What about Bob?

... in Oregon reminds me that he saw this Giants' collapse coming near the end of the first half against the Bears, when the Giants gave up an early score after that infamous third-and-22 draw play to Thomas Jones and then sitting on the ball to run out the half.

Big bro would like some credit in advance of Sunday's game against the Cowboys, saying that if they lose, you can stick a fork in 'em. They're done. We'll see.

btw, Rich is a huge Kellen Clemens fan who will have to be content to wait out Chad Pennington's resurrection before seeing his fave college QB get a chance.

... or so that's what the players are telling us.

A day after Michael Strahan ignited the locker room by bullying ESPN reporter Kelly Naqi, who was following up on Strahan's inflammatory remarks about Plaxico Burress in a radio interview on Monday, a sense of normalcy was more evident in the room.

As Antonio Pierce explained it, the media circus may actually have enlivened the team's spirits. Ah, the us-against-them routine. It's always a sure-fire method of keeping the troops in line. Tiki Barber suggested the whole thing might have helped, too, which I'll get to in tomorrow's column.

All in all, though, an extremely interesting week in Big Blue's locker room, something I haven't quite seen in 22 years of covering this group. Of course, we had plenty of controversy and intensity during the L.T. years, and Phil Simms gave us more than his share of memorable outbursts. But this one was right up there.

Good job by the Giants' public relations staff of keeping an even keel throughout the proceedings. In spite of Strahan's outburst, there was no paranoid freaking out among the front-office types, which is a credit to the organization's belief that an open policy is best, even though there are going to be some tenuous moments like yesterday.

I get the sense that Bill Parcells is watching all this from afar with a slight sense of dread. After all, the Cowboys' coach likes it when the opposition is very calm and tranquil, not all stoked up in advance of a big game. Tuna knows how it is in New York - "It's euphoria or disaster," he often likes to say - and I suppose he'd rather not face a Giants' team riled up in their us-against-the-world mindset.

Another day, another controversy in the Giants’ locker room.

This time, it’s Michael Strahan popping off about how his remarks about receiver Plaxico Burress on a Monday afternoon appearance on WFAN are playing out. The Giants’ defensive end, who hasn’t played since injuring his foot in a win over the Texans last month, said the media is distorting how his comments are being received among the players.

Strahan was critical of Burress for giving up on a fourth-quarter pass that was intercepted by Tennessee’s Pacman Jones in a 24-21 meltdown Sunday afternoon in Tennessee, where the Giants blew a 21-0 fourth-quarter lead.

“You can’t give up. You can’t quit,” Strahan said on the radio interview. “You’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on us. I don’t understand what his lack of motivation is in those situations. He’s too great of a player to look at him and say, ‘He’s a quitter.’”

Strahan made an unscheduled appearance in the locker room because he felt his remarks were being taken out of context, and that he is being a divisive locker room influence.

He was particularly upset at ESPN reporter Kelly Naqi.

“Don’t prepare to come in to have someone who wants to take a comment to try to divide teammates in a way that disrupts the team because we don’t have that division here,” he said. “So if you want to come here with a negative, you’re coming to the wrong guy, because I’m not a negative guy. I don’t kill my teammates.”

Strahan also said the negativity was media driven in general.

“They’re [comments] being portrayed that way because that’s the way you guys portray them,” Strahan said. “We’ve lost three games in a row, you’re not going to do anything positive. That’s not how you guys operate. You don’t sell papers by being positive. I read papers every day. The difference between me reading your papers now and me reading your papers 10 years ago is that now, I know [nonsense] when I read it. Ten years ago, I didn’t know [nonsense] when I read it. Now I can read your papers, it doesn’t bother me, because half is garbage. The only thing that bothers me is that you mislead people outside this locker room when you guys spend more time with us than we spend with ourselves sometimes.”

The Giants have had plenty of locker room controversy this season. After a loss to the Seahawks in Week 3, Jeremy Shockey told reporters he felt the Giants were “outcoached.” Tiki Barber confirmed he was retiring after the season the week before the Giants played the Cowboys last month, and chided anyone who suggested he was creating a distraction.

And Barber questioned the coaching after a Giants’ Monday night loss to the Jaguars two weeks ago.

1. Colts (10-1) (2): Offensive rookie of the year? How about running back Joseph Addai, who is making Colts fans forget about Edgerrin James.

2. Ravens (9-2) (4): Defense sacks Ben Roethlisberger nine times to put Steelers out of their misery. Steve McNair is a legit MVP candidate.

3. Patriots (8-3) (6): Assante Samuel has three interceptions as Pats snuff out Bears at home.

4. Bears (9-2) (1): Lovie Smith will stick with Rex Grossman after yet another spotty performance.

5. Chargers (9-2) (3): Chargers make it closer than it has to be against awful Raiders. In the end, LaDainian Tomlinson saves the day.

