Reuters

Well, it’s officially over.

With an eight-game gap and one week of games left, MDS and yours truly disagree on only five games.  Which means that, even if MDS sweeps, I’ll still be three games ahead.  (Math continues to be my strong suit.)

Of course, if I sweep I’ll finish with a 13-game lead.  And based on the five disagreements, I think I will.

Read on to see our picks and our takes for the final week of the regular season.  It all re-sets to 0-0 for the playoffs, at which time MDS will have a chance to exact revenge.  Or to fail again.

Last week, I was 11-5 and MDS went 10-6.  For the year, I’m now at 157-82-1, good for 65.4 percent.  MDS is 149-90-1, which keeps him at 62.0 percent.

Buccaneers at Falcons

MDS’s take: The Falcons wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but they say they’re playing to win in Week 17. They shouldn’t have much trouble winning against the Bucs, who have collapsed at the end of the season.

MDS’s pick: Falcons 34, Buccaneers 13.

Florio’s take:  The Bucs haven’t been the same team since they nearly beat the Falcons in Tampa.  The Falcons are still trying to prove that they’re one of the best teams in the league.

Florio’s pick:  Falcons 27, Buccaneers 17.

Jets at Bills

MDS’s take: Football fans, the Greg McElroy-Ryan Fitzpatrick quarterback matchup you’ve all been waiting for is finally here. Fitzpatrick will throw a couple of touchdown passes in what may be his final start in Buffalo.

MDS’s pick: Bills 20, Jets 10.

Florio’s take:  The Jets have folded the tents, even though the circus is still in town.  Buffalo celebrates the news of a new lease with a home win to end the season, just in time for plenty of changes.

Florio’s pick:  Bills 27, Jets 14.

Ravens at Bengals

MDS’s take: At first glance this might look like a big game, matching up two playoff teams. But with the Bengals locked into the No. 6 seed and the Ravens highly likely to end up with the No. 4 seed, neither of these teams has a lot to play for. I think the Ravens, however, will be a little more motivated to build on the momentum from last week’s win over the Giants and will take this one.

MDS’s pick: Ravens 21, Bengals 14.

Florio’s take:  This meaningless game has plenty of meaning for the Bengals, who need to convince themselves that they can beat the Ravens, in order to obtain the confidence that they can do something else they haven’t done in an even longer time — win in the playoffs.

Florio’s pick:  Bengals 27, Ravens 20.

Bears at Lions

MDS’s take: In 2000, the Lions were 9-6 heading into Week 17 and needed only to beat the 4-11 Bears to make the playoffs. Instead, the Bears pulled the upset and Lions owner William Clay Ford cleaned house and began the disastrous Matt Millen era. This year it’s the 9-6 Bears who need to beat the 4-11 Lions to have a shot at the playoffs. I’ll take the Lions to get their revenge in an upset.

MDS’s pick: Lions 28, Bears 24.

Florio’s take:  Rodney Harrison declared while watching the Lions lose to the Falcons that Detroit’s body language suggests the Lions have quit.  The Bears haven’t.  Sometimes, it’s that easy.

Florio’s pick:  Bears 24, Lions 10.

Texans at Colts

MDS’s take: The Texans are playing for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, while the Colts are already locked into the No. 5 seed in the AFC. Houston has more to play for and is a better team and will win this one going away.

MDS’s pick: Texans 36, Colts 17.

Florio’s take:  The Texans have never won in Indianapolis.  They need it this time more than ever.  But the Colts will have coach Chuck Pagano back, and even if the Colts leave so much on the field that it will make it harder to win in the playoffs, they’ll leave it all on the field to beat the Texans.

Florio’s pick:  Colts 27, Texans 23.

Packers at Vikings

MDS’s take: This is the biggest game played in Minnesota since Brett Favre led the Vikings to a divisional playoff win over the Cowboys three years ago. Unfortunately for Vikings fans, they’re hosting a Packers team that’s peaking at the right time. I like Aaron Rodgers to lead the Packers to a high-scoring win.

MDS’s pick: Packers 35, Vikings 27.

Florio’s take:  The Vikings are playing for a postseason berth.  The Packers are playing for a bye.  The Packers remain the better team, and they have every reason to demonstrate that on Sunday.  To the delight of the Bears.

Florio’s pick:  Packers 34, Vikings 21.

Dolphins at Patriots

MDS’s take: A win probably won’t be enough to earn New England a first-round playoff bye, but the Patriots will be motivated to try — and to wash out the bad taste of back-to-back disappointing performances, in a loss to the 49ers and a close win over the Jaguars.

MDS’s pick: Patriots 41, Dolphins 14.

Florio’s take:  The Pats still have a crack at a bye.  That’s all the incentive they need to take out the Dolphins for the second time this month.

Florio’s pick:  Patriots 34, Dolphins 17.

Panthers at Saints

MDS’s take: It’s a meaningless game for both teams, but that doesn’t make it a bad game: Both of these teams have been playing good football in recent weeks, despite falling short of the playoffs. I like the Panthers to keep their winning streak going and make a statement that they’re a team to keep an eye on in 2013.

MDS’s pick: Panthers 24, Saints 21.

Florio’s take:  New Orleans is trying to finish on a high note.  And they are succeeding.

Florio’s pick:  Saints 34, Panthers 10.

Eagles at Giants

MDS’s take: The Eagles quit on Andy Reid months ago. The Giants have looked in the last couple weeks like they quit on Tom Coughlin. Both of these teams are slouching toward the end of the season, but the Giants have more to play for.

MDS’s pick: Giants 14, Eagles 10.

Florio’s take:  The Giants are playing for pride, along with a sliver of hope that they could make it to the playoffs if enough other teams lose.  If the Giants find a way in, there’s a pretty good chance they won’t lose again.

Florio’s pick:  Giants 27, Eagles 20.

Browns at Steelers

MDS’s take: This game is meaningless, and I’m tempted to pick the Browns on the theory that the Steelers will be feeling a hangover from their disappointing Week 16 loss. But the Browns have gone in the tank over the last couple of weeks, and at this point I’m not sure I’d pick them to win on the road against anyone.

MDS’s pick: Steelers 17, Browns 9.

Florio’s take:  The Browns haven’t swept the Steelers since 1988, 11 years before the current edition of the Browns was born.  With rampant changes looming in Cleveland, the Steelers still have enough gas in the tank to avoid getting punked by the franchise they’ve owned since 1999 (even though the Browns are now technically owned by a guy who still owns a chunk of the Steelers).

Florio’s pick:  Steelers 20, Browns 10.

Jaguars at Titans

MDS’s take: Last time the Titans suffered a humiliating blowout loss and were called out by their owner, they responded by winning the next game. I think they’ll do it again.

MDS’s pick: Titans 24, Jaguars 14.

Florio’s take:  Bud Adams isn’t happy with his coaching staff.  He’ll be slightly less unhappy after Sunday, but still unhappy enough to clean house.

Florio’s pick:  Titans 27, Jaguars 16.

Chiefs at Broncos

MDS’s take: Knowing they need to win in order to earn a first-round playoff bye, the Broncos will pound the Chiefs, who have nothing to play for other than the first pick in next year’s draft — which Kansas City will earn by losing.

MDS’s pick: Broncos 27, Chiefs 10.

Florio’s take:  With 10 straight wins each by at least seven points, the Broncos could be the best team in the playoff field.  They’re definitely good enough to continue chasing a bye week.

Florio’s pick:  Broncos 34, Chiefs 10.

Raiders at Chargers

MDS’s take: With Norv Turner virtually assured of being fired after the game, his team will send him out a winner in an AFC West contest that doesn’t really matter for much of anything.

MDS’s pick: Chargers 24, Raiders 10.

Florio’s take:  Norv Turner has one last chance to change the owner’s mind.  It won’t matter.

Florio’s pick:  Chargers 24, Raiders 10.

Cardinals at 49ers

MDS’s take: San Francisco will shake off Sunday night’s thrashing in Seattle to clinch the NFC West.

MDS’s pick: 49ers 28, Cardinals 3.

Florio’s take:  The Niners are on the brink of squandering the NFC West title that we were ready to hand them back in September.  If they can’t beat the Cardinals and Brian Hoyer at home, San Fran doesn’t even deserve to be in the playoffs.

Florio’s pick:  49ers 31, Cardinals 13.

Rams at Seahawks

MDS’s take: No one wants to play the Seahawks right now. They’re destroying everything in their paths. The Rams will be no different.

MDS’s pick: Seahawks 45, Rams 7.

Florio’s take:  The Seahawks, who lost their first round of NFC West games, have been exacting revenge in a big way.  They finish the job on Sunday.

Florio’s pick:  Seahawks 41, Rams 17.

Cowboys at Redskins

MDS’s take: In the biggest game of the day, the Cowboys will ride Tony Romo and Dez Bryant to a high-scoring win. I suspect that Robert Griffin III is hurting more than he’s letting on and won’t be able to move as effectively as he did in the Redskins’ Thanksgiving win over the Cowboys. Dallas will take the NFC East crown.

MDS’s pick: Cowboys 31, Redskins 28.

Florio’s take:  For the second straight year, the NFC East title game returns to prime time in Week 17.  For the second straight year, the home team advances.  For the second straight year, the Cowboys come up short.

Florio’s pick:  Redskins 24, Cowboys 21.

