home games against the lowly Packers and Cardinals, you can't rule them out. QB Alex Smith isn't making mistakes - he was an efficient 19-of-25 for 163 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions yesterday - and Frank Gore is quietly becoming one of the league's best backs. His ability probably can't be hidden any longer, however. Not after his 212-yard performance yesterday.

My prediction: The Seahawks will get it together and hold off the 49ers. But the fact that I'm even discussing San Fran at this point in the season is a credit to that team.

"Indy finally loses"
Better sooner than later. After the Colts fell to the Cowboys 21-14 yesterday, I firmly believe that. Last season Indy went 13-0 before finally falling to San Diego and Seattle in back-to-back weeks. The Colts - having wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs - didn't play their starters much in their regular-season finale against Arizona. And you know what happened against Pittsburgh in the playoffs. They were flat-out rusty until the fourth quarter.

The Colts' loss yesterday not only gets the burden of going undefeated off their shoulders, it also gives them six weeks to get their play up to the level it will need to be at in the playoffs. Another plus for the Colts is the challenge they're getting from Baltimore and San Diego in the AFC. Both teams are 8-2 and just a game back of Indy. The longer the Colts have to play meaningful games, the better off they are. It is essential that they enter the playoffs playing their best football of the season.

"Monday Night prediction"
New York Giants (6-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)
Having likely lost quarterback Byron Leftwich for the season this week due to ankle surgery, the Jaguars are going to play inspired football in front of the home crowd. And QB David Garrard won't have to worry about Leftwich breathing down his back, like in past weeks. He's Jacksonville's QB for the rest of the season. He'll relax and play one of his best games. The Giants will put up a great fight, getting another solid game from Tiki Barber, but in the end the Jags will rebound from last week's loss to Houston.
- Jacksonville 24, New York 17

"Ravens are Super contenders"

A year ago I picked the Baltimore Ravens to go to the Super Bowl. I didn't bet money or anything, but I told all my boys, "The Ravens, watch out for them come January."

Um, I won't go into all the jibing I received throughout the season as the Ravens absolutely stunk, finishing 6-10. One of the reasons I had picked them was their "stellar defense," led by Ray Lewis, the most intimidating player in the league, and Ed Reed, possibly the league's best safety.

But Baltimore gave up 299 points, the most in three years. That's nearly 19 points a game. And that's definitely not Baltimore football.

I think that D struggled because Baltimore's offense wasn't giving it any reason to be auspicious. Quarterback Kyle Boller continued to struggle, Jamaal Lewis wasn't his old self and Baltimore had no legitimate receiving threats besides tight end Todd Heap. Baltimore scored just 265 points (16.5 ppg).

I'm not gonna throw cliches at you, but it can't be denied that a good offense makes life much easier for a team's defense. Even if the offense drives 40 yards only to turn the ball over or miss a field goal, it's giving the defensive players time to rest. This was not the case last year, as 3-and-outs in Baltimore were as common as crushing hits by Ray Lewis usually are.

It was not a pretty situation in Baltimore - which, remember - is just six years removed from a Super Bowl victory. That team was led by a stingy defense and a quarterback who did just enough but didn't try to do too much: Trent Dilfer.

It became obvious last season that Baltimore was going to need more than a Trent Dilfer - and conspicuously an upgrade from Boller - at QB to contend for a Super Bowl again.

And then Steve McNair fell into the Ravens' lap.

After a dispute with the Titans, McNair signed with Baltimore. McNair has meshed really well with Derrick Mason, who was McNair's teammate in Tennessee for eight years, and McNair has also found a favorite target in second-year-man Mark Clayton out of Oklahoma.

Also, Jamaal Lewis is regaining his form. While I don't always agree with Tony Siragusa, I couldn't argue with the sideline reporter when he told the Fox audience watching yesterday's Baltimore-Atlanta game that Lewis looked better than he had in a long time.

Helped by Lewis' three touchdowns, the Ravens easily defeated Atlanta 24-10 to improve to 8-2. They hold a commanding three-game lead over the Bengals in the AFC Central Division.

And they're one of the true Super Bowl contenders out there. They have the formula for success.

Great defense; good running game; veteran quarterback; receivers who can make plays.

It's amazing how things can change in just a year, isn't it? Maybe that's why Lions fans return to Ford Field every September hoping for a miracle from their moribund team.

But this Baltimore team wasn't lacking in talent last season. It just didn't have the mentality to go out and win football games. The offense's struggles wore on the defense, which didn't have the fire it usually has.

Yesterday the Ravens were without Ray Lewis, who was relegated to a cheerleader on the sideline. Yet that defense didn't need a pep talk from its leader. It harassed Michael Vick all game, sacking him five times and allowing just 127 passing yards.

Even in the final few minutes, with Baltimore comfortably ahead 24-10, Lee Suggs dragged Vick down from behind, adding an exclamation point to the Ravens victory.

Nobody picked this team to go to the Super Bowl before the season, not even me. Some forecasted the playoffs, others didn't. The expectations in Baltimore were higher than those for the town's other professional team, MLB's Orioles, but not by much.

Well, expectations have been raised. By a lot.

And with good reason. With Indianapolis' loss to Dallas yesterday, Baltimore (along with San Diego) is just a game back of the Colts in the AFC.

And last year's vacation from good football in Baltimore is history.

"The main reason why you've gotta love the NFL"

This Sunday was exactly why, despite the zillions of commercials, despite the endless Fox promos, despite Joe Buck broadcasting football games, you've got to love the NFL.

