Saturday’s games
Atlanta 30, Tampa Bay 28: Can you blame Bucs free-agent-to-be Warren Sapp for going off after the game? I took the Bucs and gave 71 1/42, which didn’t factor in the fact that Michael Vick (two TD passes) hit his stride for Atlanta (4-11) and Brad Johnson (four INTs) lost his for Tampa (7-8).
Minnesota 45, Kansas City 20: I told you the Vikings (9-6) feel at home in the dome. Randy Moss (two TDs) and Onterrio Smith (146 yards rushing) sliced through a not-yet-ready-for-playoffs defense of the Chiefs (12-3).
New England 21, N.Y. Jets 16: The Pats (13-2) have only two Pro Bowlers. Stupid Pro Bowl voters. Winners of 11 straight, the Pats picked off four passes and stuffed a late drive by the Jets
(6-9) to cap off a wonderful bonus Saturday of NFL games.
SUNDAY’S GAMES
MATCH UP
Miami 20 at Buffalo 3
WHIZZER SAID
Bills (-1 1/2). I take all the blame . . . and put it on Buffalo.
DRIVE -THROUGH
Terrell Buckley
returned an INT 74 yards for a TD.
BUFFET-STYLE
Miami (9-6) limited the Bills (6-9) to 177 yards and just 11 in the first half.
Utter domination.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
The warm-weather Dolphins won on the road in December or later for the first time since 2000. Bills QB Drew Bledsoe (114 yards passing) failed to crack
200 yards for the eighth time this season.
MATCH UP
at Dallas 19
N.Y. Giants 3
WHIZZER SAID
‘Boys (-10 11/2).
Almost perfect.
Almost.
DRIVE-THROUGH
Quincy Carter (17-of-25, 240 yards, 1 TD no turnovers) was sweetly efficient.
BUFFET-STYLE
New York (4-11) got an opening-drive FG and lost its seventh straight on the way to interviewing new head coaches.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
One year to the day since Bill Parcells
publicly said he wanted to coach again, Dallas (10-5) clinched a playoff berth and can still win the NFC East.
MATCH UP
at Carolina 20
Detroit 14
WHIZZER SAID
Nobody told me the Panthers (-10) would rest five starters.
DRIVE –THROUGH
Jake Delhomme threw 2 TD passes.
BUFFET-STYLE
The Lions (4-11) set an NFL record with their 24th consecutive road loss, this time to the playoff-bound Panthers (10-5).
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
The Lions have not won away from home since Dec. 17, 2000, so they’re not feeling very gay. Joey Harrington and Mike McMahon combined for–ahem–53 passing yards.
MATCH UP
at St. Louis 27
Cincinnati 10
WHIZZER SAID
Bengals would lose
by 6. So I was a third right.
DRIVE -THROUGH
Marshall Faulk
scored 2 TDs and
Torry Holt had his 10th 100-yard game.
BUFFET-STYLE
Grant Wistrom added 2 1 1/42 sacks to help St. Louis (12-3) knock the Bengals (8-7) from a first-place tie in the AFC North.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
Baltimore leads the Bengals by a game heading into the final weekend. Bengals finish at home against the Browns;
Baltimore plays at home against the Steelers. The Bengals hold all the relevant tiebreakers if the teams finish tied.
MATCH UP
Baltimore 35
at Cleveland 0
WHIZZER SAID
Ravens (-3) could have given 34 points.
DRIVE –THROUGH
Jamal Lewis (205 yards, 2 TDs) strikes again.
BUFFET-STYLE
Lewis needs 48 yards to
become the fifth back to
reach 2,000. He should
send Cleveland (4-11)
a bouquet.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
Despite sitting Lewis for the final 8:23 of the game, the Ravens (9-6) moved back into first place in the AFC North. The Browns (3 turnovers, 5 sacks
allowed) moved one game away from putting this season to sleep.
MATCH UP
at Jacksonville 20
New Orleans 19
WHIZZER SAID
Saints (+1 1 1/42) cut it close, almost … too close.
DRIVE -THROUGH
Saints miss a game-tying extra-point on the last play of the game.
BUFFET-STYLE
John Carney (403-for-408 on career PAT) pushed it wide right ending the Saints’ (7-8) slim playoff hopes. Jags (5-10) party.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
It gets wackier. The final TD came with six seconds left when Aaron Brooks passed to Donte’ Stallworth, who passed to Michael Lewis, who threw back to Deuce McAllister, who pitched to Jerome Pathon, who completed 75-yard TD play.
MATCH UP
Tennessee 27
at Houston 24
WHIZZER SAID
Titans (off the board). I knew McNair would start. He
e-mailed me.
DRIVE -THROUGH
McNair’s 23-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left wins it.
BUFFET-STYLE
Playing with a cracked ankle bone, McNair (17 of 36, 268 yards) threw 2 TDs but had to rally the Titans (11-4).
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
The win would have qualified the Titans for postseason play, but Cincinnati’s 27-10 loss a few minutes earlier already got Tennessee into the playoffs. For Texans (5-10), it was the sixth straight home game decided by less than a TD.
MATCH UP
at Seattle 28
Arizona 10
WHIZZER SAID
‘Hawks (-13 1 1/42) by about 90. No, you can’t hold me to that.
DRIVE-THROUGH
Seattle’s defense sacks QB eight times. Can’t sack anyone else, though.
BUFFET-STYLE
Shaun Alexander (135 yards) brought the offense with 2 TDs as the Cardinals (3-12) lost
No. 7 in a row.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
Seattle (9-6) finished 8-0 at home for the first time ever but needs a win at San Francisco next week for the playoffs. Cards bright spot: Anquan Boldin’s 96 catches a new NFL rookie mark.
MATCH UP
at Pittsburgh 40
San Diego 24
WHIZZER SAID
Chargers (+6).
Steelers poop
on my parade.
DRIVE-THROUGH
Tommy Maddox’s 3 TD passes mean everything–and nothing.
BUFFET-STYLE
San Diego is 3-12. Pittsburgh is 6-9. That’s what we mean by nothing. Drew Brees (2 INT, 1 fumble) coughs up 3 turnovers for the second week in a row. How Christmassy.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
Brees has 17 turnovers while going 1-9 as a starter. Pittsburgh’s Jerome Bettis (115 yards) passed Marcus Allen to become the seventh leading rusher in NFL history with 12,299 yards.
MATCH UP
San Francisco 31
at Philadelphia 28 OT
WHIZZER SAID
Eagles (-7 11/2) and I demand a recount, sir.
DRIVE THROUGH
Tony Parrish second INT set up the game-winning 22-yard FG.
BUFFET-STYLE
The 49ers (7-8) lost Terrell Owens to a broken left collarbone, but snapped an eight-game road losing streak.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
The Eagles (11-4) still can clinch the NFC East title and secure a first-round bye with a win over Washington. They need to beat the Redskins and have the Rams lose at Detroit to get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
MATCH UP
Denver 31
at Indianapolis 17
WHIZZER SAID
Colts (off the board). Or as I say “Colts, out to lunch.”
DRIVE-THROUGH
Jake Plummer runs for 2 TDs and smiles while doing it
BUFFET-STYLE
Denver (10-5) racked up 299 yards in the first half. RB Quentin Griffin (136 yards) makes it clear: Colts offensive line is amazing.
THE HOSTESS WILL SEAT YOU
Overall, Denver pushed Indianapolis (11-4) all over the field, out-gaining the Colts 465 yards to 183. Peyton Manning (0 scoring plays) and Edgerrin James (42 yards) looked like the Bizarro Peyton and Bizarro Edgerrin.