AP

The NFL has announced that the following players were chosen for this season’s Pro Bowl, which will be played on Sunday, January 27, 2013:

AFC

QB: Peyton Manning, Broncos; Tom Brady, Patriots; Matt Schaub, Texans

RB: Arian Foster, Texans; Jamaal Charles, Chiefs; Ray Rice, Ravens

FB: Vonta Leach, Ravens

WR: A.J. Green, Bengals; Andre Johnson, Texans; Reggie Wayne, Colts; Wes Welker, Patriots

TE: Rob Gronkowski, Patriots; Heath Miller, Steelers

OT: Joe Thomas, Browns; Duane Brown, Texans; Ryan Clady, Broncos

G: Logan Mankins, Patriots; Marshal Yanda, Ravens; Wade Smith, Texans

C: Maurkice Pouncey, Steelers; Chris Myers, Texans

DE: J.J. Watt, Texans; Cameron Wake, Dolphins; Elvis Dumervil, Broncos

DT: Geno Atkins, Bengals; Vince Wilfork, Patriots; Haloti Ngata, Ravens

ILB: Jerod Mayo, Patriots; Derrick Johnson, Chiefs

OLB: Von Miller, Broncos; Tamba Hali, Chiefs; Robert Mathis, Colts

FS: Ed Reed, Ravens

SS: Eric Berry, Chiefs; LaRon Landry, Jets

CB: Champ Bailey, Broncos; Johnathan Joseph, Texans; Antonio Cromartie, Jets

K: Phil Dawson, Browns

P: Dustin Colquitt, Chiefs

KR: Jacoby Jones, Ravens

ST: Matthew Slater, Patriots

NFC

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Packers; Matt Ryan, Falcons; Robert Griffin III, Redskins

RB: Adrian Peterson, Vikings; Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks; Frank Gore, 49ers

FB: Jerome Felton, Vikings

WR: Calvin Johnson, Lions; Brandon Marshall, Bears; Julio Jones, Falcons; Victor Cruz, Giants

TE: Tony Gonzalez, Falcons; Jason Witten, Cowboys

OT: Russell Okung, Seahawks; Joe Staley, 49ers; Trent Williams, Redskins

G: Mike Iupati, 49ers; Jahri Evans, Saints; Chris Snee, Giants

C: Max Unger, Seahawks; Jeff Saturday, Packers

DE: Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants; Julius Peppers, Bears; Jared Allen, Vikings

DT: Justin Smith, 49ers; Henry Melton, Bears; Gerald McCoy, Buccaneers

ILB: Patrick Willis, 49ers; NaVorro Bowman, 49ers

OLB: Aldon Smith, 49ers; DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys; Clay Matthews, Packers

SS: Donte Whitner, 49ers

FS: Dashon Goldson, 49ers; Earl Thomas, Seahawks

CB: Patrick Peterson, Cardinals; Charles Tillman, Bears; Tim Jennings, Bears

K: Blair Walsh, Vikings

P: Thomas Morstead, Saints

KR: Leon Washington, Seahawks

ST: Lorenzo Alexander, Redskins

Getty Images

1. Broncos (four first-place votes):  The only difference between Peyton’s new team and his old team is that the Colts would have been more likely to start 10-0 before going 2-3.

2. Falcons (one first-place vote):  In less than three weeks, we’ll find out whether this Falcons team really is different.

3. Packers:  Twenty years after the Vikings kept the Packers out of the playoffs via a Week 17 drubbing in the Metrodome, the Packers can return the favor.

4. Patriots:  Tom Brady is getting upset, and Rob Gronkowski is getting closer to a return.

5. Seahawks:  They may have peaked a bit too early, but no one has been better than the Seahawks have been the past three weeks.

6. Texans:  They may want to change their name to the Beaumont Boo Birds, based on the impatience that a 12-win season has created among the fan base.

7. 49ers:  If this keeps up, Alex Smith eventually will refuse to run the Wildcat.

8. Redskins:  One of the greatest rivalries in sports has the highest stakes since the 1982 and 1972 NFC title games.

9. Vikings:  They’ve finally found a way to take advantage of an opponents’ obsession with stopping Adrian Peterson.

10. Bengals:  Seven years after the Bengals thought they were finally leapfrogging the Steelers, maybe the Bengals finally are.

11. Ravens:  Even with a win over the Giants, the Ravens have the look and feel of an underachiever.

12. Cowboys:  Based on Sunday’s outcome, maybe Jerry Jones should try to hire Joe Vitt, not Sean Payton.

13. Colts:  Like the Super Bowl-winning Colts from 2006, this team can’t stop the run.  Unlike the championship edition of the franchise, a healthy Bob Sanders isn’t showing up for the playoffs.

14. Bears:  The team that hates the Packers more than any other suddenly loves them on Sunday, since a Green Bay win over the Vikings is a key ingredient in a postseason appearance by the Bears.

15. Giants:  Sometimes, if you wait too long to find the light switch, you may realize that the light switch isn’t there.

16. Saints:  The only thing left to root for is the Falcons to lose before qualifying for the Super Bowl to be played in the Superdome.

17. Steelers:  Forty years to the day after they arrived as an elite franchise, the sun finally could be setting on the Steelers.

18. Rams:  Once this team becomes consistent, it’ll be consistently impossible to beat.

19. Panthers:  Cam Newton’s bump of Jerome Boger was neither entertaining nor iconic.

20. Dolphins:  Three touchdowns will get Reggie Bush paid.  But probably not by the Dolphins.

21. Chargers:  Norv Turner’s audition for the Jets’ offensive coordinator job went about as well as it could have.

22. Browns:  It’s officially become don’t-buy-green-bananas time for the coach and G.M. in Cleveland.

23. Bills:  An owner who hasn’t bought green bananas in 14 years could soon be cleaning house.

24. Buccaneers:  This franchise eventually may have to ask itself whether it truly has a franchise quarterback.

25. Titans:  Why do we have a feeling that Bud Adams and Ralph Wilson will soon be engaged in a tug-o-war for Jon Gruden?

26. Jets:  Just when the team seems like it can get no more dysfunctional, it finds a way.

27. Cardinals:  They continue to be who we thought they were.

28. Lions:  When Jerry Rice set the record that Calvin Johnson just broke, Rice already had four Super Bowl rings.  In contrast, Johnson has four wins.

29. Eagles:  The good news?  Mike Vick has another chance to improve his free-agency stock.  The bad news?  Mike Vick has another chance to hurt his free-agency stock.

30. Raiders:  Another week, another chance to be reminded of another USC quarterback who can’t get it done at the next level.

31. Jaguars:  It may not be a “virtual certainty” that Tim Tebow will be a Jaguar in 2013, but it is a “virtual certainty” the team will still stink.

32. Chiefs:  The folks in Kansas City may finally be ready to send the franchise back to Dallas.

Getty Images

With 11 NFL games played simultaneously early Sunday afternoon, there were half a dozen big ones with playoff implications. The Vikings pounded the Texans. The Bengals snatched the final AFC playoff spot away from the Steelers. The Redskins held on to beat the Eagles. The Cowboys lost a thriller to the Saints. The Colts clinched a return to the playoffs in Kansas City. The Patriots struggled to put away the pesky Jaguars.

Those were all good games, so you can be forgiven if you overlooked the Packers’ 55-7 blowout of the Titans, a snoozer that was over a few minutes after it began. But for my money, the Packers made a stronger statement about their status as a Super Bowl contender than any of the teams in those other games I mentioned.

Yes, the Titans are a bad team, but even against the bad teams, you can be impressed with the way a good team plays. And I have to be impressed when I see Aaron Rodgers go 27-for-38 for 342 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. I have to be impressed when I see three wide receivers — James Jones, Randall Cobb and Greg Jennings — all catch touchdown passes, while tight end Jermichael Finley had his best game of the season, with 70 receiving yards. I have to be impressed when running back Ryan Grant, last year’s starter who just re-signed in Green Bay three weeks ago, gained 80 yards and scored two touchdowns.

But we already knew the Packers would be fine on offense, as long as Rodgers is around. Even more importantly, I was impressed with a Green Bay defense that saw six different players — A.J. Hawk, Brad Jones, Clay Matthews, Mike Neal, Dezman Moses and Sam Shields — sack Titans quarterback Jake Locker. And I was even impressed by the special teams — which had been the biggest weakness of the Packers this season — stepping up on Sunday. Jeremy Ross had a 58-yard punt return, while Mason Crosby finally settled down and made both of his field goal attempts, although his 48-yarder bounced off the upright before falling through.

Does all that add up to the Packers being the best team in the NFL right now? I don’t know. If I had to pick a best team right now I’d probably go with Seattle, which pounded San Francisco on Sunday night for its third straight blowout win. But I’m not sure how relevant the title of “best team” is at this time of year. We often see that the universally recognized best team in the league in late December isn’t still standing in early February — as the Packers found out the hard way last year.

What I do think that is that if I were a fan of a playoff team, the Packers — who have now won four straight and nine of their last 10 — are the team I’d least want to be playing when the postseason starts. This Green Bay team is really, really good, and remember: If we have a rematch of that Seahawks-Packers “Fail Mary” replacement ref debacle in the postseason, the rematch will most likely be at Lambeau Field. A Seahawks-Packers playoff rematch would be a matchup of the two NFC teams that are playing their best football right now, and in Green Bay, I’d pick the Packers.

That 55-7 Packers score was what really made me sit up and take notice on Sunday. Here are the other items that caught my eye:

The NFL’s schedule makers dropped the ball with Sunday afternoon’s slate. Putting 11 games in the 1 o’clock kickoff slot and only three games in the 4 o’clock kickoff slot is a dumb way to divide up the afternoon games. With a bunch of good games in the early window, it was hard to follow all the action. And with three lousy games in the late window, the end of the day felt like a letdown.

Jamaal Charles tops Jim Brown. Charles didn’t just rush for 226 yards in the Chiefs’ loss to the Colts. He also broke Jim Brown’s half-century old record for the highest career yards per carry average for a running back. In the official NFL Record and Fact Book, a player needs 750 career carries to qualify for the all-time record, and among running backs, Jim Brown’s career average of 5.22 yards per carry has always been the gold standard. But on Sunday, Charles got his 750th career carry and jumped ahead of Brown in the record book. Charles now has 770 career carries for 4,483 yards, an incredible career average of 5.82 yards a carry. Any time a running back tops Jim Brown, he has done something special. To top Jim Brown’s longstanding record average by more than half a yard per carry is stunning.