6. Cowboys (7-4) (7): Pokes thrash hapless Bucs on Thanksgiving Day to set up this weekend’s huge game against Giants.

7. Chiefs (7-4) (11): If someone told you before the season that Trent Green would miss most of the season with injury and Willie Roaf would retire, you wouldn’t have expected the Chiefs to be in playoff contention.

8. Saints (7-4) (15): Drew Brees scorches the Falcons, and New Orleans stays on top with Carolina losing to Washington.

9. Broncos (7-4 (5): The Jay Cutler era begins.

10. Seahawks (7-4) (10): Shaun Alexander plows through a late November snowstorm as Seahawks get back on track against Packers.

11. Bengals (6-5) (13): Carson Palmer & Co. smoke the Browns to keep pace in the wild card race.

12. Panthers (6-5) (8): It has come to this: John Fox has had to give Jake Delhomme a vote of confidence.

13. Jaguars (6-5) (9): After nice Monday night win over Giants, Jags can’t follow it up in Buffalo and lose to Bills.

14. Jets (6-5) (16): Chad Pennington rallies with one of better performances against Texans after self-admitted slump.

15. Giants (6-5) (12): Giants reeling after Music City Mess. First place on the line Sunday against Big D.

16. Eagles (5-6) (17): No Donovan McNabb. No chance.

17. Rams (5-6) (24): St. Louis makes things interesting with home win over improved 49ers. They are still in wild card hunt in mediocre NFC.

18. 49ers (5-6) (18): Niners hang in gamely, but can’t seal the deal in St. Loo.

19. Dolphins (5-6) (19): That’s four straight for Dolphins, including Joey Harrington’s triumphant return to Detroit, where he beats former Lions team on Thanksgiving.

20. Falcons (5-6) (20): Michael Vick gives the finger to the fans. Or was he commenting on his own performance?

21. Vikings (5-6) (21): Vikes break four-game losing streak against former coach Denny Green’s Cardinals.

22. Bills (5-6) (22): Gotta like Bills’ resiliency. This team had four-win season written all over it, but J.P. Losman’s improvement and special teams brilliance help get close to .500

23. Titans (4-7) (26): Vince Young offers glimpse of the future with huge comeback win over Giants.

24. Redskins (4-7) (27): Skins pull off huge upset of Panthers and give Jason Campbell his first win.

25. Steelers (4-7) (14): It’s over.

26. Buccaneers (3-8) (23): Youth movement in full swing. It’s gonna stay ugly for a while longer.

27. Packers (4-7) (25): Brett Favre throws three picks against his old coach. Up next: Jets at home.

28. Browns (3-8) (28): Romeo Crennel on the hot seat.

29. Texans (3-8) (29): Texans completely listless in road loss to Jets.

30. Raiders (2-9) (30): Raiders make it interesting against divisional rival Chargers, but come up small in the end.

31. Cardinals (2-9) (31): Five more games until Green is gone.

32. Lions (2-9) (32): Lions fans starting to put bags over their heads to hide their shame.

Kiwanuka letting go of Young ... on fourth down.

Frankie Walker's personal foul on Young ... on fourth down.

Eli's interception on a throw to Burress ...

Eli's interception on a throw to Tyree ...

Game-winning field goal ...

Can this get any worse for the Giants? You bet it can. If Tuna comes to town on Sunday and beats the Giants - how can he not, the way the Giants are playing? - then this season is just about over. The mediocre NFC will give the Giants a mathematical chance to compete, but if their losing streak reaches four games, then this team will almost certainly not make the postseason, and coach Tom Coughlin's job is very much on the line.

If Jim Fassel got the boot a year after the Giants melted down in the playoffs against the 49ers, then Coughlin might very well be on the bubble if this collapse after a 6-2 record at mid-season might cost him his job, too.

It is one of the worst Mondays in recent memory for Giants fans, who must now sift through the Tennessee mess and see if there's anything left to be optimistic about. And with a red-hot and well-rested Cowboys team coming to town on Sunday, this could turn out to be one of the worst moments in franchise history.

Back to the '70s? Giants fans shudder at the thought.

Tiki Barber is coming off as a me-first guy with his complaint that the Giants don't run the ball enough after their dispiriting performance against the Jaguars. It seems whenever he doesn't get the ball enough, he makes a point of telling the world about it.

But I have a sneaking suspicion that there's a little more to this than meets the eye. It would not surprise me at all if Barber purposely complained to take the heat off his quarterback. Eli Manning has been getting hammered in the papers and on the talk radio shows for his poor performance in recent weeks, to the point where it's become a feeding frenzy.

But look who's on the back pages today. It's Tiki, not Eli. Barber is smart enough to know that if he makes enough noise, the attention will point to him. And if that's his reasoning, then I can't argue with it.

