The Awards Section

	Tom Brady completed 14 of 15 passes in the fourth quarter of New England's 28-21 win over Detroit. AP
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Offensive Players of the Week

Andrew Whitworth, Eric Steinbach, Eric Ghiaciuc, Stacy Andrews, Willie Anderson, the starting offensive line, Cincinnati. For keeping quarterback Carson Palmer clean against the best pass-rush in football, Baltimore's ... and doing it with three backups (Whitworth, Ghiaciuc and Andrews). He was sacked twice, once for zero yards and once after he fell down going back to pass, on a gimme sack. In the first 35 minutes, as the Bengals built a 13-0 lead, the line committed two false starts and no other infractions. A heck of a job by an underrated group.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego. It's getting routine: 28 carries, 178 yards, two touchdowns. He's got four games left to complete what may become the best season a running back has ever had.

Tom Brady, QB, New England. There was something just not right with the New England offense, but there was nothing wrong with the Pats quarterback in the fourth quarter. Brady's terrific closing performance -- he went 14 of 15 in the last period -- led the Patriots to the 15 points that tied the game, and they eventually won it 28-21.

Marion Barber III, RB, Dallas. Great vision, excellent use of the holes ... both of those traits led to Barber's two touchdowns (his 10th and 11th of a surprising breakout season) in the vital NFC East showdown win over the Giants at the Meadowlands. His seven-yard knifing TD run with 3:38 to go was a vital play in a seesaw game.

Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans. He rushed for only 37 yards, but his day through the air (131 yards on nine catches) and his piercing the goal line was, as he said afterward, the first time he's felt like he was back at USC. Four touchdowns, three on the ground, keyed the Saints' win over the Niners.

Defensive Player of the Week

Shawne Merriman, LB, San Diego. "I think I play harder for 60 minutes than any player in the league,'' Merriman said afterward. It showed. Two sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass defensed, three quarterback pressure, six tackles. Looks to me like, even with the quarter-season missed with the steroid ban, Merriman and Julius Peppers will duel for the NFL's defensive player of the year award.

Special Teams Players of the Week

Devin Hester, PR, Chicago. With the Bears struggling to do anything on offense early in the second quarter -- Rex Grossman was puttering along with a 0.0 quarterback rating -- Hester broke a scoreless tie with a 45-yard punt return for touchdown. That's his fourth touchdown return in 12 games.

Rob Bironas, K, Tennessee. "I made a 55-yarder once, I think in Arena ball. Or maybe in college. I forget.'' Those were his words over the phone after making the longest field goal of his life, 60 yards, in the biggest situation of his life -- to win the game over NFL power Indianapolis, 20-17.

Coach of the Week

Bobby April, special teams coordinator, Buffalo. Smart play-calling by April led to the Bills making their game with San Diego close in the third quarter. San Diego lined up to punt from deep in its territory with the wind in punter Mike Scifres' face. So April had not only ace return man Roscoe Parrish back to receive the punt, but also 5-8 backup safety Jim Leonhard, in short punt coverage. And Scifres kicked it short, to Leonhard at the Charger 45, and he bolted 32 yards to the Chargers' 13. Two minutes later, Willis McGahee ran it in for a touchdown to cut San Diego's lead to 17-14.

Goats of the Week

Jeff Dugan, TE, Minnesota. The Vikes had a golden chance to win this game in the third quarter, down 7-6 and just having taken possession on a Ben Leber interception at the Chicago 46. On first down, Brad Johnson threw a perfect 12-yard cross to Dugan. Hit him right in the chest. The ball bounced off Dugan and into the hands of Lance Briggs. A bad, bad missed opportunity. Fatal, on this day.

Brad Johnson, QB, Minnesota. Threw a gimme interception to a waiting Ricky Manning Jr. in the third quarter, giving the Bears an insurmountable eight-point lead on a ridiculously cold day at Soldier Field. Before getting yanked shortly thereafter, Johnson was 11 of 26 for no TDs and four picks. So much for the steadying influence of the trusted vet at quarterback.