Janoris Jenkins has had a remarkable rookie season. Jenkins entered this year’s NFL draft widely regarded as one of the most talented players available, but also as an off-field problem child who could turn out to be more trouble than he’s worth. Well, the Rams drafted Jenkins in the second round, and he has had some off-field trouble — Rams coach Jeff Fisher benched him for one game for missing curfew — but no one could possibly argue that Jenkins is more trouble than he’s worth anymore. Jenkins has been a fantastic cornerback on an improving St. Louis defense, and on Sunday he scored his fourth defensive touchdown of the season. Do you know how hard that is to do? Deion Sanders is the best defensive player I ever saw at making plays after turnovers, and even Deion never scored four defensive touchdowns in a season. Jenkins is one of only three players in NFL history to have three interception returns for a touchdown in his rookie season, and the other two — Lem Barney and Ronnie Lott — are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If Jenkins can steer clear of off-field trouble, then Fisher is going to look back on drafting Jenkins as the single most important decision he made in his first year as the Rams’ coach.

Blair Walsh has had a remarkable rookie season, too. Never before in NFL history had anyone kicked more than eight 50-yard field goals in a season. Walsh, Minnesota’s rookie kicker, booted his ninth field goal of 50 yards or longer when he connected from 56 yards against the Texans on Sunday. Everyone knows the Vikings are playoff contenders because they have the NFL’s best running back in Adrian Peterson. But don’t overlook the importance of having the NFL’s best kicker in Walsh.

The Broncos are doing it at the right time. We that the six AFC playoff teams will be the Texans, Broncos, Patriots, Ravens, Colts and Bengals. But the only one of those six teams that really looks like it’s playing its best football late in the season is Denver. The Texans got pushed around by the Vikings on Sunday, the Patriots followed a loss to the 49ers last week with an ugly win over the Jaguars this week, the Ravens played well on Sunday but have struggled through most of the last month, and the Bengals and Colts barely squeaked by in their wild-card clinching wins on Sunday. I see big question marks about those five AFC playoff teams, but no major questions about the Broncos, who played great offense and great defense in pounding the Browns on Sunday. How does Peyton Manning leading the Broncos to the Super Bowl against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers sound?

Reuters

We know who all six AFC playoff teams are, and we have a pretty good idea of their playoff order. Week 17 isn’t meaningless in the AFC — home-field advantage is still up for grabs — but it won’t feature any dramatic changes in the way the AFC playoffs look.

The NFC is another matter. Nine teams remain alive for the six playoff spots, and although the Falcons have already clinched home-field advantage, everything else is jumbled.

Below we provide the state of the playoff race, through Week 16:

AFC

1. Texans (12-3): Houston clinches home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win over the Colts, or if both the Broncos and the Patriots lose.

2. Broncos (12-3): Denver clinches home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win over the Chiefs and a Texans loss to the Colts. The Broncos will be the No. 2 seed and have a first-round playoff bye with if they beat the Chiefs and the Texans beat the Colts.

3. Patriots (11-4): New England clinches home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win over the Dolphins, plus both the Texans and the Broncos losing. New England can also earn the No. 2 seed and a first-round playoff bye with a win over the Dolphins and either the Texans or the Broncos losing.

4. Ravens (10-5): Baltimore has clinched the AFC North and cannot get a first-round playoff bye. The Ravens will be the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs unless they beat the Bengals and the Patriots lose to the Dolphins, in which case the Ravens would be the No. 3 and the Patriots would be the No. 4.

5. Colts (10-5): Indianapolis will definitely be the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs regardless of what happens next week. The Colts will most likely play at Baltimore in the wild card round.

6. Bengals (9-6): Cincinnati will definitely be the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs regardless of what happens next week. The Bengals will most likely play at New England in the wild card round.

NFC

1. Falcons (13-2): Atlanta has clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

2. Packers (11-4): Green Bay earns the No. 2 seed with a win over the Vikings in Week 17, or a San Francisco loss. If the Packers lose and the 49ers win in Week 17, Green Bay will be the No. 3 seed.

3. 49ers (10-4-1): The 49ers will be the No. 2 seed if they win in Week 17 and the Packers lose, the No. 3 seed if they win and the Packers win, the No. 3 seed if they lose and the Seahawks lose, and the No. 5 seed if they lose and the Seahawks win.

4. Redskins (9-6): The winner of the Week 17 Cowboys-Redskins game wins the NFC East and will be the No. 4 seed. If the Redskins lose to the Cowboys they can still be a wild card team if they end up in a three-way tie at 9-7 with the Vikings and Bears.

5. Seahawks (9-5): Seattle has clinched a playoff berth and at least the No. 5 seed. Seattle would need to win in Week 17 while San Francisco loses to win the NFC West and move up to the No. 3 seed.

6. Vikings (9-6): Minnesota clinches a wild card with a Week 17 win over Green Bay. The Vikings also earn a wild card if the Giants, Cowboys and Bears all lose.

In the mix: The 8-7 Cowboys clinch the NFC East if they beat the Redskins in Week 17. The 9-6 Bears clinch a wild card if they beat the Lions and the Packers beat the Vikings in Week 17. The 8-7 Giants get a wild card if they beat the Eagles while the Vikings, Bears and Cowboys all lose.

Getty Images

Every NFL fan knows that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Lions receiver Calvin Johnson are closing in on single-season yardage records. But did you know that Jets punt returner Jeremy Kerley is closing in on the single-season record for most fair catches?

Probably not. And I didn’t either, until I wasted way too much time thumbing through the NFL Record and Fact Book, finding nine single-season records that might be broken in the next nine days. Here they are, in order of importance:

Most Rushing Yards: Peterson has 1,812 yards this season, putting him 294 away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105, set in 1984. Gaining 294 yards in two games isn’t easy, but it’s definitely doable for Peterson.

Most Receiving Yards: Johnson has 1,667 yards this season, putting him 182 away from breaking Jerry Rice’s record of 1,848, set in 1995. Johnson may break the record on Saturday night against the Falcons, and if he falls short of that he’ll have an excellent chance of doing it in Week 17.

Most Sacks: Houston’s J.J. Watt and San Francisco’s Aldon Smith are both at 19.5, three away from Michael Strahan’s record of 22.5. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see both of them break it.

Most 50-yard Field Goals: Minnesota kicker Blair Walsh has already tied the NFL record owned by Morten Andersen and Jason Hanson, with eight 50-yard field goals this season. If Walsh connects from 50 or beyond in either of the Vikings’ last two regular-season games, he’ll own the record all to himself. Two other kickers, Tampa Bay’s Connor Barth and Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski, have six 50-yard field goals so far this season and have a shot at breaking the record in the next two weeks.

Most 100-Yard Receiving Games: In addition to the single-season yardage record, Johnson is closing in on the single-season 100-yard game record. Johnson has 10 games of at least 100 receiving yards this season. Michael Irvin’s NFL record is 11.

Most Pass Attempts: Detroit’s Matthew Stafford has 629 attempts this season, putting him 63 passes away from Drew Bledsoe’s single-season record of 691. Barring injury, Stafford is likely to break it while trying to help Megatron get a more significant record.

Highest Net Punting Average: Saints punter Thomas Morstead is currently averaging 44.7 net yards per punt. He’s well on his way to breaking the all-time record, which the 49ers’ Andy Lee set last year when he averaged 43.99 yards per punt.

Most Punts Inside the 20: Chiefs punter Dustin Colquit has put 41 punts inside the 20 this season, putting him one away from tying and two away from breaking the record of 42. That record is shared by three punters, all of whom did it within the last five years: Andy Lee in 2007, Ben Graham of the Cardinals in 2009 and Steve Weatherford of the Jets in 2010.

Most Fair Catches: OK, so we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel here. This isn’t quite up there with the most prestigious records in all of sports, but Jets punt returner Jeremy Kerley has fair caught 31 punt returns this season, putting him only two away from the all-time record of 33, set by Brian Mitchell of the Eagles in 2000. Most fair catches is just the kind of record this Jets team deserves.

Reuters

The proverbial pink champagne is on ice.

Yes, with a clean sweep in the three games on which we disagreed last weekend, I’ve now built a seven-game lead over MDS, with only 32 games to go.

The problem for MDS is that we probably won’t disagree on seven games in the final two weeks.  Even then, he needs to be right on all of them.

For Week 16, we disagree on three.  So I’ll lead by at least four and possibly by 10 by the time the fat man in the red suit breaks into my house, eats my cookies, and leaves behind a bunch of stuff for everyone but me.

For the week, I was 12-4 to a 9-7 from MDS.  On the year, I’m at 146-77-1, good for 65.1 percent.  MDS is 139-84-1, still at 62.0 percent.

Falcons at Lions

MDS’s take: Both of these teams have been severely inconsistent this season, with the Falcons consistently managing to pull out wins when they don’t play very well, and the Lions consistently managing to pull out losses when they play competitively. So after a week in which the Falcons blew out a good team and the Lions got blown out by a bad team, I’m picking both teams to revert to their inconsistent ways. Does this logic make sense? Maybe not, but I’m going to have to pick some upsets to catch Florio.  So what the heck?

MDS’s pick: Lions 21, Falcons 20.

Florio’s take:  It would be fitting for the Lions to close out a disappointing year with a pair of home wins over postseason contenders from Atlanta and Chicago.  It would be fitting, but after seeing the Lions lay an egg against the nine-eggs-in-a-row-laying Cardinals, it’s impossible for me to think the Lions can take down a Falcons team that put a goose egg on the Giants.

Florio’s pick:  Falcons 31, Lions 17.

Giants at Ravens

MDS’s take: Both of these teams once looked like locks to win their divisions and now look desperate. Former Giants coach Bill Parcells liked to say that in games like this, you go with the more desperate team. That’s the Giants, who probably need to win out to make the playoffs.

MDS’s pick: Giants 24, Ravens 13.

