I value the matchups a player faces more than anybody, but last week owners were burned on starting either of the Ravens' running backs at the Colts and their "bad" run defense. I realize Baltimore was forced to throw because Peyton Manning came out throwing and helped build a big lead. Who's to say he won't do it again versus a banged-up Packers secondary? That would take the ball out of Ryan Grant's hands. Additionally, Grant had a 33-carry game last week and couldn't crack 100 yards. He'll have a good matchup this week, but I don't like his chances to take advantage of it. That's why I'd sit him. Jamey Eisenberg You've hated Grant all season, and for good reason. No touchdowns. No 100-yard games. Only two catches, and for minus-4 yards at that. But he's getting better, and this week he goes back to being a No. 1 Fantasy option. You can see it coming the past two weeks, with the Packers feeding him the ball. He had 18 carries for 83 yards against Atlanta and 33 carries for 90 yards against Seattle. It's only a matter of time before he breaks a big run, and the Colts run defense isn't going to stop him. Indianapolis is still without safety Bob Sanders (knee) and is allowing 161 rushing yards per game and five touchdowns. Look for Grant to get going this week and put him back in your lineup.
Start Marques Colston at Carolina?
Dave Richard Jamey Eisenberg
Dave Richard You can talk all the stats and history you want on Colston, but the fact remains that he is coming back from a significant thumb injury and hasn't played since Week 1. Maybe he's good for a couple of catches, but Colston needs to be given a week to shake off the rust. And the Saints can afford to do it as Lance Moore and Devery Henderson have stepped up in Colston's place. Finally, the Panthers' secondary is pretty good -- second in the NFL -- and the game is in Charlotte. Lots of reasons to sit Colston one more week. Jamey Eisenberg Colston is expected to return this week after being out since Week 1 with a thumb injury. That means activate him immediately. He plays with one of the best quarterbacks in Drew Brees and was a No. 1 Fantasy option before getting hurt. He also has a good matchup against the Panthers this week. In three meetings he has 16 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns, and you can expect Brees to throw his way now that he's back.
Start Jason Campbell vs. Cleveland?
Dave Richard Jamey Eisenberg
Dave Richard Campbell has played poorly over his last two games, but he'll see a Browns secondary coming off an emotional Monday night win. That same secondary didn't play well all season until Week 6 when they came up with three interceptions. With Washington desperate to rebound following a stunning Week 6 loss to the Rams, expect Campbell to be on target, working to get on the same page with Santana Moss for the first time in three weeks. Jamey Eisenberg Dave pointed out this nifty stat to me: In 26 career starts, Campbell has three 250-plus yard games and eight games with two touchdowns. That means he doesn't post overwhelming stats, even when he has a good matchup like he did in Week 6 against St. Louis. The Browns pass defense has been exceptional this year with only 188 passing yards allowed per game, four touchdowns and nine interceptions. Cleveland just intercepted Eli Manning three times last week and should contain Campbell this week.
Start Warrick Dunn vs. Seattle?
Dave Richard Jamey Eisenberg
Dave Richard I have proof that last week's use of Earnest Graham as a fullback last week is an isolated incident: Graham's four-year, $11 million contract extension. Do fullbacks get paid that kind of money? No way. Dunn has definitely made strides to be a part of the Bucs' game plan, but he won't get anywhere close to the number of touches he had last week against the Seahawks in Week 7. Here's a prediction: The Bucs make it up to Graham this week and feed him the ball a ton, especially once they build a lead on the Seahawks. NFL Recap - Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals - Dec 28, 2008 - CBSSports.com Game Recap
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Kansas City at Cincinnati

Fast-closing defense, Benson lead Bengals past 2-14 Chiefs
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CINCINNATI -- While Herm Edwards talked like he'll be back as the Kansas City Chiefs' coach for at least one more year, running back Larry Johnson began trying to talk his way out of town.

Pacing the sideline in a bright red jacket and cap, Edwards watched the Chiefs' season -- and, perhaps, his days in charge of them -- end with another dismal showing. The Cincinnati Bengals completed their late-season surge with a 16-6 victory Sunday that sent both struggling teams into an offseason of big decisions.