In fact, what he says about the running game is irrefutible as well. The fact of the matter is the Giants are a much better team when they're balanced, and abandoning the running game on Monday night, especially when the game was close, was just non-sensical.

With six regular season games left to Barber's career, maybe he'd rather do his complaining before the fact, not after it, as he did following last year's shutout playoff loss to the Panthers.

...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your families. And say a prayer for the men and women of the armed forces who can't be with their families, hoping for their speedy return.

1. Bears (9-1) (2): Any more questions about whether this is a big-time defense?

2. Colts (9-1) (1): On a day when defense actually plays pretty well, offense comes up small against Dallas.

3. Chargers (8-2) 4): Another huge comeback victory for Chargers. Nice to have LaDainian Tomlinson on your side.

4. Ravens (8-2) (5): Even without Ray Lewis, defense smokes reeling Falcons. Jamal Lewis looks like he did in his prime.

5. Broncos (7-3) (3): Defensive collapse in second half means huge loss to divisional rival San Diego. Could mean the AFC West title.

6. Patriots (7-3) (7): This was the bounce-back we expected last week. Tom Brady dusts himself off and dusts the Packers.at Lambeau.

7. Cowboys (6-4) (11): Cowboys win two straight for first time in nearly two months. Is this the start of a run to the divisional title?

8. Panthers (6-4) (14): After 0-2 start, Panthers now tied for top spot in NFC South. Pretty soon, the Saints will be in the rearview mirror.

9. Jaguars (6-4) (12): David Garrard does just enough to beat the Giants, and defense does the rest.

10. Seahawks (6-4) (8): Boy, does this team need Matt Hasselbeck. Even Shaun Alexander’s return can’t help against 49ers.

11. Chiefs (6-4) (10): Trent Green comes back and Chiefs win … just barely.

12. Giants (6-4) (6): Crisis time? Almost. Eli Manning is just not getting it done.

13. Bengals (5-5) (17): Carson Palmer to Chad Johnson works wonders for struggling Bengals.

14. Steelers (4-6) (20): Big Ben rallies after disastrous start as Steelers come back to beat rival Browns. Believe it or not, there’s still hope for a wild card berth.

15. Saints (6-4) (9): Uh oh. Are Saints about to go kerplunk? After 5-1 start, they’ve lost three of last four.

16. Jets (5-5) (15): Chad Pennington’s two interceptions kill their chances against Bears.

17. Eagles (5-5) (13): Donovan McNabb gone for the season. So, too, might the Eagles’ playoff hopes.

18. 49ers (5-5) (25): Are you kidding me? The 49ers were given up for dead a few weeks ago. Now they’re in the thick of the playoff race and only a game behind ‘Hawks.

19. Dolphins (4-6) (21): Defense comes up big against Vikings. Wonder what might have been if Fins had gone with Joey Harrington from the start.

20. Falcons (5-5) (16): Another awful day for Michael Vick. Pretty soon, he’s going to run out of coaches to blame and realize he’s the problem. .

21. Vikings (4-6) (18): Now you know why the Vikings didn’t re-do Brad Johnson’s contract.

22. Bills (4-6) (24): J.P. Losman-to-Lee Evans is a phrase Bills can get used to.

23. Buccaneers (3-7) (22): Bucs beat mediocre Redskins at home. Whoop-de-do.

24. Rams (4-6) (19): Remember when Rams were 4-1?

25. Packers (4-6) (23): Packers fans get a glimpse of what life would be like without Brett Favre. Not a pretty sight.

26. Titans (3-7) (31): Vince Young continues to show flashes of greatness, this time against Eagles’ pressure defense.

27. Redskins (3-7) (26): Jason Campbell is a work in progress.

28. Browns (3-7) (27): Will Browns ever beat Steelers?

29. Texans (3-7) (28): Pass defense collapses against Bills.

30. Raiders (2-8) (30): Aaron Brooks does no better with Tom Walsh’s antiquated offense. .

31. Cardinals (2-8) (32): Cardinals finally win for first time since Week 1, as Matt Leinart gets career victory No. 1.

32. Lions (2-8) (29): Welcome back, gentlemen. We knew you’d get down here sooner or later.

Very, very tough break for Donovan McNabb and the Eagles. The guy was at the top of his game, and now he'll be out several months rehabbing a torn ACL. At 5-5, it's tough to see the Eagles make the playoffs . . .

Are the Saints back down to earth? Looks like. After getting off to a red hot start, they've lost three of last four and might have to settle for wild card spot, especially with Carolina picking up steam again . . .

With Dallas beating the previously unbeaten Colts, it looks like this NFC East race is gonna come down to the very end with the Giants. The difference might turn out to be the Giants' injuries . . .

