The Fine Fifteen

Terrell Owens has 64 catches for 1,093 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

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:

1. New England (11-0). Just what the Patriots needed. A game! A real, live, competitive-in-the-second-half game, for only the second time all season. It may not seem so important this morning, but I can guarantee you this is just what Dr. Belichick ordered. Now, he won't have any trouble getting his team's attention as the Pats strive for perfection.

2. Indianapolis (9-2). There's been a bunch of the-sky-is-falling sentiment around the Colts, since they blew a 10-point fourth-quarter and lost Super Bowl 41.5 to New England. But in the last 10 quarters, the Colts D has allowed two touchdowns. They are still a solid contender.

3. Dallas (10-1). Indy and Dallas are thisclose in the Fine Fifteen. The Cowboys have scored 137 more points than their foes. The Colts have scored 137 more points than their foes.

4. Green Bay (10-1). Momentum's a funny thing. The Packers have won four straight by double digits. You certainly can't say Dallas is any hotter heading into their Thursday showdown.

5. Pittsburgh (7-3). Tonight's game against Miami isn't the one the Steelers should be worried about. The looming Cincinnati-New England-Jacksonville-in-15-days combo platter is the trifecta that will determine their playoff seed.

6. Jacksonville (8-3). A good sign of the Jags' depth: Late in the first half, Maurice Jones-Drew had rushed five times for minus-15 yards ... and Jacksonville went into halftime with a nine-point lead.

7. Tampa Bay (7-4). "We didn't go out and get any of the sexy free agents in the offseason,'' Derrick Brooks said Sunday. "We got a bunch of guys who love playing football, and we're playing more of them every week than we did last year. That's good for a veteran team.''

8. Tennessee (6-5). "I'm not going to play Albert Haynesworth 'til he's ready,'' Jeff Fisher told me the other day. "I won't put him in there for three plays, then risk losing him for six weeks.'' Good move, but not very helpful in the last 16 days. In that time, the Titans have lost three straight -- by 15, 14 and 29 points -- which underscores how important Haynesworth is in the overall Titans scheme.

9. Cleveland (7-4). Braylon Edwards has a combination of physicality and hands equal to any young receiver in football.

10. Seattle (7-4). I said it before and I'll say it again: If what you do best is throw, then throw two out of every three snaps.

11. New York Giants (7-4). You can't play much worse than the Giants played against Minnesota. There's little doubt now the third-best team in the NFC is Tampa Bay, not New York.

12. San Diego (6-5). The Chargers must have been super-motivated by me calling them frauds last week.

13. Philadelphia (5-6). Close only counts in horseshoes -- and games against the Patriots.

14. Washington (5-6). I can't allow two horrendous interceptions by Jason Campbell to KO the 'Skins from the 'Fifteen.

15. Detroit (6-5). To be a factor down the stretch, the Lions are going to have outscore teams, which means Jon Kitna is going to have to play relatively mistake-free football. Uh-oh. Last three games: four, three and four sacks taken. And two, three and one interceptions thrown.

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