Florio’s take:  The Ravens are desperate for a win.  The Giants are more desperate for a win.  Even though Eli Manning’s Giants have lost to two teams that Peyton Manning’s Broncos played previously and beat, the third time needs to be a charm, or Eli will have no chance to chase his third ring.

Florio’s pick:  Giants 27, Ravens 20.

Raiders at Panthers

MDS’s take: A couple weeks ago this looked like it could be a game to determine the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. But the Panthers have won two in a row, and the Raiders won last week, and so now it looks merely like a game that could help shape the Top 10 of the draft. Which makes it an even less interesting game than it otherwise would have been.

MDS’s pick: Panthers 31, Raiders 10.

Florio’s take:  Ron Rivera is making it very hard for the next G.M. to hire a new coach.  It will keep getting harder.

Florio’s pick:  Panthers 31, Raiders 20.

Saints at Cowboys

MDS’s take: The Dallas secondary is going to struggle mightily against the Saints’ passing attack, but with the season on the line I see Tony Romo having a big game against the Saints’ defense.

MDS’s pick: Cowboys 34, Saints 31.

Florio’s take:  A loss to Dallas is a win for the Saints, since it makes it more likely that there won’t be a place with the Cowboys for Sean Payton.  Even though the Saints won big over the Bucs, the Cowboys are chasing a playoff berth no one thought they’d secure.

Florio’s pick:  Cowboys 30, Saints 24.

Titans at Packers

MDS’s take: Tennessee has actually played some reasonably good football in the five weeks since owner Bud Adams put the team on notice following a humiliating loss to the Bears: In those five weeks the Titans have blown out the Dolphins, ended the Jets’ playoff hopes and played a very close game against the playoff-bound Colts. But Green Bay in December is a tough place to play, and the Packers won’t have too much trouble putting the Titans away.

MDS’s pick: Packers 35, Titans 21.

Florio’s take:  Green Bay is reached for a No. 2 seed.  The Titans are reaching for a lower draft pick.  Advantage Packers.

Florio’s pick:  Packers 27, Titans 17.

Vikings at Texans

MDS’s take: It’s impressive that the Vikings are still playing meaningful games this deep in the season, but this is where it comes to an end.  The Texans will clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs by spanking the Vikings, and the loss will severely damage the Vikings’ playoff hopes.

MDS’s pick: Texans 41, Vikings 20.

Florio’s take:  The Texans may not be able to stop Adrian Peterson, but they’ll likely come through in the most important statistical category — points scored versus points allowed.

Florio’s pick:  Texans 31, Vikings 20.

Patriots at Jaguars

MDS’s take: The Patriots can’t be feeling good about themselves after Sunday night’s loss to the 49ers. They’ll take it out on the Jaguars in the day’s biggest blowout.

MDS’s pick: Patriots 38, Jaguars 3.

Florio’s take:  Five years ago, these two teams squared off in the playoffs.  The closest the Jaguars ever get to returning comes from periodically losing to New England.

Florio’s pick:  Patriots 41, Jaguars 14.

Colts at Chiefs

MDS’s take: Let’s just stop and reflect for a moment on how important the quarterback position is in the NFL: In 2010, with Peyton Manning, the Colts were a playoff team. In 2011, with Curtis Painter, Dan Orlovsky and Kerry Collins, the Colts were the worst team in the league. In 2012, with Andrew Luck, the Colts will beat the Chiefs on Sunday and clinch a playoff berth.

MDS’s pick: Colts 28, Chiefs 14.

Florio’s take:  The team that lucked into the top pick in the 2012 draft faces the team that won’t have the same good fortune finding a quarterback with the first or second overall selection in 2013.

Florio’s pick:  Colts 24, Chiefs 13.

Bills at Dolphins

MDS’s take: Amazingly, the Dolphins are still in playoff contention, although they would need a lot of help in order to get there, even if they win out. They’ll at least take care of their end by winning on Sunday.

MDS’s pick: Dolphins 24, Bills 20.

Florio’s take:  The Dolphins are surprisingly still alive for the postseason.  The Bills unsurprisingly aren’t.  Edge to the home team and the team that still have something to play for, which in this case is the same team.

Florio’s pick:  Dolphins 20, Bills 17.

Redskins at Eagles

MDS’s take: The Redskins just need to win out and they win the NFC East. No way they get tripped up by the Eagles, who are just playing out the string. Who would have figured before the season that the Redskins would be playing for a division title while the Eagles would be long since eliminated from playoff contention?

MDS’s pick: Redskins 31, Eagles 10.

Florio’s take:  It’s likely the final home game for Eagles coach Andy Reid.  And Reid surely would love to spoil Washington’s chances to get to the postseason.  Of course, Reid also would have loved to have had the kind of year that would have made Sunday’s game not his final home game.

Florio’s pick:  Redskins 24, Eagles 14.

Bengals at Steelers

MDS’s take: The game of the day is in Pittsburgh, where these two teams will be fighting for the one open playoff spot remaining after the Colts take care of business. I like the Steelers to summon everything they have left and put themselves in prime position to clinch in Week 17.

MDS’s pick: Steelers 21, Bengals 20.

Florio’s take:  The Bengals are 0-9 in their last eight games against the Steelers and Ravens.  And the Steelers are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.  And the Steelers desperately need a win in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.  This isn’t a game the Steelers lose.

Florio’s pick:  Steelers 23, Bengals 13.

Rams at Buccaneers

MDS’s take: I was surprised the extent to which the Bucs looked on Sunday like they’ve given up on the season. Greg Schiano and Jeff Fisher both have rebuilding jobs on their hands, but Fisher’s Rams appear to be closer to getting that job done than Schiano’s Bucs.

MDS’s pick: Rams 17, Buccaneers 9.

Florio’s take:  The Bucs play their final home game of the season while in a full-blown free fall.  Since it’s potentially cornerback Ronde Barber’s final home game of his career, look for the Bucs to find a way to turn things around against a Rams team that saw its unlikely postseason run slam to a halt in Week 15.

Florio’s pick:  Buccaneers 28, Rams 17.

Browns at Broncos

MDS’s take: The Broncos just need to beat two bad teams, the Browns and Chiefs, in order to ensure that if they rematch the Patriots in the playoffs, that game takes place in Denver. Peyton Manning and Co. will take care of business.

MDS’s pick: Broncos 28, Browns 10.

Florio’s take:  The Broncos are closing in on a bye.  The Browns are closing in on saying “bye” to their coach and G.M.

Florio’s pick:  Broncos 27, Browns 14.

Bears at Cardinals

MDS’s take: The Bears need to win out and get some help to make the playoffs. I’m not sure if they’ll get the help, but with only the Cardinals and Lions left on the schedule, they should win out.

MDS’s pick: Bears 27, Cardinals 9.

Florio’s take:  No one’s ass is getting crowned as a result of this one.

Florio’s pick:  Bears 20, Cardinals 10.

49ers at Seahawks

MDS’s take: The Sunday night game is a big one, matching the two teams that may be playing the best football in all of the NFL right now. On a neutral field I’d probably take the 49ers, but in Seattle I give the Seahawks the edge.

MDS’s pick: Seahawks 21, 49ers 17.

Florio’s take:  The “what’s your deal?” rivalry suddenly has become one of the best in the game, making the frosty relationship between the two coaches an afterthought.  The Seahawks could have, and should have, won the last time these teams met.  This time, the Seahawks are even better.

Florio’s pick:  Seahawks 20, 49ers 17.

Chargers at Jets

MDS’s take: Greg McElroy may get the loudest ovation at home that a Jets quarterback has received since Joe Namath. I don’t think McElroy is the long-term answer, but I do think he’ll play competently, and the Jets’ defense will play well, and Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow will stand together on the sideline awkwardly watching the McElroy-led Jets win a low-scoring game.

MDS’s pick: Jets 13, Chargers 10.

Florio’s take:  The McElroy era begins with a Bolt.  Or maybe a butt fumble.  There’s too much drama this week in the locker room for the Jets to come together and win.

Florio’s pick:  Chargers 17, Jets 10.

AP

On Sunday, as the Steelers host the Bengals in a game that has Pittsburgh’s postseason chances hanging in the balance, the home team will be commemorating the 40th anniversary of the most famous — and notorious — play in NFL history.

On December 23, 1972, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a ball that was (or wasn’t) touched first by Raiders safety Jack Tatum and not by Steelers running back Frenchy Fuqua, that didn’t (or did) hit the turf just as Steelers running back Franco Harris caught it in full stride before running toward the end zone as Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano wasn’t (or was) clipped by a blocker who prevented Villapiano from making the tackle.

The Steelers won the game after referee Fred Swearingen called the press box to speak to NFL supervisor of officials Art McNally, who didn’t (or did) look at a replay of the what-just-happened moment before consulting with Swearingen, who wasn’t (or was) fearful of his own safety amid a mob of Pittsburghers who would not have reacted well to the news that a now-defunct rule regarding the initial touching of a pass by an offensive player had wiped out the playoff victory.

Those and other questions permeate the latest installment from NFL Films’ A Football Life series, which focuses on the play that gradually and, from the perspective of the Steelers’ organization, reluctantly came to be known as the Immaculate Reception.

The conflict still resonates four decades later, with former Raiders coach John Madden refusing to be interviewed for the documentary.  In past comments on the topic, Madden has suggested that the outcome was determined via the unauthorized use of replay review.  “That’s a helluva goddamn game that has to go down to someone up in the press box,” Madden is shown telling reporters immediately after the game.

Though it appears that the ball hit Tatum before Fuqua and that Franco would have sped by Villapiano if he hadn’t been clipped (and it looks like he wasn’t clipped), the biggest lingering question is whether the tip of the ball struck the ground just as Harris secured it.

Harris says, “I can’t say.  From the time Bradshaw threw the ball, it was like I lost all sense of consciousness.  Before I knew it, I’m up and running.  Before that, everything is just a blur.”