You see, this is why you don't bench Ben Roethlisberger. Steelers fans who wanted to see Charlie Batch step in for the struggling Roethlisberger should realize that you just have to stay with your guy, even when he struggles. The last-second comeback win over the Browns is simply further evidence of why you don't sit Big Ben . . .

I think the Panthers are ready to make their run . . .

The Jets' defense looked awfully good against the Bears, but Chicago's defense will make just about anyone struggle. Just ask Eli Manning and Chad Pennington . . .

A win over the Pats next week, and the Bears will have swept their three-game East Coast trip . . .

Packers fans got a taste of what life's gonna be like without Brett Favre. That taste was not very pleasant in a shutout loss to the Pats . . .

I can only imagine what it's been like to be a Lions fan suffering through the Matt Millen era. Losing to Arizona is about rock bottom . . .

After three straight wins under Joey Harrington, you wonder what the Dolphins' season would have been like had he started the season, not Daunte Culpepper . . .

If you're a Titans fan, you've got to like what you've seen so far of Vince Young. He looks like he's gonna be special . . .

Most improved team from the start of the season to now: the 49ers. They've actually become a factor in the wild card race . . .

I realize it's a great week to be a Jets' fan, and you should bask in the glow of Manginius beating Belichick, a game that was punctuated by BB's own players second-guessing the play-calling of New England.

And I realize, too, that the schedule ahead looks mighty easy after the Bears' game, with matchups against such NFL lightweights as Houston, Green Bay and Buffalo.

But do yourself a favor and don't get too far ahead. For starters, beating the Bears is a tall order, as the Giants found out last weekend. And Houston is no pushover, as the Jaguars have discovered. The Packers are actually much improved since the rocky start of the season, and you never know with Buffalo.

At Minnesota, at Miami and home to Oakland round out the season. It's likely the 5-4 Jets stay in the playoff hunt until the end, but it's no guarantee that they'll be in the tournament. Of course, even thinking about the playoffs is a stunning upset for a team that went into the season with no one - including me - giving them a chance to play in January.

But now that they've gotten this far, it's still way too soon to pronounce the Jets playoff-worthy. Even after the Manginius win last weekend.

I've been around Eli Manning for close to three years now, and the one thing I marvel at is his unflappability.

I mean, really, the guy acts the same whether he throws for 3 touchdowns and 371 yards, as he did against Philly in an epic Week 2 comeback, or whether he throws for 128 yards, two picks and zero touchdowns, as he did in last Sunday night's clunker against the Bears.

And there is something to be said for a quarterback with an even keel. I believe it serves him well over the course of his career, because he's not prone to the wild mood swings that can only add more pressure and take away from his performance. Quarterbacks are different. If you're a defensive lineman and you miss a tackle, you chuck your helmet and people love your intensity. But if you're a quarterback, and you throw an interception, you have to let it go quickly and move on to the next series. You react too emotionally, and it will take a toll.

Manning's composure is one of his greatest assets, and his teammates love it. That's not saying they won't get impatient if he has many more games like last Sunday against the Bears. But his demeanor is certainly helpful in getting back on the right track.

No wonder his nickname is "Easy." He really does let things roll off his back. Around here, that's a good way to be. You react too strongly in New York, you're a dead man. Eli doesn't have to worry about that.

Keep hearing Giants fans urging the team to sign any and every available free agent receiver out there. The names David Boston, Charles Rogers, and Peter Warrick have come up. Former first-round receivers, one and all. But does anyone seriously believe these guys are quick fixes for what ails the Giants' receiving corps now that Amani Toomer is done for the year? The answer is no.

Boston hasn't been the same since he started bulking up years ago in Arizona. Rogers is a multiple offender of the NFL's substance abuse policy. And Warrick never panned out in Cincinnati and didn't do anything when he got the chance in Seattle last year.

The truth of the matter is the Giants' best hopes rest with the guys already on the roster - Tim Carter, Michael Jennings and David Tyree. They know the offense, and even if they're less athletically talented than the big-name receivers Giants fans have touted, they still are better than anything else out there. And don't forget, Sinorice Moss is getting closer to playing, now that he's nearly recovered from a quad problem that has dogged him since training camp.

So for now, Jints fans are just gonna have to live with it.

News just broke that Patriots signed former Bucs, Browns, Jets and Cowboys QB Vinny Testaverde, known to New York fans simply as Vinnnaayyyy!!!

I love it that this guy keeps wanting to play. 43 years old. Still lives the dream. Still in shape. Still chasing that elusive Super Bowl ring.

Had Testaverde won a championship, there's no way he'd be packing up from the North Shore and trekking to New England to try and win a ring. But you've got to love this guy's passion for the game. The little boy in him never goes away, and with an arm that is still as good as anyone's in football, there's no reason he shouldn't be a No. 3 quarterback anywhere he goes.

