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By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@dallasnews.com
Observations from Week 15 of the NFL season:
• The Carolina Panthers could have potentially blown the first overall pick of the 2011 draft with their 19-3 home victory over Arizona . That makes the Panthers 2-12. But the team chasing the Panthers for that first pick, the Cincinnati Bengals, also won, defeating the Cleveland Browns, 19-17. That makes the Bengals 3-11, so Carolina continues to control its destiny in the race for Stanford QB Andrew Luck.
• Andy Reid was universally criticized last spring when he traded Donovan McNabb inside the division to the Washington Redskins. Turns out Reid knew what he was doing. Mike Shanahan was universally criticized last week when he benched McNabb for Rex Grossman. Turns out Shanahan knew what he was doing. McNabb passed for two touchdowns or less in all 13 of his starts this season. In 11 of those games, he threw for just one score, and the Washington offense was suffering from lethargy. In Grossman's first start, he passed for four touchdowns against the Cowboys, and the Redskins scored a season-high 30 points. Now Shanahan needs to fix his 32nd-ranked defense.
• The Detroit Lions won on the road for the first time since 2007, snapping an NFL record 26-game road losing streak, with an overtime victory at Tampa Bay. The Lions claimed the victory with a third-string quarterback (Drew Stanton), backup halfback (Maurice Morris ) and second-string kicker (Dave Rayner) all playing key roles.
• Miami's season remains an enigma for Dolphins coach Tony Sparano. Miami is 6-1 on the road but fell to 1-6 at home with a mystifying 17-14 loss to the now 4-10 Buffalo Bills.
• With the Indianapolis season on the ropes, someone needed to step up and ease the burden on QB Peyton Manning , who has been carrying the team. That someone was backup halfback Donald Brown, who rushed for 129 yards on 14 carries in a victory over Jacksonville that tied the Colts and Jaguars for the AFC South lead at 8-6. Indianapolis entered the game with the NFL's worst rushing attack, and Brown's 100-yard game was only the second for the Colts this season.
• DeSean Jackson has scored a touchdown by rush, reception and kick return in each of his first three NFL seasons. The only other player to accomplish that feat in NFL history was Dick Todd of the Washington Redskins from 1939-41.
• The Kansas City Chiefs captured the Governor's Cup with a victory over cross-state rival St. Louis . QB Matt Cassel returned to the starting lineup after a one-game absence to pass for 184 yards and a touchdown in running his career record against NFC competition to 9-3.
• Atlanta QB Matt Ryan is Mr. December. He won his ninth consecutive start in December and January with two touchdown passes Sunday against Seattle.
rgosselin@dallasnews.com
Observations from Week 15 of the NFL season:
• The Carolina Panthers could have potentially blown the first overall pick of the 2011 draft with their 19-3 home victory over Arizona . That makes the Panthers 2-12. But the team chasing the Panthers for that first pick, the Cincinnati Bengals, also won, defeating the Cleveland Browns, 19-17. That makes the Bengals 3-11, so Carolina continues to control its destiny in the race for Stanford QB Andrew Luck.
• Andy Reid was universally criticized last spring when he traded Donovan McNabb inside the division to the Washington Redskins. Turns out Reid knew what he was doing. Mike Shanahan was universally criticized last week when he benched McNabb for Rex Grossman. Turns out Shanahan knew what he was doing. McNabb passed for two touchdowns or less in all 13 of his starts this season. In 11 of those games, he threw for just one score, and the Washington offense was suffering from lethargy. In Grossman's first start, he passed for four touchdowns against the Cowboys, and the Redskins scored a season-high 30 points. Now Shanahan needs to fix his 32nd-ranked defense.
• The Detroit Lions won on the road for the first time since 2007, snapping an NFL record 26-game road losing streak, with an overtime victory at Tampa Bay. The Lions claimed the victory with a third-string quarterback (Drew Stanton), backup halfback (Maurice Morris ) and second-string kicker (Dave Rayner) all playing key roles.
• Miami's season remains an enigma for Dolphins coach Tony Sparano. Miami is 6-1 on the road but fell to 1-6 at home with a mystifying 17-14 loss to the now 4-10 Buffalo Bills.
• With the Indianapolis season on the ropes, someone needed to step up and ease the burden on QB Peyton Manning , who has been carrying the team. That someone was backup halfback Donald Brown, who rushed for 129 yards on 14 carries in a victory over Jacksonville that tied the Colts and Jaguars for the AFC South lead at 8-6. Indianapolis entered the game with the NFL's worst rushing attack, and Brown's 100-yard game was only the second for the Colts this season.
• DeSean Jackson has scored a touchdown by rush, reception and kick return in each of his first three NFL seasons. The only other player to accomplish that feat in NFL history was Dick Todd of the Washington Redskins from 1939-41.
• The Kansas City Chiefs captured the Governor's Cup with a victory over cross-state rival St. Louis . QB Matt Cassel returned to the starting lineup after a one-game absence to pass for 184 yards and a touchdown in running his career record against NFC competition to 9-3.
• Atlanta QB Matt Ryan is Mr. December. He won his ninth consecutive start in December and January with two touchdown passes Sunday against Seattle.