Raiders safety George Atkinson insists the tip of the ball touched the ground.  Bradshaw believes that, because Harris won’t clearly say he didn’t trap the ball against the ground, he probably did.

If the ball hit the ground, the contact came just as Harris caught it, because the NFL Films footage shows no bouncing or other movement of the ball, which ended up after the mandatory PAT in the possession of a fan who built a bank vault to keep it safe and secure.

The value of the ball pales in comparison to the value of the play to the mythology of pro football.  Even though the Steelers would lose the following week to the undefeated Dolphins in the AFC title game, the play is widely regarded as the moment at which the fortunes of a long-suffering franchise forever changed.

It also made an indelible impression on a generation of fans.  Growing up 60 miles from Pittsburgh in the days when even the sold out games were blacked out, the antenna attached to our chimney somehow picked up an NBC affiliate that was just beyond the reach of the 75-mile no-broadcast zone.  Though there were maybe only 10 neighbors at most in the room when Harris made it to the end zone, to a seven-year-old the noise made it feel like 10,000.

And at that moment I first realized there’s something about NFL football that was and still is different than anything else I’d ever experienced.

Tune in to NFL Network at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday to experience one of the most comprehensive looks that ever has been compiled of one of the most important moments in the history of pro football.

Getty Images

1. Broncos:  Nine straight wins are enough to put them straight at the top of the stack.

2. 49ers:  Two Niners teams showed up on Sunday night.  Only one of them can win the Super Bowl.

3. Falcons:  They should have saved a few of those points for their playoff opener.

4. Texans:  The road to New Orleans most likely will go through Houston.  The question is whether the team from Houston will be the one making the trip.

5. Patriots:  Those who think Sunday night’s loss to the 49ers removes the Pats from Super Bowl consideration apparently don’t realize that the 49ers don’t play in the AFC.

6. Packers:  They’d have a better chance of advancing in the postseason if Sidney Crosby was their kicker.  Or Bing Crosby.  Or Bill Cosby.

7. Seahawks:  The hottest team in the NFC will make their move to the top five if they can topple the 49ers.

8. Redskins:  Maybe Kirk Cousins is actually the rookie of the year.

9. Cowboys:  They’re playing just well enough to eventually blow their shot at a playoff berth.

10. Bengals:  They’re playing just well enough to eventually blow their shot at a playoff berth.

11. Colts:  The team that never quits will be tough to beat in January, especially if they get their head coach back.

12. Vikings:  If running the ball and playing defense were still the formula for winning championships, the Vikings would be in great shape.

13. Giants:  The fact that they expect to find the gas pedal when they need to could make it less likely that they will.

14. Ravens:  Fat, drunk, stupid and/or carrying a five-game losing streak into the postseason is no way to go through life.

15. Steelers:  The franchise has had three coaches since 1969.  More and more locals are ready for No. 4.

16. Panthers:  Ron Rivera is earning another chance to make good on Ryan Kalil’s prediction.

17. Bears:  Within Lovie Smith’s 2003 introductory press conference resides the main reason why the end of his tenure is near.

18. Saints:  That 41-0 win may have been aimed at persuading Sean Payton to believe that the team is still Super Bowl ready.

19. Rams:  Sooner or later, this team has to confront the quarterback question.

20. Dolphins:  40 years after 17-0, the Fins are still technically alive for the postseason.

21. Titans:  Given their mutual fondness for middle fingers, maybe Bud Adams should hire Rex Ryan.

22. Browns:  After a temporary outage, the Factory of Sadness is back on its normal production schedule.

23. Bills:  It’s a good thing they signed Mario Williams; otherwise, the Bills may have given up 100 points to the Seahawks.

24. Buccaneers:  At least they didn’t have to try to blow up victory formation.

25. Jets:  The next two weeks could be all about showcasing Tim Tebow for a possible trade.

26. Chargers:  Philip Rivers possibly wishes the next two weeks would be all about showcasing himself for a trade.

27. Cardinals:  Even if they win the rest of their games, that 58-0 blowout will likely blow out the coach and much of the front office.

28. Eagles:  Best evidence that Garrett Reid wasn’t distributing steroids?  The team’s won-loss record.

29. Lions:  Once again, the Lions will play the role of spoilers who couldn’t spoil milk.

30. Raiders:  By winning against the Chiefs, the Raiders merely lost the chance at a higher draft slot for 2013.

31. Jaguars:  It’s only a matter of time before Tim Tebow rides a donkey into his hometown.

32. Chiefs:  Ricky Stanzi may finally get his close up.  At a time when absolutely no one is paying attention.

Reuters

With six different games matching up teams with winning records, yesterday was hyped by the NFL as “Statement Sunday.” And while it didn’t deliver a lot of particularly competitive games, it certainly did deliver a lot of statements: Statements about the strengths of the Falcons, Packers, Broncos, Texans, Cowboys and 49ers, and statements about the weaknesses of the Giants, Bears, Ravens, Colts, Steelers and Patriots.

But the thing about statements made in the NFL in December is that they often don’t hold up in January. And I’m not so sure that the teams that made statements on Sunday are going to be the teams that continue to make statements in the playoffs. So let me go through a few of the statements that were made on Sunday, and explain which ones are true and which ones are false.

1. The Falcons are the best team in the NFC. FALSE: Yes, the Falcons can make the statement that they’re the best team in the conference, both on the strength of their 34-0 win over the Giants and on their status as the team with the best record in the NFC. But the Falcons don’t play that well consistently — let’s not forget that a week earlier, they lost by 10 to a bad Carolina team. I’d pick either the Packers or the 49ers to win at Atlanta in January.

2. The Giants are in danger. TRUE: The flip side of the Falcons’ blowout over the Giants is that it really did expose some serious problems with the Giants, namely that Eli Manning has been painfully inconsistent, and that injuries in the secondary have done major damage to the defense. Early in the season it looked like the NFC East would belong to the Giants, but now it’s a three-team race, and the Redskins and Cowboys actually appear to be in better shape. The good news for the Giants is that they’ll make the playoffs if they win their final two. The bad news is that the way they played on Sunday, I don’t have a lot of confidence that they’ll win their final two.

3. The Bears are in free fall and will miss the playoffs. FALSE: It’s easy to see why Bears fans are panicking, having lost five of their last six games. But Chicago’s schedule is about to get a lot easier, with trips to Arizona and Detroit. I see the Bears winning both games, finishing 10-6, and sneaking into the playoffs.

4. The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Houston. TRUE: After the Texans’ disastrous loss in New England on Monday night, it would have been easy to disregard the Texans as legitimate title contenders. But the Texans clinched the AFC South with Sunday’s win over the Colts, and they’re now a win away from clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. I think they’ll get that win against the Vikings on Sunday and ensure that if they rematch the Patriots, it will be in Houston.

5. The Broncos are the best team Peyton Manning has ever played on. TRUE: Does it sound premature to say that this year’s Broncos are better than Manning’s Super Bowl-winning 2006 team in Indianapolis? Maybe. But that team — like many of Manning’s teams in Indianapolis — had major holes on both defense and special teams that the Manning-led offense had to overcome. This Broncos team is winning every bit as much because of its defense as because of the Manning-led offense. If we could stuff these 2012 Broncos into a DeLorean and send them back in time to play any of Manning’s Indianapolis playoff teams, I’d pick these Broncos to win.

6. The Steelers blew it in overtime in Dallas and blew their postseason hopes. FALSE: The Steelers’ final two games are both at home, against the Bengals and the Browns, and if they win both they’re in the playoffs. I think Pittsburgh is going to do it.

7. New England’s Super Bowl hopes were dealt a big blow on Sunday night. FALSE: The Patriots’ loss to the 49ers probably means they’ll have to host a wild card team in the first playoff weekend, then win a couple of road games after that to get to the Super Bowl. But you know what? As much as I like the Broncos and Texans, I like the Patriots’ chances of winning at Denver and at Houston in back-to-back weeks. New England is still a formidable Super Bowl contender.

That’s where I stand on the statements NFL teams made on Sunday. And now here are my statements about the rest of Sunday’s action:

Adrian Peterson is making Eric Dickerson nervous. After his 212-yard effort on Sunday, Peterson needs to total 293 yards over the final two games of the season to break Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105 rushing yards in a season. Gaining 293 yards in two weeks isn’t easy, but it’s certainly doable for Peterson, considering that he has 366 in the last two games. In the last eight games, Peterson has rushed for 1,313 yards, a stunning yardage total that no NFL player has ever matched over an eight-game stretch of a season.

Calvin Johnson is making Jerry Rice nervous. After his 121-yard effort on Sunday, Johnson needs to total 181 yards over the final two games of the season to break Rice’s NFL record of 1,848 receiving yards in a season. Johnson tied an NFL record with his seventh consecutive 100-yard game on Sunday, so totaling 181 yards over the next two games shouldn’t be a problem. Johnson also became the first player in NFL history to gain 1,600 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons. Unfortunately for Johnson (and unlike Peterson), he’s threatening an NFL record while playing meaningless games for a bad team.

What’s JaMarcus Russell up to these days? I ask because the Raiders chose Russell first overall in the 2007 NFL draft, leaving Johnson available for the Lions to draft second overall, and Peterson available for the Vikings to draft seventh overall. Sorry to have to bring that one up, Raiders fans.

Trent Richardson’s first touchdown run was a thing of beauty. If you love good, old-fashioned, hard-nosed football, it doesn’t get much better than Richardson taking a handoff up the middle at the six-yard line, plunging into the middle and getting stacked up just as he crossed the line of scrimmage, and then simply refusing to go down as he drove forward, churning his legs and getting help from his entire offensive line while the entire Redskins’ defensive line was trying to stop him, and finally falling forward through that massive rugby scrum and into the end zone. As a rookie Richardson hasn’t been the big-play runner the Browns were hoping they’d get when they traded up to take him with the third overall pick in the draft, but he might be the toughest runner to tackle in the league.