Vinny's days as a full-time starter are long gone; he just doesn't have the mobility. But he is a perfect insurance policy for Bill Belichick, who until today had only two quarterbacks on his roster - All World Tom Brady and backup Matt Cassell.

Belichick had an opening on the roster because of an injury, and he came calling. Lose to the Jets one day, sign Vinny Testaverde the next. Sounds about right to me . . .

Hey, Rock! Leave my blog subjects alone! Just worry about the Jets, buddy. Leave Vinny to the professionals. :)

Let Rock interpret the reasons for Eric Mangini's gravelly voice.

1. Colts (9-0) (1): Colts become first team in NFL history with back-to-back 9-0 starts. Now it’s on to Dallas for a reunion with former Colts kicker Mike Vandergjagt, who once had some harsh words for Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning.

2. Bears (8-1) (3): Bears rally nicely against Giants after stunning home loss the week before at home to Miami. Tough stretch continues, though. They’re at Jets, then at Patriots.

3. Broncos (7-2) (2): Jake Plummer stumbles against Raiders, but defense bails him out as Broncos keep pace in AFC West. Huge one this weekend against Chargers.

4. Chargers (7-2) (6): Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson combine forces in 42-point second-half explosion to overcome Bengals on the road. On to Denver for AFC West showdown for temporary possession of first place.

5. Ravens (7-2) (7): Steve McNair for MVP?

6. Giants (6-3) (4): Tom Coughlin goes for a 52-yard field goal, it falls short, and the rest his history. Devin Hester’s 108-yard return sinks Big Blue in huge NFC showdown with Da Bears.

7. Patriots (6-3) (5): Bill Belichick is out-coached by his protégé, Eric Mangini.

8. Seahawks (6-3) (12): Somehow, some way, the Seahawks have survived without Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander. Mike Holmgren figures to get both back very soon.

9. Saints (6-3) (8): Saints defense comes up small in road loss to the Steelers.

10. Chiefs (5-4) (9): After Herman Edwards strongly hinted that it’s Damon Huard’s job to lose, he goes out and loses to Miami. Even so, Trent Green not ready to return yet from concussion.

11. Cowboys (5-4) (13): Tony Romo sizzles in the desert in win over Cardinals, but Cowboys’ big problem is stringing together wins. Next up: home to Indy.

12. Jaguars (5-4) (10): David Garrard is given starting job over Byron Leftwich, and promptly stinks out the joint against Texans. Giants in town on Monday night.

13. Eagles (5-4) (16): Andy Reid hands over play-calling to Marty Mornhinweg, and the Eagles show a balanced offense in beating Redskins.

14. Panthers (5-4) (14): Panthers get back on the winning track after two-game losing streak, as Steve Smith masters the old barf-and-catch routine. Star receiver got sick several times during game, but had his usual dominating performance.

15. Jets (5-4) (19): Patriots hadn’t lost two straight since 2002 season, but Jets’ upset win in Foxboro ends the streak.

16. Falcons (5-4) (11): Just what the heck do you do with Michael Vick now?

17. Bengals (4-5) (15): All kinds of problems with the Bengals. On a day the offense comes up huge with Carson Palmer’s first 400-yard passing game, the defense collapses by allowing 42-point second half in 49-41 loss.

18. Vikings (4-5) (17): Vikes have lost three straight and have scored a combined 27 points in the three losses. Blecchhh!

19. Rams (4-5) (18): That’s now four straight losses after a 4-1 start. Latest one to Seahawks puts divisional run in serious jeopardy.

20. Steelers (3-6) (22): Joey Porter guaranteed a victory over the Saints, and he came through … barely. Steelers give up 31 at home, but Big Ben ignites offense.

21. Dolphins (3-6) (23): Too little, too late. Dolphins have beaten Bears and Chiefs in successive weeks, but 1-6 start is too much to recover from.

22. Buccaneers (2-7) (21): Back to the drawing board for this franchise, which will probably blow up the defense in the off-season and go to a full-fledged youth movement.

23. Packers (4-5) (26): Brett Favre isn’t done yet. He beats up on rival Vikings in Metrodome, as Packers show decent improvement under rookie head coach Mike McCarthy.

24. Bills (3-6) (24): Bills come surprisingly close against Colts on the road, but can’t seal the deal.

25. 49ers (4-5) (25): Niners win two straight for first time in Mike Nolan era.

26. Redskins (3-6) (20): Joe Gibbs sends Mark Brunell to the bench, and in comes Jason Campbell. Don’t hold your breath for a miracle turnaround. The kid’s green.

27. Browns (3-6) (29): How the heck do you figure this team out? After stinking out the place most of the first half of the season, they’ve beaten the Jets and Falcons in successive weeks.

