Post by TheShadow on Dec 25, 2007 9:23:08 GMT -5
www.latimes.com/
By Sam Farmer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – With the New England Patriots one punch removed from a perfect regular season – only the New York Giants remain in their path – the football world will see whether Bill Belichick’s team can not only go 16-0, but 19-0.
There is plenty going on elsewhere, though, in the NFL, which is filled with breakout players, some onetime star coaches on the ropes, a few surprising contenders and a champion that’s almost gone overlooked.
Yes, even at 13-2, the Indianapolis Colts are almost an afterthought. They defeated the Houston Texans 38-15 Sunday to stretch their winning streak to six games. The Colts, locked into the AFC’s No. 2 spot, have a chance to sweep their division Sunday. They finish at home against Tennessee.
Before they came alive in the playoffs last January, the Colts stumbled through December with a laughable run defense and losses to each of their three division foes. This season, despite being battered by injuries to key players, they became the first team to post 12 victories five years in a row.
Top to bottom, the AFC South is the league’s toughest division. Second-place Jacksonville clinched its second playoff berth in three seasons with a 49-11 victory Sunday over the Oakland Raiders.
The Jaguars also posted an impressive victory in snowy Pittsburgh, where they proved they can win in foul weather. That’s a prerequisite in a conference where the path to the Super Bowl goes through bitter-cold Foxborough.
Jacksonville’s backs are running angry, gaining 224 yards rushing against Pittsburgh. That Steelers defense is looking wobbly, even though it still has the league’s top ranking. In the past three games, the Steelers have given up 87 points and 1,158 yards.
Having played Thursday at St. Louis, where they won by 17 but lost running back Willie Parker, the Steelers relaxed and recuperated Sunday while they watched the upstart Cleveland Browns lose at Cincinnati, 19-14. The Browns need the Titans to lose to the Colts or post a win or a tie over the San Francisco 49ers coupled with a Titans’ tie to earn a playoff berth.
In the NFC, Green Bay is a dangerous team, despite Sunday’s 35-7 loss to the Chicagoa Bears and especially now that it has developed a running game to complement Brett Favre’s passing.
Running back Ryan Grant, who has gained 799 yards this season, wasn’t even on the first team in early October, when the visiting Bears handed Green Bay the first of its three losses.
Green Bay’s loss gave the Dallas Cowboys the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the Packers the No. 2 spot.
The New York Giants defeated Buffalo 38-21 Sunday to clinch a wild-card berth and possibly saved coach Tom Coughlin’s job.
Coaches can make incredible comebacks, though. Just look at San Diego’s Norv Turner. His team, which played host to Denver Monday won the AFC West last weekend despite losing three of its first four games.
The Chargers, shaky as they have looked at times this season, have a chance to secure the No. 3 seeding in the AFC.
That could set the stage for them to play Indianapolis – a team they’ve beaten – in the divisional round.
By Sam Farmer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – With the New England Patriots one punch removed from a perfect regular season – only the New York Giants remain in their path – the football world will see whether Bill Belichick’s team can not only go 16-0, but 19-0.
There is plenty going on elsewhere, though, in the NFL, which is filled with breakout players, some onetime star coaches on the ropes, a few surprising contenders and a champion that’s almost gone overlooked.
Yes, even at 13-2, the Indianapolis Colts are almost an afterthought. They defeated the Houston Texans 38-15 Sunday to stretch their winning streak to six games. The Colts, locked into the AFC’s No. 2 spot, have a chance to sweep their division Sunday. They finish at home against Tennessee.
Before they came alive in the playoffs last January, the Colts stumbled through December with a laughable run defense and losses to each of their three division foes. This season, despite being battered by injuries to key players, they became the first team to post 12 victories five years in a row.
Top to bottom, the AFC South is the league’s toughest division. Second-place Jacksonville clinched its second playoff berth in three seasons with a 49-11 victory Sunday over the Oakland Raiders.
The Jaguars also posted an impressive victory in snowy Pittsburgh, where they proved they can win in foul weather. That’s a prerequisite in a conference where the path to the Super Bowl goes through bitter-cold Foxborough.
Jacksonville’s backs are running angry, gaining 224 yards rushing against Pittsburgh. That Steelers defense is looking wobbly, even though it still has the league’s top ranking. In the past three games, the Steelers have given up 87 points and 1,158 yards.
Having played Thursday at St. Louis, where they won by 17 but lost running back Willie Parker, the Steelers relaxed and recuperated Sunday while they watched the upstart Cleveland Browns lose at Cincinnati, 19-14. The Browns need the Titans to lose to the Colts or post a win or a tie over the San Francisco 49ers coupled with a Titans’ tie to earn a playoff berth.
In the NFC, Green Bay is a dangerous team, despite Sunday’s 35-7 loss to the Chicagoa Bears and especially now that it has developed a running game to complement Brett Favre’s passing.
Running back Ryan Grant, who has gained 799 yards this season, wasn’t even on the first team in early October, when the visiting Bears handed Green Bay the first of its three losses.
Green Bay’s loss gave the Dallas Cowboys the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the Packers the No. 2 spot.
The New York Giants defeated Buffalo 38-21 Sunday to clinch a wild-card berth and possibly saved coach Tom Coughlin’s job.
Coaches can make incredible comebacks, though. Just look at San Diego’s Norv Turner. His team, which played host to Denver Monday won the AFC West last weekend despite losing three of its first four games.
The Chargers, shaky as they have looked at times this season, have a chance to secure the No. 3 seeding in the AFC.
That could set the stage for them to play Indianapolis – a team they’ve beaten – in the divisional round.