Randall Cobb is better than you realize. Cobb had an unreal leaping catch along the sideline in the second quarter in Chicago, picking up 31 yards on third-and-six and somehow getting both feet down in bounds despite taking a hard hit just as he was grabbing the ball. Cobb has been an excellent player for the Packers since arriving last season as a second-round draft pick, but I don’t know if most fans realize just how excellent. Cobb has 2,241 combined rushing, receiving and return yards this season, and 3,857 all-purpose yards so far in his NFL career. That’s an incredible career total for a guy who’s only 22 years old.

The Seahawks are stunning. After beating the Cardinals 58-0 last week, the Seahawks beat the Bills 50-17 this week. The last NFL team to score 50 or more points in back-to-back weeks was the 1950 New York Giants, who beat the Chicago Cardinals 51-21 and then beat the Baltimore Colts 55-20 a week later. (A note of caution for Seahawks fans: Those 1950 Giants were held to just three points in a postseason loss that year.)

I guess Cam Cameron wasn’t the only problem with the Ravens’ offense. The Ravens fired Cameron as their offensive coordinator last week. So how did the offense in Baltimore do in the first game without him? Badly: The Ravens had six three-and-outs, the most of any team in the NFL all season, as they lost 34-17. On Statement Sunday, the Ravens made a statement that they’re not contenders in the AFC, and Cameron made a major statement in his absence: Don’t blame me.

Getty Images

Every week we’ll bring you all the inactives from the early games in one post, constantly updated with the latest information. So check back often to see the full list as it becomes available.

Giants at Falcons

Giants: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, CB Prince Amukamara, S Kenny Phillips, S Tyler Sash, DT Marvin Austin, DE Adewale Ojomo, TE Adrian Robinson

Falcons: S William Moore, QB Dominique Davis, WR Tim Toone, G Phillipkeith Manley, OL Harland Gunn, TE Chase Coffman, DE Lawrence Sidbury

Broncos at Ravens

Broncos: QB Caleb Hanie, WR Andre Caldwell, CB Tracy Porter, RB Lance Ball, G Chris Kuper, TE Julius Thomas, DT Sealver Siliga

Ravens: LB Jameel McClain, S Bernard Pollard, LB Dannell Ellerbe, G Marshal Yanda, TE Ed Dickson, OL Ramon Harewood, WR Deonte Thompson

Packers at Bears

Packers: S Charles Woodson, WR Jordy Nelson, DE C.J. Wilson, RB James Starks, LB Terrell Manning, WR Donald Driver, TE D.J. Williams

Bears: LB Brian Urlacher, CB Tim Jennings, WR Earl Bennett, DT Henry Melton, LB Geno Hayes, DE Shea McClellin, QB Josh McCown

Redskins at Browns

Redskins: QB Robert Griffin III, WR Brandon Banks, WR Dezmon Briscoe, LB Roddrick Muckelroy, G Josh LeRibeus, T Tom Compton, G Adam Gettis

Browns: CB Trevin Wade, S Eric Hagg, RB Brandon Jackson, TE Brad Smelley, FB Owen Marecic, OL Jarrod Shaw, WR Josh Cooper

Colts at Texans

Colts: C Samson Satele, T Winston Justice, S Tom Zbikowski, RB Delone Carter, LB Kavell Conner, DE Clifton Geathers, WR Nathan Palmer

Texans: LB Brooks Reed, CB Alan Ball, RB Jonathan Grimes, G Antoine Caldwell, T Andrew Gardner, G Cody White, NT Terrell McClain

Jaguars at Dolphins

Jaguars: RB Maurice Jones-Drew, RB Rashard Jennings, DE George Selvie, RB Jordan Todman, CB Aaron Ross, WR Quan Cosby, DE Andre Branch

Dolphins: WR Davone Bess, LB Koa Misi, QB Pat Devlin, TE Michael Egnew, DT Kheeston Randall, TE Kyle Miller, T Patrick Brown

Buccaneers at Saints

Buccaneers: CB LeQuan Lewis, RB Michael Smith, LB Najee Goode, G Roger Allen, WR David Douglas, DT Corvey Irvin, DT Matthew Masifilo

Saints: CB Corey White, T Zach Strief, RB Chris Ivory, LB Scott Shanle, DT Tyrunn Walker, TE Michael Higgins, DE Turk McBride

Vikings at Rams

Vikings: QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, CB Brandon Burton, LB Audie Cole, OL Troy Kropog, OL Mark Asper, TE Allen Reisner, DE D’Aundre Reed

Rams: QB Austin Davis, DT Matt Conrath, T Joe Barksdale, OL Chris Williams, RB Terrance Ganaway, WR Steve Smith, TE Mike McNeill

Getty Images

All through the week we do our best to bring you all the biggest injury news from around the league.

Inevitably, a few injuries fall through the cracks and don’t wind up with a spotlight on them at any point. That’s why we’ve got the injury report roundup every week to make sure that nothing makes it entirely through the net before the weekend starts.

Giants at Falcons

Cornerback Prince Amukamara (hamstring), running back Ahmad Bradshaw (knee, foot), safety Kenny Phillips (knee) and safety Tyler Sash (hamstring) are all out for the Giants. Linebacker Michael Boley (back) is questionable and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee) is probable. Falcons wide receiver Roddy White (knee) is going to be a game-time decision, as will safety William Moore (hamstring), defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (ribs) and wide receiver Harry Douglas (ribs).

Broncos at Ravens

The Broncos are relatively healthy. Guard Chris Kuper and linebacker Wesley Woodyard are both questionable with ankle injuries while wide receiver DeMaryius Thomas (shoulder) is probable to be in the lineup. Linebacker Jameel McClain (neck) is the only Raven ruled out and tight end Ed Dickson (knee) is doubtful, but they have several game-time decisions to make. Linebacker Terrell Suggs (biceps), safety Bernard Pollard (chest), linebacker Dannell Ellerbee (ankle), cornerback Jimmy Smith (abdomen), defensive end Pernell McPhee (thigh) and guard Marshal Yanda (ankle) are all questionable. Linebacker Ray Lewis (triceps) is practicing, but is not listed on the injury report since he is still on injured reserve.

Packers at Bears

The Packers will be without wide receiver Jordy Nelson (hamstring), safety Charles Woodson (collarbone), defensive end C.J. Wilson (knee) and running back James Starks (knee). Guard Josh Sitton is questionable after injuring his hip in practice on Thursday and linebacker Clay Matthews (hamstring) is set to return after missing four games. Wide receiver Earl Bennett (concussion), cornerback Tim Jennings (shoulder) and linebacker Brian Urlacher (hamstring) are out again for the Bears. They could be thin on the defensive line as defensive tackle Henry Melton (chest) and defensive end Shea McClellin (knee) are doubtful for the game.

Redskins at Browns

If you’ve been here at any point this week, you know Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is going to be a game-time decision with a sprained knee. Linebacker London Fletcher (ankle) and tackle Trent Williams (thigh) are also questionable for Washington. The Browns have nine probable players, leaving them looking almost as fit as a fiddle for Sunday.

Colts at Texans

The Colts have ruled out running back Delone Carter (ankle), linebacker Kavell Conner (hamstring), tackle Winston Justice (biceps), center Samson Satele (ankle) and S Tom Zbikowski (knee) for their battle with the AFC South leaders. Texans linebacker Brooks Reed will miss another game with a groin injury and cornerback Alan Ball (foot) has also been ruled out.

Jaguars at Dolphins

It’s awfully lonely in the Jaguars backfield with running backs Rashad Jennings (concussion), Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) and Jordan Todman (calf) all ruled out. Jacksonville also ruled out cornerback Aaron Ross (calf) and defensive end George Selvie (concussion) on Friday. Dolphins wide receiver Davone Bess will miss a game for the first time in his career as a result of a back injury and linebacker Koa Misi (ankle) is out as well.

Buccaneers at Saints

Things are pretty healthy on the Tampa side of things with defensive end Da’Quan Bowers (hamstring) and cornerback LeQuan Lewis (knee) questionable and a few other probable players. The Saints are down right tackles Zach Strief (ankle) and Charles Brown (knee) this week. Running back Chris Ivory and safety Malcolm Jenkins will both miss the game with hamstring injuries.

Vikings at Rams

The Vikings have 10 probable players and just cornerback Antoine Winfield (knee) listed as questionable. That tops the Rams, who have nine probables and just defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo (foot).

Lions at Cardinals

Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley (shoulder) and tight end Brandon Pettigrew (ankle) are doubtful for the Lions. Safety Louis Delmas (knee) is questionable, as is Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell (calf). Wide receiver Early Doucet has been ruled out because of a concussion.

Seahawks at Bills

Wide receiver Sidney Rice (foot) is probable for the Seahawks, but cornerbacks Walter Thurmond and Marcus Trufant are both out with hamstring injuries. Center Eric Wood (knee) remains out for the Bills, while defensive end Mark Anderson (knee) is questionable in his attempt to return after several weeks on the sideline. Safety Jairus Byrd (shin), linebacker Nick Barnett (knee), defensive end Marcell Dareus (shoulder) and guard Andy Levitre (knee) are also questionable for Buffalo.

Panthers at Chargers

The Panthers will be without running back Jonathan Stewart (ankle) and wide receiver Brandon LaFell is questionable thanks to a toe injury. Linebacker DeMorrio Williams (ankle) is out for San Diego while running back Ronnie Brown (hamstring), linebacker Donald Butler (groin), tackle Jeromey Clary (knee) and guard Tyronne Green (ankle) are all doubtful.

Steelers at Cowboys

Tackle Willie Colon’s been ruled out by the Steelers and it’s thought his knee injury will end his season. Cornerback Ike Taylor (ankle) and tackle Mike Adams (ankle) have also been ruled out for Pittsburgh. Defensive tackle Jay Ratliff won’t play after having sports hernia surgery and wide receiver Dez Bryant is questionable with the finger injury we’ve been following all week. Bryant says he’s playing, as does linebacker DeMarcus Ware (elbow) but the outlook is a bit less certain for guard Nate Livings and cornerback Morris Claiborne because of concussions.