28. Texans (3-6) (30): If they do nothing else this season, the Texans may have ruined division rival Jacksonville’s playoff plans. They swept the series over Jags with win on Sunday.

29. Lions (2-7) (27): Rod Marinelli is now defending Jon Kitna as starting QB. That can only mean Kitna will soon find a spot on the bench.

30. Raiders (2-7) (28): Andrew Walter is only stating the obvious when he calls Tom Walsh’s offense too simple. Too bad for Walter it might see him yanked from the starting lineup.

31. Titans (2-7) (31): Vince Young sees how it’s done, as Steve McNair returns to Tennessee to conquer his old team.

32. Cardinals (1-8) (32): Counting the days until the end of the season.

No more magic touch from this writer. The streak is done. Kaput. Over.

Coming into last night's game against the Bears, the Jets and Giants were a combined 9-0 in games I'd attended, and 1-6 in games when either Rock or Staple was manning the fort.

About two hours before the game, Giants personnel man Jerry Reese passed me near the media entrance, shook my hand and said, "I feel a lot better now." Evidently, Reese had come to the conclusion that the pre-game handshake was directly related to the Giants' 6-0 record in games I'd attended.

Oh, well. It was cute while it lasted. The Giants blew up in the fourth quarter against the Bears, and the streak is over.

A TRADE FOR LEFTWICH?

There is more than just a mid-season benching that Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich has to think about. There is his future with the team. That is, if there is a future in Jacksonville.

The former first-round pick is battling an ankle injury, but Leftwich insists he’s fit enough to play. Not so, says coach Jack Del Rio, who has replaced his starter with David Garrard on what is likely to be for the rest of the season. And perhaps beyond.

Leftwich’s contract runs out after the 2007 season, and there was talk about extending the deal earlier this season. That won’t happen now that Garrard is the starter, and there’s little chance the team will re-do the deal any time soon. Unless Garrard bombs the rest of the way, Leftwich will either return next season on the final year of his deal, or else the team will look into shopping him during the off-season.

HERE WE GO AGAIN?
The Colts are the only remaining unbeaten team, and have a chance to become the first team in NFL history to start back-to-back seasons with nine straight wins. They’ve already beaten division-leading opponents Denver, New England and the Giants on the road, and they’re home to face Buffalo on Sunday.

Could another flirtation with an unbeaten season be far behind?

“I really haven’t thought a whole lot about it,” quarterback Peyton Manning said. “With the schedule we have and the teams we’re playing, you enjoy a win, but you come in the next day, pop on the tape of the next opponent, and you see a whole different style of defense and different things you have to get ready for.”

In the event the Colts do continue the unbeaten streak, head coach Tony Dungy insists he’ll do the same thing down the stretch as last year: rest his starters. The Colts appeared rusty in the playoffs as a result of Dungy’s strategy, but he believes the time off had nothing to do with their home loss to the eventual champion Steelers in the divisional round.
Besides, Dungy isn’t overlooking anyone on the schedule. Even Buffalo.

“We talked about where we are in the standings,” Dungy said. “We looked at where the whole league is, and you see that Miami was a one-win team and went to Chicago and won [breaking the Bears’ seven-game winning streak]. Our guys understand that everybody in the NFL has capable people and it comes down to how you execute that day.”

SUBLIME TO RIDICULOUS
As if things couldn’t get any worse for the 1-7 Cardinals, they had problems even during their bye week.

On their first night off last week, defensive end Bertrand Berry popped off about his teammates on his weekly radio show, setting off yet more controversy for this woebegone team. Among the things Berry said:
“The attitude is not good right now. When you are more worried about where you’re going for the bye week as opposed to why you’re 1-7, I’m not sure what your motivation is.”

And this, after Berry noted there were players in the locker room who genuinely dislike one another: “I’l be honest, I feel that way about certain people. There are certain people that I don’t really care to be around. I don’t like them. I don’t like their attitude. I don’t like their approach to the game. I don’t like their actions on the field.”

The comments were so incendiary that there was a players-only meeting on Monday. The meeting lasted 30 minutes and featured five different veterans, including Berry, quarterback Kurt Warner and safety Robert Griffith. (

We’ll see if the meeting helped. The Cardinals are home to the Cowboys on Sunday.

PORTER: I GUARANTEE WE'LL WIN:
Not that it means a whole lot, given the fact the defending champion Steelers are 2-6 and just about out of it, but linebacker Joey Porter guaranteed the Steelers will beat the Saints on Sunday at home.
“I want to put some of the pressure on my shoulders for us to go out and get this victory,” he said. “We WILL come back with a victory on Sunday.”

Porter challenged his teammates last year by casting aspersions on the Colts before their playoff match-up, and getting into a war of words with Seattle tight end Jerramy Stevens before the Super Bowl. It’s doubtful there’s enough time for the victory guarantee to have the same effect.

