The MVP race just got white hot, with Drew Bledsoe and Brett Favre back on track ... and Priest Holmes doing what's he's been doing all along, which is scoring touchdowns. Atlanta's Michael Vick has now at or near the top of the race, not because of the highlight film he put together against Minnesota but because of what he did for his team -- namely, account for 346 of the club's 379 yards, including an NFL-record 173 yards rushing by a quarterback, and score the winning touchdown. That's great. He deserves to be there. But there's someone we haven't mentioned, and he should be given equal consideration. That's Rich Gannon of Oakland, and all he's done is produce eight 300-yard passing games. The NFL record is nine, and, just a hunch, but he gets it tonight against the Jets. Remember, now, this is an MVP award, so the question is: Is Vick more valuable to the Falcons than Gannon is to the Raiders? Gannon has all sorts of weapons -- Jerry Rice, Tim Brown, Charlie Garner and Jerry Porter -- that Vick does not.
X-rays Monday showed Kurt Warner was playing with a broken hand Sunday, but I could have told you there was something wrong with St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner. He didn't throw passes with the confidence he once did, and he didn't throw passes down the field as he once did. His longest completion Sunday? It was for 28 yards, and that was as much run as it was catch. He didn't have another over 20 yards. Once he had Isaac Bruce open when he was locked in one-on-one coverage with Troy Vincent. He underthrew him, and Vincent made the interception. "He looked a little jittery," said Eagles defensive end N.D. Kalu, who had four sacks. "He didn't look like himself. Maybe he has an injury. I heard he's got an injury, and maybe not telling anyone. Maybe he's one of those tough guys, and he's keeping it to himself."
The New York Giants tried Tiki Barber four times from the Tennessee 1 on Sunday. He not only never gained a yard, but he lost three yards. Pardon me, but aren't goal-line and short-yardage plays why the Giants drafted Ron Dayne?
One man's roof is another man's floor. Case in point: the Saints' 23-20 win over Tampa Bay. With under two minutes left, the Saints up by 3 and Tampa out of timeouts, Saints' coach Jim Haslett had backup quarterback Jake Delhomme throw his first pass of the day. Pardon me, but isn't this the same position that Denver's Mike Shanahan was in a week ago against Indianapolis? Uh-huh. And didn't he have Steve Beuerlein throw on third down, too? Yep, but there's one difference. Beuerlein missed, opening the door to a Colts' overtime win; Delhomme did not, and New Orleans held on for victory. Give Haslett credit. He took a gamble, and he won. If he hadn't, he would have joined Shanahan in the principal's office.
Read the rest of Clark Judge's thoughts, including:
Wade Richey, the kickoff un-specialist
St. Louis better draft some offensive linemen
Shockey is a rival for T-Gon
49ers are the NFC's kingmakers
Brett Favre
With one month left in the season, it's not Philadelphia, Tampa Bay or Green Bay that could wind up deciding which team gains home-field advantage for the NFC playoffs. It's not even Atlanta.
It's San Francisco.
I'm not saying the 49ers will gain the home-field bye. In fact, I'm saying they won't. Of the teams most eligible to get there, they're the most unlikely ... and I offer you footage of their defensive play the past three weeks as Exhibit A.
But of the team's most likely to determine just who does get there, give me San Francisco, and here's why. They're the guys who launched Philadelphia, which only a week ago was wondering how it would survive without Donovan McNabb, and they're the guys who can block Green Bay when the two meet Dec. 15.
Green Bay is one of three NFC teams at 9-3. Tampa Bay is another. Philadelphia is the third.
And Atlanta is right behind at 8-3-1.
At the moment, it's Philadelphia that holds the home-field edge ... and, again, the Eagles can thank San Francisco. The 49ers were at their worst when Philadelphia was its most vulnerable, collapsing in a 38-17 defeat a week ago in a decisive contest that proved the Eagles can win without McNabb.
"When Donovan went down, guys weren't scared about what was going to happen the next week," said defensive end N.D. Kalu. "You had a sense that everyone was going to rally around each other, and something good was going to happen."
Read the rest of Clark Judge's story
Your homework assignment: Philadelphia
How far can the Eagles go?
Comments:
The question is this: How far will this year's Eagles go? They will win the division, but they will do it without Donovan McNabb. Can they make it to the NFC championship game again? Can they make it to the Super Bowl?
Tell me where they go and why ... then attach your name and residence, and look for your letter in Friday's weekend package. On your mark. Get set. Write ... to cjudge@foxsports.com, or you can put your answer in the box to the left.
Posted by classynsassywoman
at 10:17 PM EST