Chiefs at Raiders

The Chiefs haven’t placed wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (ribs) on injured reserve, so he’s been ruled out. Three offensive linemen — tackle Branden Albert (back), guard Jon Asamoah (thumb) and guard Ryan Lilja (knee) — are questionable while guard Russ Hochstein (back) is doubtful. Defensive tackle Richard Seymour (hamstring, knee) could make his return for the Raiders after getting the questionable tag, a designation he shares with safety Tyvon Branch (neck, ankle).

49ers at Patriots

The 49ers travel across the country in good shape with just wide receiver Mario Manningham (shoulder) expected to miss the game after being listed as doubtful. The Patriots listed 19 players as questionable, including tight end Rob Gronkowski (forearm). Gronkowski isn’t expected to play and forecasting the status for the many questionable Patriots every week tends to be a waste of time.

AP

Three weeks remain, and I’ve gradually built the lead back to four games.

But MDS has a chance to trim the gap down to one, if he’s right and I’m wrong on the three games on which we disagree.

And yes, Raiders fans, after four weeks of picking your team to lose, getting the exact score of two games right, missing a third exacta by one point, and correctly predicting the Raiders’ point total in all four games, MDS is picking your team to win this week.

Our picks on all Week 15 games appear below.  (Then again, where the hell else would they be?)

For last week, I eked out the win, 11-5 to 10-6.  For the year, I’m 134-73-1, a 64.4 percent accuracy rate.  MDS is 130-77-1, which keeps him at 62.5 percent.

Bengals at Eagles

MDS’s take: I’d been saying for weeks that the Eagles have given up on the season and wouldn’t win another game this year, and they proved me wrong with a spirited effort on Sunday, beating a Buccaneers team with playoff aspirations. So can they do that twice in a row? I don’t see it. Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins will lead a defense that will make life miserable for Nick Foles.

MDS’s pick: Bengals 24, Eagles 10.

Florio’s take:  The Eagles have now won more recently than the Phillies.  At least that can’t change until April.  Between now and then, the Eagles will change, plenty.

Florio’s pick:  Bengals 24, Eagles 17.

Giants at Falcons

MDS’s take: The Falcons are still the favorites to earn home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but I think the Giants are the better team. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Giants win in Atlanta in December and then do it again in January.

MDS’s pick: Giants 30, Falcons 20.

Florio’s take:  The Falcons need a win to prove they can win in the playoffs.  The Giants need a win to help ensure they’ll get to the playoffs.  This one feels like the NFC version of Texans-Patriots.

Florio’s pick:  Giants 31, Falcons 21.

Broncos at Ravens

MDS’s take: Baltimore’s decision to fire offensive coordinator Cam Cameron strikes me as a desperation move. The Ravens know they’re not as good as the three elite teams in the AFC, and the Broncos are going to demonstrate that on Sunday in Baltimore.

MDS’s pick: Broncos 24, Ravens 14.

Florio’s take:  The Ravens don’t match up well against Peyton Manning.  They never have.  Throw in a flat-tire offense that the Ravens are trying to change while the car is moving, and the late-season slide continues.

Florio’s pick:  Broncos 28, Ravens 20.

Packers at Bears

MDS’s take: The Packers can clinch the NFC North with a win, and I think they’ll do just that. Lovie Smith has said from his first day as the Bears’ coach that his No. 1 goal is to beat Green Bay, and Smith’s seat will get even hotter when he fails to do that on Sunday at Soldier Field.

MDS’s pick: Packers 28, Bears 13.

Florio’s take:  If Jay Cutler doesn’t play, who’ll shove J’Marcus Webb when this one starts to go south?

Florio’s pick:  Packers 24, Bears 13.

Redskins at Browns

MDS’s take: The Redskins have been red hot lately, but the Browns are better than people give them credit for. Whether it’s Robert Griffin III or Kirk Cousins, the Redskins’ quarterback is going to have a tough time against Cleveland’s defense, and I like the Browns to win a close, low-scoring game.

MDS’s pick: Browns 13, Redskins 10.

Florio’s take:  With or without RG3, the Redskins have found their groove and they’ll continue to push for the playoffs.  Still, this one could be the toughest challenge yet, notwithstanding wins over the Ravens, Giants, and Cowboys.

Florio’s pick:  Redskins 24, Browns 21.

Colts at Texans

MDS’s take: The Texans don’t have much time to lick their wounds after the epic beating they took in New England, but Houston is a more complete team than Indianapolis and should put the Colts away and clinch the AFC South.

MDS’s pick: Texans 24, Colts 17.

Florio’s take:  The Texans may have never won in Indy, but they’ve finally figured out how to beat Indy in Texas.  Besides, the Texans need the win to stay ahead of the Pats for the top seed — and the Colts for the division crown.

Florio’s pick:  Texans 28, Colts 17.

Jaguars at Dolphins

MDS’s take: Neither of these teams is particularly good, but the Dolphins at least look like they’re going in the right direction, while the Jaguars look like they need to be torn apart and rebuilt from the ground up.

MDS’s pick: Dolphins 20, Jaguars 7.

Florio’s take:  The Jags’ travel expenses will be low.  Their offensive output will be even lower.  And no one will notice.

Florio’s pick:  Dolphins 20, Jaguars 10.

Buccaneers at Saints

MDS’s take: Drew Brees will turn in a big game against a depleted Buccaneers secondary, and the Saints will put together a solid win, too late for it to matter in the playoff race.

MDS’s pick: Saints 31, Buccaneers 21.

Florio’s take:  Not long ago, both of these teams had a real shot at the postseason.  Now?  Not.  Though the Bucs have held their own in the Bayou in recent years, the Saints will be buoyed by their bounty victory.

Florio’s pick:  Saints 27, Buccaneers 23.

Vikings at Rams

MDS’s take: Raise your hand if you actually predicted before the season that this Week 15 game would have playoff implications for both teams. I’m betting on both of these teams falling just short, but I’m impressed that Jeff Fisher and Leslie Frazier have their teams playing well into December. I see the Rams’ defense forcing Christian Ponder into three interceptions and the Rams ending the Vikings’ playoff hopes.

MDS’s pick: Rams 21, Vikings 16.

Florio’s take:  I broke from my vow to never pick the Vikings again this year after their Week 11 bye, and it turned out to be a smart move.  For a change.  So why not do it again?  The young Rams remain inconsistent, and they’re due to lay an egg like the one they popped out against the Jets last month.  Meanwhile, Adrian Peterson is making a run at history.  What better way to take a big chunk out of the gap between A.P. and E.D. (that nickname isn’t as cool as it used to be) than to do it against the team with which he set the record?

Florio’s pick:  Vikings 20, Rams 13.

Lions at Cardinals

MDS’s take: Neither team is playing particularly well, but at least the Lions are playing competitively. The Cardinals aren’t doing anything right.

MDS’s pick: Lions 20, Cardinals 6.

Florio’s take:  Something’s gotta give when a pair of crappy teams get together in Arizona.  The Lions are the lesser of two evils, thanks to the fact that they have the better of the two starting quarterbacks.  By far.

Florio’s pick:  Lions 31, Cardinals 17.

Seahawks at Bills

MDS’s take: Seattle catches a break here, as a bad road team is going not to Buffalo but to Toronto, where the pro-Bills crowd won’t be quite as raucous. The Seahawks strike me as a team peaking at the right time, and they’ll beat Buffalo handily.

MDS’s pick: Seahawks 34, Bills 17.

Florio’s take:  The Seahawks are getting better on the road.  Especially when the road is more like the semi-neutral site that is Toronto.  The push continues for a playoff berth — and possibly the NFC West crown.

Florio’s pick:  Seahawks 33, Bills 20.

Panthers at Chargers

MDS’s take: Give credit to both of these teams: Late in a tough season, when it would be easy to mail it in, they’re both playing hard. So this should be a pretty good game, something you can’t often say about a December game when both teams have losing records. A big game from Philip Rivers will win it for the Chargers.

MDS’s pick: Chargers 31, Panthers 28.

Florio’s take:  Ron Rivera returns to San Diego, with inside information about the Chargers’ offense and a quarterback who seems to be finding his stride, again.  Sunday’s upset by San Diego over the Steelers was an aberration; the Panthers’ unexpected win over Atlanta wasn’t.

Florio’s pick:  Panthers 27, Chargers 20.

Steelers at Cowboys

MDS’s take: This might be the best game on a great NFL Sunday because both teams are desperate. Then again, the Steelers were desperate last week, too, and they laid an egg. Pittsburgh looks like it’s fading down the stretch.

MDS’s pick: Cowboys 20, Steelers 13.

Florio’s take:  It’s a rematch of three prior Super Bowls, and each team’s ability to pursue another Super Bowl appearance rides on the outcome.  It’s hard to overlook that ugly home loss by the Steelers — and it’s even harder to ignore the sense that the Cowboys are finding a way to pull together after Saturday’s tragedy.

Florio’s pick:  Cowboys 27, Steelers 17.

Chiefs at Raiders

MDS’s take: This might be the worst game on a great NFL Sunday because both teams have nothing to play for other than possibly getting the first overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. I like the Raiders to win and the Chiefs to take another step toward the top pick.

MDS’s pick: Raiders 21, Chiefs 13.

Florio’s take:  It’s the latest renewal of a once-great rivalry, and it continues to disintegrate.  If the Raiders can win at Arrowhead, they can hold serve at home.

Florio’s pick:  Raiders 17, Chiefs 7.

49ers at Patriots

MDS’s take: In a potential Super Bowl preview on Sunday night, I think the Patriots will show they’re playing at another level from the rest of the league. Tom Brady will have a big game against a good 49ers defense, and Bill Belichick will have something up his sleeve for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

MDS’s pick: Patriots 31, 49ers 17.

