---Are the Giants done if Eli Manning is done with a bad foot? Well, David Carr isn't exactly Manning but he has starting experience. The tools are there. When he was in Houston, the book was he didn't work hard enough. But in New York that's changed. He has the big arm. Manning didn't play well against the Broncos last week, but he had little time. Even so, he didn't have the same zip on his passes. If he's hurting, shut him down. Don't risk further damage.
---Can somebody tell me why the Miami Dolphins decided to have Ricky Williams throw a jump pass as they were readying to score the game's first touchdown against the Bills? They were blowing through the Buffalo defense when Williams lined up in the Wildcat formation and attempted to throw a pass on first-and-goal from the Buffalo 3. Chris Draft intercepted the pass in the end zone, ending the scoring threat. Just stupid. Can you be that cute? ---Hines Ward needs to shut his mouth. If Ben Roethlisberger doesn't think he's healthy enough to play, he doesn't play. Period. Head injuries are serious stuff. Ward is selfish. He always has been. He just covers it up well with that smile.
---There is a chance that Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil can break the single-season sack record held by Mike Strahan. He has 14 on the season and has two games left against the Chiefs and one against the Raiders, two teams he's had success against in the past and two teams without good offensive lines. The amazing thing about Dumervil is that he's only 5-11 and that might be stretching it. I asked him if the offensive linemen he faces ever say stuff to him about how his height, and he said Giants offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie talked some trash in last Thursday's game. "I talked some back but I was looking up to him and realized how short I am," Dumervil said. Dumervil said the key to his success is his leverage. "I've been small doing this my whole life so I'm used to it and that helps me," he said. "The offensive line isn't used to handling a player of my size."
---Until the Houston Texans learn to win big games, they will never be a playoff team. They are 1-15 against the Colts and had legitimate chances to beat them both times this season. Those losses could cost Gary Kubiak his job. Mike Shanahan could be the replacement.
---Is there a better chubby linebacker than Clint Session of the Colts? His interception return for a touchdown was the big play in the Colts' victory over the Texans. I follow Session closely since I played high-school football with his father. He's a good kid. And he's a good player.
----There are some who want to say Denver Broncos corner Champ Bailey isn't the same player he was a few years ago. I don't buy that at all. He can still line up in man coverage and take away a receiver. Does he get beat once in a while? Who doesn't in man coverage? But his ability to play man most of the time gives the Broncos so many options on the other side of the field. They can roll coverage to Andre Goodman's side, which has helped make him better.
---I've pumped up Charles Woodson for the past three seasons. I even wrote a column where I talked to him about why he isn't perceived as being one of the top defensive players. He didn't understand it. I don't either. But after his impressive streak of games, Woodson is finally getting his due. He might be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. That's how good he's playing.
---When I watch Kevin Smith run for the Lions, I think he goes down way too easy. He doesn't break enough tackles.
----The Giants could be without middle linebacker Antonio Pierce for the rest of the season because of a neck injury. That might seem like a huge loss, but at least two scouts and a coach have told me they didn't think Pierce was playing well before his injury. It could be that the neck was bothering him, but he wasn't playing with the same pop. Chase Blackburn started in his place against the Broncos and didn't play great. They need more speed there.
---Dennis Dixon was OK for the Steelers Sunday night. He could have been better if they put him in the shotgun and let him go up-tempo. Did you see him take off on that touchdown run? The Steelers played scared. When you do that to a quarterback, he plays scared. That's why he had the key turnover in overtime. I liked what I saw from Dixon.
---Let's face it: Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme isn't very good. And the coaching staff will pay the price for it. You can't win in the NFL anymore with a manage-the-game approach to playing quarterback.
---Watching the Chargers carve up the Chiefs, it's apparent that Antonio Gates is healthy again. He had two touchdown catches and looks quicker. With Vincent Jackson outside, it really helps open things up for Gates.
--- So Jay Cutler shoved an NFL Network microphone out of his face Sunday? Maybe he was made because they let Josh McDaniels' "F-bomb" get on the air last Thursday. You know he cares about that guy. Yeah, right.
---I heard Phil Simms say on the Thanksgiving broadcast of the Oakland-Dallas game on CBS that it wasn't just about the quarterback with Oakland. Uh, Phil. Yes, it is. They have talent on that team. But with an inability to make plays in the passing game, you can't win. They have good backs. They have young receivers with speed. They have a tight end who can run and catch. On defense, there are a lot of good players. It's quarterback. Period.
