Three Shocking Things About Week 15



1. Panthers Don't Show Up: A few weeks ago Carolina Panther Keyshawn Johnson, the ultimate barometer of team psyche, was quoted along the lines that losing the particular match that week would be like driving the car off of the bridge. The Panthers lost and sure enough, it would appear the team bus when a drownin' because it wasn't a John Fox team out there getting humiliated like 37-3 that, was it?

"It's embarrassing. I feel bad for our owner, obviously, to have paid for the talent we displayed on the field,"

receiver Keyshawn said.

Chris Weinke, starting for lack of a better alternative for the second straight week because of Jake Delhomme's thumb injury, threw for 170 yards and an interception and was sacked five times for the Panthers (6-8), who lost their fourth straight game and rank as one of the NFL season's biggest disappointments.

2. NFC Ist Dreck



Bears almost blow a massive lead to Tampa Bay and need an OT FG to win - this is supposd to be the NFC's finest and they were playing a team with a one-legged offence. Still they somehow almost lost the game. Then the Saints humiliate themselves at home against the lowly Redskins who no one mistook for a playoff team all season. As noted above, the Panthers, alot of peoples' pre humiliate themselves even worse at home against the rising AFC Steelers. Seahawks losers to the 49ers. Vikings pummeled at home by the AFC Jets. Looks like nearly every NFC team with a dog in the race of the playoffs don't really deserve to have their dogs in the race after all. Unless it was all a one week long illusion. Hell, just a week ago, everyone was writing off the Cowboys and look what they did to the Falcons.

3. Bills Denounce Dolphins, 21-0



Seems to be not that long ago (a week ago?!) that the Dolphins were busy putting an historic pasting on the New England Patriots and making Tom Brady play one of his worst games in memory. Then they come to Buffalo, a place the Bills had trouble selling out, and get shutout. And let's not forget about the Bills because just a few short weeks after everyone turned out the lights of their playoff hopes they are bouncing back with a vengeance. It was Buffalo's first shutout since a 2003 season-opening 31-0 win over New England, and its first against the Dolphins since a 29-0 win in November of 1987. Most satisfying, perhaps, the win eliminated Buffalo's AFC East rival from postseason contention, with Miami dropping to 6-8.

Round And Abouts

I think that the Terrell Owens spitting on his opponent story is about the least shocking thing that's happened in the NFL this season. But give it to him that in this Corporate Dull league that wants squeaky clean heroes in a game of violent criminals, T.O. is by far the most flamboyant, disturbing anti-hero to leak out of the repressive ranks of the NFL in recent memory. He almost single-handedly wrecked an entire franchise's season last year and this year he's done just about everything from alleged suicide overdoses to sleeping with the football in the endzone to admitting he doesn't try very hard half the time to now, well, spitting. What ever will this lad do for an encore? Who knows, but you can bet his season won't end quietly.

Anyone notice the battle of the rookie QBs - Denver's Jay Cutler and Arizona's Matt Leinart? It was a little unfair of course - Cutler plays for a playoff-bound team and Leinart plays for a team that's just a sniff above the NCAA level. Or maybe that's an insult to the NCAA. Still, someday if Matt Leinart escapes his Dennis Green Hell (either by trade or free agency or Dennis Green getting fired and replaced by a REAL NFL coach,) these two might meet up one day for the Super Bowl. And if not, the Titans' Vince Young is always lurking right around the corner. The 2006 draft will go down as one of the best for NFL QBs since what, 1983?

So, a few weeks to go, no one really seems to want the lead and what's left to do but make wild guesses about the Playoffs again.

AFC -

1. Chargers
2. Colts
3. Ravens
4. Patriots
5. Jacksonville
6. Denver

NFC

1. Bears
2. Cowboys
3. Saints
4. Seahawks
5. Iggles
6. Giants

Round One:

Ravens over Denver
Jacksonville over Patriots
Saints over Giants
Iggles over Seahawks.

Round Two:

Ravens over Colts
Chargers over Jacksonville
Iggles over Bears
Cowboys over Saints

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

Chargers 24 Ravens 13

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

Cowboys 33 Iggles 17

SUPERBOWL

Chargers 44 Cowboys 11