“I’m embarrassed,” receiver Hines Ward said. “To be 2-6? There’s nothing fun about being 2-6, especially when you go out there and you put it all on the line and try to win ball games.”

Said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: “It’s tough because we know we’re a good team with a bad record. It’s frustrating out there right now.”

Brian Urlacher (toe) practiced today, and I'd be stunned if he's not in the lineup for the Bears.

WR Bernard Berrian, who has badly bruised ribs, did not practice, although he was upgraded from doubtful to questionable. If he can play, it would be a huge boost to the Bears' offense, since he stretches the field. But his rib problem will probably keep him out of the lineup.

Just heard the news that former 49ers coach Bill Walsh is battling leukemia. Godspeed to one of the greatest football minds ever.

Walsh is battling the disease gamely, and we wish him the best.

Architect of the West Coast offense, Walsh's teams won a combined five Super Bowls (including the ones inherited by George Seifert), and his offensive brilliance is still felt in today's NFL. Several disciples, including Mike Shanahan and Mike Holmgren, are among the most prominent coaches in the game.

Be well, Bill.

Okay, so you had a day to think about it, Plaxico, any regrets about dissing the Bears' defensive backs, especially now that you know Amani Toomer is done for the year?

Nope. No way.

Burress says he has no problems with the Bears' DBs getting stoked. "If they raise their game, then I'll raise my game even higher."

Burress can sometimes be a guy who opens his yap a bit too much, but you've got to like his confidence level. It's what you want in your receivers. Plax doesn't go the T.O. route and put all the attention on himself, but he does like to have a good time. I asked him this afternoon whether he thinks he creates too much pressure on himself or his team with all this pre-game chatter, and he said no way.

"It's fun, man."

Bottom line. He's right. It's a game. It's fun. What's a little talk?

. . .

Brian Urlacher said earlier today he'll try his best to play, but he made no guarantees. Tom Coughlin says he fully expects Urlacher to be in the lineup. So do I. The question is just how effective he'll be with the toe injury . . .

How do you like Rock pumping up a Jets-Chiefs competition for the final wild card spot. And taking credit for "being the first," no less. Relax, Rocker. Long way to go. Beat New England this weekend, then we'll talk.

Day 1 of preparations for the Giants, and no Brian Urlacher on the the practice field.

Urlacher is nursing a sore toe, and coach Lovie Smith held him out of workouts yesterday. The coach declined to say whether Urlacher worked on the side at all, and there's no word on whether he'll practice tomorrow.

There seems to be a sense of cautious optimism about his availability for the Giants' game, but toe injuries can often be problematic. If it's a matter of testing his pain threshold, Urlacher will be out there. But the Bears clearly don't want to risk further problems by playing him when he's not completely healthy.

Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Sam Madison, LaVar Arrington ... and now Amani Toomer?

The Giants' injury situtation is getting downright frightening, to the point where it could have a major impact on what happens the rest of the way. They've got a decent amount of depth, but if they lose many more guys for much more time, then things will start to get ugly. Real ugly.

Hanging a couple days in the Windy City in advance of Giants-Bears. Wanted to get a little local flavor, so naturally checked out Mike Ditka's restaurant downtown. Jammed on a Tuesday night, but what else would you expect.

By the way, the locals really do pronounce his name Dikka ...

Tremendous lamb chops, and I don't know if Ditka will like this, but it might have been the best dinner salad I've ever eaten. Sorry, Iron Mike . . .

You would not believe the sense of dread in this city about the Bears. They're 7-1, and coming off a blowout home loss to the Dolphins, and the doom and gloomers are out in full force ...

Wonder how they'll react to the Giants.

1. Colts (8-0) (2): No doubts about Colts, at least not until playoff time. After beating Denver and New England on the road, this team has earned the right to be top dog.

2. Bears (7-1) (1): Whoa, Nellie! Bears gets stomped at home by awful Miami, so there goes dream of unbeaten season. Now it’s Giants on the road.

3. Broncos (6-2) (5): Jake Plummer has overcome rocky start to season, and Broncos are rolling again. Road win over Steelers keeps them tied atop AFC West.

4. Giants (6-2) (4): Giants survive trap game against Texans and can take top spot in NFC with win over Bears. Only one problem: No Michael Strahan for a month.

5. Patriots (6-2) (3): Tom Brady has those Super Bowl rings, but they didn’t mean anything against Colts in huge home loss. Up next: Jets at home.