NFL Recap - Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals - Dec 28, 2008 - CBSSports.com Game Recap I value the matchups a player faces more than anybody, but last week owners were burned on starting either of the Ravens' running backs at the Colts and their "bad" run defense. I realize Baltimore was forced to throw because Peyton Manning came out throwing and helped build a big lead. Who's to say he won't do it again versus a banged-up Packers secondary? That would take the ball out of Ryan Grant's hands. Additionally, Grant had a 33-carry game last week and couldn't crack 100 yards. He'll have a good matchup this week, but I don't like his chances to take advantage of it. That's why I'd sit him.
Jamey Eisenberg You've hated Grant all season, and for good reason. No touchdowns. No 100-yard games. Only two catches, and for minus-4 yards at that. But he's getting better, and this week he goes back to being a No. 1 Fantasy option. You can see it coming the past two weeks, with the Packers feeding him the ball. He had 18 carries for 83 yards against Atlanta and 33 carries for 90 yards against Seattle. It's only a matter of time before he breaks a big run, and the Colts run defense isn't going to stop him. Indianapolis is still without safety Bob Sanders (knee) and is allowing 161 rushing yards per game and five touchdowns. Look for Grant to get going this week and put him back in your lineup.
Start Marques Colston at Carolina?
Dave Richard Jamey Eisenberg
Dave Richard You can talk all the stats and history you want on Colston, but the fact remains that he is coming back from a significant thumb injury and hasn't played since Week 1. Maybe he's good for a couple of catches, but Colston needs to be given a week to shake off the rust. And the Saints can afford to do it as Lance Moore and Devery Henderson have stepped up in Colston's place. Finally, the Panthers' secondary is pretty good -- second in the NFL -- and the game is in Charlotte. Lots of reasons to sit Colston one more week. Jamey Eisenberg Colston is expected to return this week after being out since Week 1 with a thumb injury. That means activate him immediately. He plays with one of the best quarterbacks in Drew Brees and was a No. 1 Fantasy option before getting hurt. He also has a good matchup against the Panthers this week. In three meetings he has 16 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns, and you can expect Brees to throw his way now that he's back.
Start Jason Campbell vs. Cleveland?
Dave Richard Jamey Eisenberg
Dave Richard Campbell has played poorly over his last two games, but he'll see a Browns secondary coming off an emotional Monday night win. That same secondary didn't play well all season until Week 6 when they came up with three interceptions. With Washington desperate to rebound following a stunning Week 6 loss to the Rams, expect Campbell to be on target, working to get on the same page with Santana Moss for the first time in three weeks. Jamey Eisenberg Dave pointed out this nifty stat to me: In 26 career starts, Campbell has three 250-plus yard games and eight games with two touchdowns. That means he doesn't post overwhelming stats, even when he has a good matchup like he did in Week 6 against St. Louis. The Browns pass defense has been exceptional this year with only 188 passing yards allowed per game, four touchdowns and nine interceptions. Cleveland just intercepted Eli Manning three times last week and should contain Campbell this week.
Start Warrick Dunn vs. Seattle?
Dave Richard Jamey Eisenberg
Dave Richard I have proof that last week's use of Earnest Graham as a fullback last week is an isolated incident: Graham's four-year, $11 million contract extension. Do fullbacks get paid that kind of money? No way. Dunn has definitely made strides to be a part of the Bucs' game plan, but he won't get anywhere close to the number of touches he had last week against the Seahawks in Week 7. Here's a prediction: The Bucs make it up to Graham this week and feed him the ball a ton, especially once they build a lead on the Seahawks.

The Chiefs (2-14) have more to make.

The worst season in their 49-year history ended with another disjointed performance under Edwards, who urged the franchise to plunge headlong into a rebuilding mode. His rookie-filled team has lost 23 of its past 25 games, and has at least one major change ahead.

General manager Carl Peterson is leaving after 20 years with Kansas City. His successor will have a say in whether they replace Edwards, who insists that the Chiefs' future isn't as glum as it looks and that he's planning to continue like he'll be part of it.

"It's absolutely business as usual," Edwards said. "I'll be in the office all week and I'll be around. We'll evaluate our team and go from there."

Johnson had some advice on one of the team's personnel decisions.

The running back who signed a five-year extension before the 2007 season decided that he no longer fits in Kansas City. He carried only 10 times for 18 yards on Sunday, finishing the season with 874 yards in Kansas City's spread offense.

"It has everything to do with the environment," Johnson said. "The city is tired of me, and the organization and I have run our course together. It's time to move on for me. There could be 100 changes. It's time for me to go."

The Bengals (4-11-1) will most likely to stay the course after their latest losing season. Coach Marvin Lewis has two years left on his contract, and there is no general manager to replace -- owner Mike Brown makes the important decisions.

The Bengals closed the season with three straight wins, two of them against teams that seemed to care less than they did. They shut out the Browns 14-0 and had little trouble with the lackluster Chiefs, who crossed midfield only once in the first three quarters.

The game served as a preview of next year's offense for Cincinnati, which was missing both tackles and receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh to injury. Cedric Benson, who is a free agent after the season, scored on a 2-yard run and ran for 111 yards.

"Of course there will be other organizations interested," said Benson, who had three 100-yard games with the Bengals.

Houshmandzadeh also is a potential free agent, leaving the Bengals with their major decisions on offense. They could use their franchise tag to keep him for one more year, a move he wouldn't like.