Florio’s take:  Another prime-time home game against a playoff-caliber team, another big win for a Patriots team that is poised to make another assault on a championship.

Florio’s pick:  Patriots 34, 49ers 24.

Jets at Titans

MDS’s take: I don’t think the Jets are particularly good, but none of the teams they’re playing in December are particularly good, either. So I like the Jets to win this one, and probably win out to earn a surprising 9-7 record and even an outside shot at an AFC wild card berth.

MDS’s pick: Jets 14, Titans 10.

Florio’s take:  The Jets keep moving toward an unlikely playoff berth.  The Titans keep moving toward an inevitable house cleaning.  Mittens off for Bud Adams!

Florio’s pick:  Jets 14, Titans 10.

Getty Images

1. Patriots (five first-place votes):  Finally, the rest of the PFT power rankings poll agrees with the boss.  Nice to see you guys finally come around.

2. Broncos:  Before any of you scream that the Broncos shouldn’t be No. 2, tell me who else should be.

3. Texans:  If they win the next three games, the Texans will secure the right to eventually lose in the postseason at home.

4. Falcons:  “The worst 11-2 team in NFL history” is still 11-2.

5. 49ers:  It’s good they’re playing a playoff team on the road this weekend.  The Niners could end up playing a playoff team on the road in the first round of the playoffs.

6. Packers:  They’re getting healthy and they’ve found a running game, just in time for the postseason.

7. Seahawks:  Unlike the 2005 team that made it to the Super Bowl, this team can win big games away from Seattle.

8. Giants:  Tom Coughlin should be in the doghouse for not letting David Wilson out of the doghouse sooner.

9. Ravens:  If Cam Cameron’s offense was better, maybe the Ravens defense wouldn’t have blown an eight-point lead to a rookie backup quarterback.

10. Redskins:  George McFly thinks this could be a team of density.

11. Colts:  Good news?  They need one win in three games to get to playoffs.  Bad news?  They play the Texans twice.  Best news?  They play the Chiefs in the other game.

12. Cowboys:  Like the Chiefs a week ago, the organization has performed admirably under difficult circumstances.

13. Bengals:  Beating one NFC East team at home sparked a great run.  Losing to another could grease the skids.

14. Steelers:  It’s good to see they’ve embarked on another late season effort to “unleash hell.”

15. Bears:  G.M. Phil Emery is making a different kind of list than Santa’s.

16. Vikings:  Some teams run to set up the pass.  Others pass to set up the run.  The Vikings run to screw up the pass.

17. Rams:  This team is going to end up far closer to a postseason berth than anyone ever would have imagined.

18. Saints:  Every team that makes it to the playoffs in the NFC should be very glad that the Saints won’t.

19. Buccaneers:  What could have been a special season is still pretty good.

20. Panthers:  Superman Returns.  Hopefully he’ll stay a little longer this time.

21. Browns:  If they run the table, it’ll be impossible to run Pat Shurmur out of town.

22. Dolphins:  The team is better, but there’s still no sizzle in South Florida.

23. Bills:  C.J. Spiller wants more touches.  Perhaps with another team.

24. Jets:  Immediately after Stephen Hill injured his knee, Rex Ryan acted like Jerry Seinfeld when he was dating the woman who cried when she dropped her frankfurter.

25. Chargers:  After that win over the Steelers, owner Dean Spanos gave coach Norv Turner a game ball.  I think those are called “parting gifts.”

26.  Eagles:  So will the “Keep Andy” signs show up on Thursday night, now that they’ve beaten the Bucs?

27. Titans:  Bud Adams will be signing the pink slips by dipping his middle fingers in ink.

28. Lions:  When all you have left to play for is getting the single-season receiving yardage record for Calvin Johnson, you might be a redneck.  Or at least a crappy team.

29. Cardinals: On my ballot, they were No. 58.

30. Chiefs:  If they had gotten some points when up 7-0 and on the brink of the end zone, the outcome in Cleveland could have been different.

31. Raiders:  Commissioner Roger Goodell says Oakland needs a new stadium.  Oakland says it needs a new team.

32. Jaguars:  Tim Tebow says the last shall be first.  As long as the last avoids the temptation to acquire Tim Tebow, that could possibly happen.

Getty Images

If you don’t like Cam Newton after watching him on Sunday against the Falcons, it says more about you than it does about him.

It was such a pleasure to see Newton, the Panthers’ second-year quarterback, look like Cam Newton again in Sunday’s 30-20 upset of the Falcons. Newton was absolutely amazing, throwing the ball with velocity and accuracy on a 23-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen and having one of the best runs in the NFL all season and then doing a flip into the end zone on a 72-yard touchdown. That score gave Carolina a 23-0 lead against an Atlanta team that entered Sunday’s game with the best record in football.

The Panthers blowing out the Falcons on Sunday was a big surprise, but this was the Cam Newton I expected to see all season.

Of course, I’m the idiot who picked the Panthers to win the NFC South this season, so perhaps I was a little too optimistic about Newton. But while I may have been too quick to anoint Newton a star after his excellent rookie season, much of the football world was way too quick to jump all over Newton when he struggled at some points this season. The negative stories got really silly, with people getting on his case for everything from supposedly taking too long to get dressed after a game and holding up the team bus (which the Panthers said didn’t happen) to allegedly failing to show the proper deference to veterans at last year’s Pro Bowl (which was a bizarre story to surface 10 months later). Just as I didn’t understand the obsession so many people had with all of his off-field activities when he was winning the Heisman Trophy at Auburn, and didn’t understand the pre-draft criticisms of his allegedly fake smile, I don’t understand why so many people try so hard to paint Newton in a negative light this season.

It’s true that early in the season, Newton’s performance on the field did give his critics some ammunition. He had two interceptions in a loss to the Buccaneers, three interceptions in a loss to the Giants, an interception and a fumble in a loss to the Cowboys, two interceptions and two fumbles in a loss to the Bears and two interceptions and a fumble in a loss to the Broncos. He’s made his share of mistakes.

But the thing we have to remember is, that’s what 23-year-old quarterbacks do. Newton’s shockingly good rookie season last year and the success of Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson may have made us forget this, but playing quarterback in the NFL is hard. Really hard. And not many people can walk right out of college football and perform at a high level in the NFL. Newton played at such a high level as a rookie that maybe we should treat a step back in his second season not as an invitation to rip him mercilessly, but as a simple example of regression to the mean.

And after Sunday’s game against the Falcons, I’m not so sure that Newton has really regressed anyway. He’s now on pace to throw for 3,963 yards this season, just short of his rookie record 4,051 last year. And he’s on pace to run for 788 yards, even better than the impressive 706 he gained as a rookie. In the last four games, Newton has a total of 11 touchdowns, zero interceptions and zero fumbles.

The 4-9 Panthers have plenty of problems. Their defense is mediocre, their special teams are terrible, and their much-hyped running back trio of DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert isn’t playing well enough to merit their hype — or their contracts. But one problem they don’t have is a question mark at the quarterback position. They answered that question for years to come on the day they drafted Cam Newton.

Newton was the player who impressed me most on Sunday. Here are my other thoughts:

Rex Ryan’s decision to deactivate quarterback Greg McElroy tells me a lot about the Jets. It tells me that they think Mark Sanchez is so mentally weak that he would have been looking over his shoulder if the option of benching him for McElroy existed. That’s not a good sign. Ryan’s decision to go back to Sanchez after benching him for McElroy last week worked, in the sense that the Jets won. But it worked out for the Jets because they were playing the terrible Jaguars, not because Sanchez played well. Sanchez completed just 12 of 19 passes for 111 yards against one of the worst defenses in the NFL in Jacksonville. Ryan won’t bench Sanchez, but he should.

We still have some great running backs in this league. The NFL has become, more than ever before, a passing league. But there are still some phenomenal running backs, and two of them got off to phenomenal starts on Sunday: Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles had 103 yards in the first quarter against the Browns, and Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson had 104 yards in the first quarter against the Bears. Charles and Peterson are both coming off major reconstructive knee surgery, and yet Charles is 11 carries away from surpassing Jim Brown for the NFL record for yards-per-carry average (a record that requires a minimum of 750 career carries; Charles has 739), while Peterson is closing in on a 2,000-yard season.

The officials are using automatic replay reviews as a crutch for getting calls wrong on the field. In the second quarter of Jets-Jaguars, the Jets fumbled and Jacksonville’s Dwight Lowery recovered. Lowery was obviously down when he jumped on the ball, and yet the officials allowed him to get up and race to the end zone for a touchdown, without blowing the play dead. The reason? The officials are now letting plays go because they know scoring plays are automatically reviewed, and they figure replay will bail them out if they get it wrong. But that’s not what instant replay is intended to do: The officials should call every play as well as they can, not just abdicate their responsibility on the field and waste a bunch of time afterward when their mistakes get corrected on replay.

And sometimes even when they have a replay review the officials get the call wrong. In the second quarter of Titans-Colts, Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck threw the ball just as he was being tackled, and Tennessee’s Will Witherspoon grabbed it and raced 40 yards to the end zone. Fortunately for the Colts, a replay angle clearly showed that Luck’s knee was down before he let go of the ball, so the interception would be overturned, right? Wrong. The referee somehow looked at the replay and allowed the Titans’ touchdown to stand. If the officials are going to use replay as a crutch, and then they’re going to get the call wrong even when they have that crutch, then the NFL has a serious problem on its hands.

Seattle may be the toughest place to play in the NFL. The Seahawks improved to 6-0 at home on Sunday with their demolition of the Cardinals, and it’s a good thing for the rest of the NFC that the Seahawks are probably going to have to go on the road in the playoffs, because I wouldn’t pick anyone to beat the Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks are winning with a great defense, an excellent running back in Marshawn Lynch and a good young quarterback in Russell Wilson. If only the Panthers could put that kind of team around Cam Newton.