Week 15 Judgements: G-Men need Plax after all

1. History might record that Plaxico Burress did what 31 other teams could not: Take down the New York Giants. Watch how opponents defend them now, and watch how Eli Manning struggles to find open receivers. The film doesn't lie.

2. Yeah, San Diego lives ... but not for long. Two reasons: 1) The Bolts must win next weekend in Tampa, and 2) Denver must lose at home to Buffalo. I don't trust the Broncos anywhere, either, but Buffalo won't win another game. Sunday's loss convinced me.

3. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Here's another reason not to trust San Diego. The Chargers are 2-8 against opponents not named Oakland or Kansas City.

4. Maybe, just maybe, Brad Childress was right about Tarvaris Jackson. I know the Cards aren't exactly the '85 Bears, but Jackson looked like a legit quarterback for the first time ... well, for the first time in his career. Plus, he won a big game.

5. It's déjà vu all over again. A quarterback's father dies just before his team plays the Raiders in Oakland, but the quarterback toughs it out and not only plays -- he throws four touchdown passes to rout Oakland. Brett Favre, right? Yep. But now it's Matt Cassel, too, almost five years to the day after Favre did it. In a season of unexpected achievements by Cassel, this was the most remarkable.

6. On second thought, maybe Arizona won't win that home playoff game.

7. Just my opinion, but there is no way referee Walt Coleman could overturn that call on Santonio Holmes' last-minute catch based on instant replay. Whatever the call was on the field -- and it was not ruled a touchdown -- it should not have been overturned because replays were inconclusive. Yes, I think the ball crossed the goal line, but, no, I can't say for certain it crossed the goal line when both feet were down. Which means the original call should have stood.

8. I'll say it again: Pittsburgh or Indianapolis represents the AFC in the Super Bowl. Now that Tennessee's Albert Haynesworth is hurt, I don't trust the Titans. I give Indianapolis a shot because the red-hot Colts went into Pittsburgh last month and won.

9. If the Colts win their last two, and I believe they will, make Peyton Manning the league MVP.

10.That settles it. Andre Johnson is the best receiver out there. Not T.O. Not Randy. Not Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin. Andre Johnson. Make him a finalist ... maybe the winner ... for league's Offensive Player of the Year.

11. Jason Elam deflated more than Tampa Bay with that game-winning field goal. He sank the Philadelphia Eagles, too. Had Tampa Bay won, the Eagles could have made the playoffs by running the table. And with games against Cleveland, Washington and Dallas that's a real possibility.

12. The Jets were lucky, lucky, lucky, to escape Buffalo and should send J.P. Losman a thank-you note. He did for them what Sage Rosenfels did for the Indianapolis Colts. So here's my question: Based on the past three weeks how in the world can anyone believe the Jets go to Seattle and win? Someone? Anyone?

13. I'm sorry, but that was a horrible call on Mike Sellers' goal-line lunge. I think I remember something about forward progress, and Sellers' forward progress stopped long before he was stripped of the ball.

14. Any while we're on the subject ... you might have noticed that when Washington had three cracks at the Cincinnati 1, running back Clinton Portis never touched the ball. Hmmmm, you don't think that had anything to do with what happened in the past week, do you? I didn't think so.

15. And that, people, is why I like Jeff Garcia. He never would have taken that sack in overtime.

Just asking but ...

• Who needs the bailout more -- GM or the Lions?

• Why that call, Jeff Fisher?

• Could Tennessee and the Giants both miss the Super Bowl?

• Could someone tell me what Kris Dielman did to get ejected? Anyone?

• What if Santonio Holmes was ruled down at the three-inch line? What would you have done -- go for the tie or the win?

Five things I like

1. Seeing the 1958 NFL championship game again. I'll take three minutes of J.U. over three hours of T.O. anytime, anywhere.

2. Matt Ryan with the game on the line. Rewind the last series of Sunday's overtime defeat of Tampa Bay, and you understand why he's called "Matty Ice."

3. Dan Orlovsky. Honest. I think he might have a future. With Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson, at least there's some hope in Detroit. I said some; not much.

4. Terence Newman on any Giants receiver. T.O. wasn't the story of this game; T.N. was.

5. Miami's defense. That's 12 straight quarters without a touchdown.

Five things I don't

1. Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed taking a personal-foul penalty after his extra points put the Steelers up by four with 43 seconds left. I know the call looked shaky, but c'mon, Jeff. You just opened the door for Baltimore. Not smart.

2. Coloring "The Greatest Game Ever Played." Please. It's like coloring Matthew Brady's photographs. Next thing you know someone will want to highlight NHL pucks with a blue dot.

3. Denver not taking a knee at the end of the first half when the Broncos were running out the clock. Instead, they had Selvin Young carry the ball, he fumbled and the Broncos surrendered three points.

4. Tennessee recovering an onside kick with seconds left in the first half, then taking a knee. Huh? Then why try the onside? It's not so much that I don't like it; I just don't get it.

5. The collapse of the Green Bay Packers. It's the only thing worse than the collapse of the Washington Redskins.

Numbers, numbers, numbers

2 -- Justin Miller kickoff returns for touchdowns in two weeks.
2 -- Points separating San Diego and Kansas City this season.
4 -- Consecutive 100-yard games by Carolina's Steve Smith.
7 -- Arizona rushing attempts.
8 -- Consecutive times David Garrard has converted third-and-1s.
4-0 -- Matt Schaub at Reliant Stadium this season.
1-6 -- Green Bay during its past seven games.
11-0 -- NFC South games at home against the division.
79-42 -- San Francisco's play advantage vs. Miami.

Next weekend's three best games

Carolina at N.Y. Giants ... NFC home-field advantage is at stake.
Pittsburgh at Tennessee ... AFC home-field advantage is at stake.
Baltimore at Dallas ... You think Tony Romo hurts now? Wait 'til next week.

My top five

1. Pittsburgh
2. Tennessee
3. N.Y. Giants
4. Carolina
5. Indianapolis

My bottom five

32. Detroit
31. St. Louis
30. Oakland
29. Kansas City
28. Cincinnati