"I feel like I don't mind staying here," said Houshmandzadeh, who led the team with 92 catches for 904 yards and four touchdowns. "I would like to stay here, but I don't want to stay here if I get franchised because it's just a one-year deal. I know that, they know that. It's not a long-term thing."

The Bengals sold 63,984 tickets for the game, setting a franchise record with their 44th consecutive sellout. The crowd got so bored that it did the wave in the fourth quarter. Some of the loudest cheers came for a halftime scrimmage between a youth football team and mascots for local sports teams, including the Bengals' mascot.

The kids won that one.

The overriding question in the Chiefs-Bengals game was which team wanted it less. Apparently, it was the Chiefs. Kansas City had the ball five times in the first half and managed only two first downs, setting a tone.

"I thought early in the football game, we didn't have energy," Edwards said. "And you have to play with energy. We generally play with a lot of energy, and we didn't have that in the first half."

The Chiefs didn't get closer than Cincinnati's 37-yard line until their final drive, which ended with Tony Gonzalez's 5-yard touchdown catch with 2:20 left. Then, the speculation began.

"You look at what Atlanta, Miami and Baltimore did (this season), there's no reason we can't do the same," Gonzalez said. "But if a new GM comes in and wants to start over, the last thing I want to hear is rebuild. I'm in my 13th year and I still enjoy the game."

Notes

  • Gonzalez's touchdown was his 10th, the most by an NFL tight end this season.
  • The Chiefs had one sack, leaving them with 10 for the season, the fewest by any team since the NFL made sacks an official statistic in 1981.
  • Third-round draft pick Andre Caldwell took Houshmandzadeh's spot and had a team-high five catches for 34 yards. He also ran four times for 49 yards, with one of the runs coming after a direct snap. "I felt like I showed I can go out there and play, be a starter," Caldwell said.
  • WR Chad Ocho Cinco was inactive for the second straight game because of a hamstring injury.
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Cedric Benson completes his strong finishing kick with 111 yards rushing and a touchdown.
 
Cedric Benson completes his strong finishing kick with 111 yards rushing and a touchdown. (AP)
 

 
Scoreboard
Kansas City (2-14-0)00066
Cincinnati (4-11-1) «3100316
KC - Pass: T. Thigpen (19-36, 191), Rec: D. Bowe (10-103)
CIN - Pass: R. Fitzpatrick (18-30, 129), Rush: C. Benson (25-111)
Scoring Summary
1ST QUARTER
FGShayne Graham 38 Yd, 1:41. Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards in 5:53.
2ND QUARTER
TDCedric Benson, 2 Yd run (Shayne Graham kick is good), 10:57. Drive: 6 plays, 87 yards in 3:39.
FGShayne Graham 30 Yd, 1:47. Drive: 16 plays, 81 yards in 7:46.
3RD QUARTER
None
4TH QUARTER
FGShayne Graham 43 Yd, 6:21. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards in 1:52.
TDTony Gonzalez, 5 Yd pass from Tyler Thigpen (Tyler Thigpen 2 Pt. Conversion pass to Tony Gonzalez failed), 2:20. Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards in 4:01.
Players of the Game

C. Benson
Rush 25
Yds 111
Avg 4.4
TD 1
Kansas City

D. Bowe
Rec 10
Yds 103
Avg 10.3
TD 0
 
Kansas City
PassingCP/ATYDSTDINT
T. Thigpen19/3619110
RushingATTYDSTDLG
L. Johnson1018014
J. Charles3908
T. Thigpen2404
ReceivingRECYDSTDLG
D. Bowe10103032
T. Gonzalez553115
M. Bradley221012
D. Darling21409
Cincinnati
PassingCP/ATYDSTDINT
R. Fitzpatrick18/3012900
RushingATTYDSTDLG
C. Benson25111114
A. Caldwell449026
R. Fitzpatrick729013
J. Johnson31507
ReceivingRECYDSTDLG
A. Caldwell534013
J. Johnson32009
C. Benson219016
C. Henry219015
N. Lawrie21107
G. Holt110010
R. Kelly2905
B. Utecht1707
Complete Player Stats
Other Games
WAS 24 Final
SF 27
DEN 21 Final
SD 52
SEA 21 Final
ARI 34
OAK 31 Final
TB 24
CLE 0 Final
PIT 31
DAL 6 Final
PHI 44
MIA 24 Final
NYJ 17
CAR 33 Final
NO 31
NYG 19 Final
MIN 20
TEN 0 Final
IND 23
CHI 24 Final
HOU 31
DET 21 Final
GB 31
NE 13 Final
BUF 0
JAC 7 Final
BAL 27
STL 27 Final
ATL 31