6. Chargers (6-2) (6): Chargers hold off pesky Browns to keep pace with Broncos.

7. Ravens (6-2) (7): Bengals own Ravens but Steve McNair owns Bengals. Advantage: McNair.

8. Saints (6-2) (9): We now have to talk about the surprising Saints in terms of legitimate playoff team.

9. Chiefs (5-3) (17): How do you bench Damon Huard?

10. Jaguars (5-3) (15): How do you bench David Garrard?

11. Falcons (5-3) (8): So much for the mantra of playing consistently. Falcons go up in flames at awful Detroit.

12. Seahawks (5-3) (13): ‘Hawks defense does a number on Raiders, and Seneca Wallace does just enough in Monday night shutout win over dreadful Raiders.

13. Cowboys (4-4) (10): Nightmare ending against Redskins has Bill Parcells ready to explode, but second-guessers having a field day with Tuna’s decision to go for two in the second quarter.

14. Panthers (4-4) (11): Panthers back from bye to host Tampa on Monday night.

15. Bengals (4-4) (14): Chad Johnson is whining about not getting enough passes. He’s right on this one.

16. Eagles (4-4) (16): Eagles used bye week to figure out what the heck’s gone wrong. They’ll see if they’ve solved the problems at home against the Redskins.

17. Vikings (4-4) (12): When you can’t score a touchdown against the putrid 49ers’ defense, you’ve got problems.

18. Rams (4-4) (18): Rams back down to earth after torrid start.

19. Jets (4-4) (19): Jets still smarting over letting one get away in Cleveland. No rest for the weary, though. At first-place New England on Sunday.

20. Redskins (3-5) (23): Maybe the luckiest win in Joe Gibbs’ career. Now let’s see if the Redskins can do something with it.

21. Buccaneers (2-6) (20): Bucs fans thought Bruce Gradkowski was the answer at quarterback. Now Jon Gruden is giving him a vote of confidence.

22. Steelers (2-6) (21): Big Ben throws four picks against Broncos, and Steelers’ playoff hopes are just about over. Oh, heck. They’re done.

23. Dolphins (2-6) (29): Biggest upset of the season so far, as Dolphins march into Chicago and smack the Bears around.

24. Bills (3-5) (28): Bills beat Pack, but lose Willis McGahee with cracked rib.

25. 49ers (3-5) (30): Ugly 9-3 win over Vikings, but 49ers will gladly take it.

26. Packers (3-5) (24): Back to the drawing board.

27. Lions (2-6) (31): Jon Kitna was raving about Mike Martz’s offense, and the Lions finally showed some progress in routing Atlanta.

28. Raiders (2-6) (25): Raiders on Monday night used to mean plenty of excitement and plenty of points. Now it means more misery and zero points.

29. Browns (2-6) (26): Time might be running out on Romeo Crennel.

30. Texans (2-6) (27): Texans come close against Giants, but can’t put them away on the road.

31. Titans (2-6) (22): Vince Young will look back on this blowout loss in Jacksonville and say this was the bottom.

32. Cardinals (1-7) (32): Dennis Green stays, but who knows when Cardinals will win next. After bye, they’re home to Dallas.

End it

Memo to Cowboys coach Bill Parcells: I don’t care what “the chart” says about 2-point conversions. Going for a two-pointer early in the second quarter with the score 6-5 is just not the play. I know, I know, you go up by a field goal if you make the conversion. But if you miss … well, you know the rest …

Memo to Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens: We generally like your touchdown celebrations, but yesterday’s was over the top. Sure, the media made a big deal out of your alleged sleep apnea problem that somehow only kicks in during boring team meetings. But to lay down on the ground and pretend to fall asleep after scoring against the Redskins was silly. Not only that, it cost your team a 15-yard penalty. And not only that, you drop a sure touchdown pass a few minutes later …

Memo to Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, whose team is 4-4 after a loss in Baltimore: We’re generally sick and tired of hearing Chad Johnson talk about himself, and so are you. But on this one, he was right. He should be getting the ball more, especially in crunch time …

Memo to the Giants’ defense: I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Michael Strahan to come back from a foot injury just yet. The guy uses so much leverage to get to the quarterback, and thus puts so much stress on both feet, that it’s a stretch to see him playing on Sunday against the Bears.

Memo to the Bears’ defense: Ditto on Brian Urlacher.

Memo to Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson, who complained in the off-season about not being given a new contract worth starter’s money: With four touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games, there really isn’t much debate. Then again, we’ve always been partial to Johnson, one of the game’s toughest, most hard-working players. Maybe he gets things rolling a bit the second half of the season.

Memo to the Jets: Now you see why last week’s loss to Cleveland was so huge. The Pats lose at home to Indy, and the wild card race really is wide open now that Cincy is floundering.

This was not entirely unexpected, because the opponent was Houston. But my record this season when covering Giants games is 6-0. They're 0-2 without me.

All told, it's 9-0 between the Jets and Giants. They're a combined 1-6 without me.

Giants personnel man Jerry Reese again sought out the good luck handshake before the game, and we obliged. Assume he'll find me again next week, when the Bears come to town for a huge Sunday night game.