Can I say unpredictable?

Yes I can, because that's exactly what the NFL is. I'm no gambling man (don't worry, Mom), but if I was, the NFL would be the absolute last league I'd bet on.

Tell me, and let's be honest here: Who would have picked the Jets (4-4; now 5-4) to beat the Patriots (6-2; 6-3) in Foxboro Sunday? Who would have picked the Browns (2-6; 3-6) to win in Atlanta (5-3; 5-4)? Who would have laid down dough on Miami (2-6; 3-6) to knock off Kansas City (5-3; 5-4)? Ok, I can believe that one, since the Fins ended the Bears perfect season last weekend.

But, then again, does momentum mean anything - and I mean ANYTHING - in this league? The answer is no. A resounding no.

The Redskins were coming off an emotionally bizarre last-second win over the Cowboys. And they got thumped by the Eagles, 27-3, who ended a three-game losing streak. Jacksonville was coming off a 37-7 drubbing of Tennessee, so of course it went out and laid an egg at home against a Houston team that lost quarterback David Carr mid-game.

So obviously momentum means about as much as a third-string punter. And so does a good record, except for when it comes to qualifying for the playoffs. On a given day, a 2-6 team can beat a 6-2 team (oops, sorry for giving it away: yes the Steelers, who were somehow four-point favorites, knocked off the Saints to keep their playoff hopes alive).

After Sunday's games, I have a new respect for NFL experts who can actually pick the games at 60 or 70 percent. Anything above that is phenomenal.

Yes, there are a few certainties in the NFL - such as, the Lions and Cardinals are going to interminably stink regardless of how nice their stadiums are. But, at the same time, wasn't it those 1-6 Lions who drilled 5-2 Atlanta last week? And didn't Arizona have a huge lead against an undefeated Bears squad about a month back before pulling an epic collapse.

Just goes to show that in the NFL, where commercials come before and after kickoffs, wins, on the other hand, are hard to come by.

On any given Sunday.

"NFL Week 10 preview"

It's the second half of the season, which means there are a few groups of teams.

There are the "playoff locks"
- Indianapolis (8-0)
- Chicago (7-1)

There are the "looking good for the playoffs"
- New England (6-2)
- Denver (6-2)
- San Diego (6-2)
- Baltimore (6-2)
- NY Giants (6-2)

There are the "50-50 chance" teams
- Seattle (5-3)
- Atlanta (5-3)
- Jacksonville (5-3)
- Kansas City (5-3)
- Minnesota (4-4)
- Philly (4-4)
- Dallas (4-4)
- Carolina (4-4)
- St. Louis (4-4)
- Cincinnati (4-4)

There are the "outside looking in" teams
- NY Jets (4-4)
- GB (3-5)
- Washington (3-5)
- Buffalo (3-5)
- San Francisco (3-5)
- Pittsburgh (2-6)* can't count them out just yet

And there are the "start playing for that high draft pick" teams
- Detroit (2-6)
- Tampa Bay (2-6)
- Miami (2-6)
- Cleveland (2-6)
- Houston (2-6)
- Oakland (2-6)
- Tennessee (2-6)
- Arizona (1-7)

With that said, here are previews for a couple of the games that matter this weekend.

San Diego (6-2) at Cincy (4-4)
Must-win game for the Bengals, simple as that. Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson need to step up in this one otherwise this team is done. Meanwhile, San Diego continues to fly under the radar screen. No one's talking about it, but with the game's most consistent running back, the Chargers are a top-level team.
*My pick: Cincy 27, San Diego 24

Green Bay (3-5) at Minnesota (4-4)
I don't think either of these teams will make the playoffs, but I KNOW that the loser of this game is definitely out of the playoff picture. Will Brett Favre put together one final great game in the Metrodome? I don't think so. Vikings rebound from an absolutely devastating loss in the odious Bay Area.
*My pick: Minnesota 28, Green Bay 14

Washington (3-5) at Philly (4-4)
Another make-or-break game in the NFC. I still think Philly is a playoff team, despite three straight losses by a combined 12 points. Washington's win over Big D last week was an emotional rollercoaster the 'Skins will have a hard time getting off. Philly begins a strong second half with a hard-fought victory.
*My pick: Philly 24, Washington 17

St. Louis (4-4) at Seattle (5-3)
Huge NFC West matchup. If St. Louis wins, this division goes down to the wire. If the Seahawks win, I see them running away with it. Can Seattle actually win without its offensive leaders, Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck? Actually, yes. Boosted by the home crowd and a strong defensive effort, the Seahawks take control of the division.
*My pick: Seattle 20, St. Louis 13

Chicago (7-1) at NY Giants (6-2)
Now we get to see how the Bears respond to losing. A week after getting drilled by the Dolphins at home, they go on the road to face a Giants team that has quietly won five games in a row. Tiki Barber is playing as if it's his last season - which, of course, it is - and Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress are becoming quite the tandem. The key for the Bears is to limit the turnovers. We know their defense can keep them in the game, but only if their offense holds onto the ball. Rex Grossman needs to regain his confidence after a couple shaky outings in the past month. Close game, but Giants prevail.
*My pick: NY Giants 17, Chicago 13

By the end of today's games, we should know a lot more. Several teams will have either played their way into the thick of the playoff race or played their way out of it. That's why you gotta love the second half of the season.

Unless you're a Lions fan.