Check out Peter King's original Monday Morning Quarterback, in which Peter analyzes the strange reaction of Dallas coach Bill Parcells to the Cowboys' latest embarrassing loss.

I can't believe what is going on with the Bills.

We've all been seduced by the big three of Pittsburgh, New England and Philly. We're not sure if Indy's going to score 50 or allow 50 -- or both -- in the AFC wild-card game. And San Diego is the sexy pick to make it to Jacksonville on Feb. 6.

But Buffalo has scored 37, 38, 42 and 37 in wins over St. Louis, Seattle, Miami and Cleveland the past month. Since starting 0-4, the Bills are 7-2. They're rapidly becoming The AFC Team No One Wants To See Win The Second Wild Card.

Buffalo visits dangerous Cincinnati this week, then at San Francisco the following Sunday. The Bills then close at home against Pittsburgh in what's shaping up to be the best game of Week 17. Both teams might need the win -- the Steelers for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and the Bills to gain the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs. The latter task is eminently achievable, particularly because the teams ahead of Buffalo in the standings have zits. Denver's not playing great and has some running-back injury questions because of Tatum Bell's bad shoulder. And Baltimore plays at Indianapolis and at Pittsburgh the next two weeks.

I say the Bills win the next two and need that Week 17 win to make the big dance.

Yesterday I asked Buffalo LB Takeo Spikes -- one of the prime leaders on this team and its suddenly brutish defense -- how the Bills got back on track. He pointed to the new coach, Mike Mularkey, running a calm ship when seas got stormy.

"When a new coach comes in,'' Spikes said, "there's a feeling-out process. There's a time where each side has to get to know the other, and each side has to build that trust. And when we went 0-4, we knew he was on our side, and we knew it was going to work. Coach Mularkey came and in and said to us, 'We're going to stay the course and do what we've been doing. I know what I'm doing is right, and I know you're good players. It'll happen for us.'

"It was great to hear that. Where I come from, a little town in Georgia, there's this saying that when you've got no luck, you've got buzzard's luck. It's like you can't kill nothing. Can't get anything right. I don't believe in bad luck, but it was one of those times when something little would go wrong every game. We knew we were still good.''

The only thing that has stunned Spikes and his teammates since then? Their 29-6 loss at New England. "Shocking,'' Spikes said of the Nov. 14 defeat. "If I was a betting man, I'd have bet the house we would win that one. But we didn't go to pieces. Coach Mularkey just said, 'Hey, you have weeks like this in the NFL. You can either lay down or take it personally and come out swinging.' And since then, we've been playing with the blueprint that I saw in training camp: Run well, play great defense and force turnovers to get the ball back to the offense.''

Spikes, with 80 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions, has had the kind of excellent all-around season that the Bills thought he'd have when they imported him from Cincinnati last year. He'll be a key during the next three weeks when Buffalo tries to complete one of the biggest turnarounds in recent NFL history. "One of the good things about us is we don't worry about three weeks down the road. All we do every Monday is say, 'We've got to go 1-0 this week.' We've been doing a pretty good job of that.''

THREE QUESTIONS WITH ...

 ... Dallas owner Jerry Jones.

MMQBTE: Has Bill Parcells given you any indication that he won't return for his third year as coach?

Jones: None. None whatsoever.

MMQBTE: You told Jim Gray last week that you were worried about Parcells' health. Any concern about whether he's healthy enough to coach?

Jones: No. I'm just concerned about how the season wears on him. And I was worried about Bill's history. It's impossible when you've got the passion that Bill brings to his job to have the wear-and-tear not affect him as coach. And, of course, we never expected the record we'd have right now. That can't help. But his health is good.

MMQBTE: Do you still think Drew Henson is your quarterback of the future?

Jones: Yes, I do. Yes, I do. But we haven't seen it yet, because he hasn't played. I base my feeling on his size, his strength ... his arm strength. Now we're going to have to find out how he plays under fire. He just hasn't played much football. I still think it was a good move to get him, definitely. We had the opportunity, without much risk to the future of the franchise, to get a top-tier quarterback. I still think he'll be one.

FROM THE E-MAIL BAG

They're a little worried in Pats-land about Big Tuna Jr.

THE PATRIOTS WILL KEEP IT IN HOUSE. From Neil McNamara of Southington, Conn.: "Do you think Charlie Weis will be able to handle the dual roles he'll have as head coach for Notre Dame and Patriots offensive coordinator for the remainder of the season? If the Patriots let him go, who would take over his duties?''

	MAILBAG Peter King will answer your questions each week in Monday Morning Quarterback: Tuesday Edition. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

I'm 90 percent sure Weis will be able to handle the two jobs. If he can't, I'm also certain Bill Belichick won't hesitate to point it out to him, and do something about it. If it doesn't work, and Weis can't finish the year with the Pats (which I doubt), my guess is Belichick would take over as the play-caller. "There's no way in the world I won't be on top of my game on both ends,'' Weis told Dan Patrick on the radio yesterday afternoon.

YOU HAVE ME BLUSHING. From Gary Thornton of Tarpon Springs, Fla.: "Are you aware of how much productivity you cost corporate America each Monday and Tuesday morning? I spend each one looking over my shoulder, minimizing my screen, just to read your comments and take a break from my cubicle life here. I'm a life-long Cowboys fan and predict that Parcells will not coach after this season. His massive ego is bruised because of this horrible team he has put together. He always has had his 'guys' on the team and Bill's 'guys' are a total joke this year. He won't want to ruin his legacy anymore, so consider him and his massive ego retired.''

Thanks, Gary. You know, I don't think Parcells is going to leave. He'd feel pretty lousy if he left the Cowboys as low as they're going to be at the end of this year.

AN INTERESTING CONCEPT. From Victor Smith, of Santa Fe, N.M.: "Is there there any chance whatsoever that Troy Brown gets a vote for MVP?''

Great thought, and I hear you, but let's be honest. How could you vote a guy NFL MVP when he wouldn't win his own team's MVP? New England's MVP is Tom Brady, and Corey Dillon is second.

WHITHER EDGERRIN JAMES? From Brian Parkman of Charlotte: "You say James won't be with Indy next year. During a pregame interview on Sunday, Tony Dungy was asked who was the Colts' most valuable player. His response: Edgerrin James. I saw this as en endorsement to get him re-signed. And you really think he will be gone?''

Yes. I have no solid proof that it will happen. I just think it's common sense. How can you, as a team that needs defensive help, keep throwing signing-bonus millions at offensive guys?

ELI MANNING STINKS. STOP DEFENDING HIM. From J.D. Frox of Hanover, Pa.: "You wonder on how many of Eli's incompletions against Baltimore his receivers had separation as though it was not his fault. Let me tell you, having witnessed the game first-hand, that it didn't matter. Eli was as bad a QB as I have ever witnessed. He could not even complete a simple swing pass to a wide-open back in the second half. Get the tape. You will not believe it.''

Thanks for the info. I have no doubt that he was awful. I didn't mean to say he wasn't. I just meant that the story I'm getting is that the receivers aren't getting open either.

TWO THINGS (FOR TUESDAY) I THINK I THINK

1. I think now we know why the Titans let Justin McCareins go last offseason. Wow. What a weapon WR Drew Bennett is. We saw that Monday night (233 receiving yards, three TDs). And QB Billy Volek's not bad either.

2. I think Bob Timberlake could come back right now and throw for 250 on the Chiefs. What a nightmare that defense is.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com. Monday Morning Quarterback appears in this space every week.