Quote of the Week I

"Peyton won't play the whole game. [Backup quarterback Jim] Sorgi will get at least a half. It's unfortunate the way the schedule falls. We have to look at what is best for us, and that's how we're going to approach the final game.''

-- Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, who says he will do what's best for his team, and not what other coaches, fans and players might want him to do, in the final game of the season. Dungy will likely rest some starters for most, if not all of the game. Tennessee, the Colts' foe on Sunday, will make the playoffs with a win. Which brings us to ...

Quote of the Week II

"It's not up to the Indianapolis Colts to do us any favors. They've played well enough to deserve the right to play who they want this week. Kudos to them. We'd like Peyton to play four quarters, obviously, but we understand what they're doing.''

-- Cleveland linebacker Willie McGinest, who told me Sunday night he didn't hold it against the Colts for easing up on the gas in their final (and meaningless) regular-season game, and he didn't think his teammates would either.

Quote of the Week III

"Obviously, Bill didn't come cheap. That doesn't matter to us. We're not afraid to spend the money to win.''

-- Miami owner Wayne Huizenga, announcing the hiring of vice president of football operations Bill Parcells to a four-year contract that is estimated to be worth at least $14 million.

Quote of the Week IV

"It's an epidemic that has attacked America. I was sitting there, in counseling, with good people. They are not bad people. It encompasses everybody.''

-- Philadelphia coach Andy Reid, describing the six weeks he spent in a drug-treatment center in Florida last spring with son Garrett, who has struggled with drug-addiction for years.

MVP Watch

1. Tom Brady, QB, New England. I noticed Brett Favre conceded the race to Brady the other day. Rightfully so. Brady (48 touchdowns, eight interceptions) should win it in a walk.

2. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas. "Adrenalin's a great equalizer,'' Romo said after the Cowboys' 13th win on Saturday night. That masked the pain in his badly bruised throwing thumb, and he needed it.

3. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis. He rises above Favre because of the way they've both played the last month.

4. Brett Favre, QB, Green Bay. Not helping his cause with nine picks in his last four games.

5. (tie) Randy Moss, WR, New England; Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger's playing heroically under intense pass-rush pressure, and he's playing hurt. Moss became the second receiver in the 88-year history of the NFL to have 20 or more touchdown catches in a season on Sunday. He'll need two to pass Jerry Rice for the all-time record Saturday at the Meadowlands.

Stat of the Week

When you look at the difference between the AFC North's top two teams, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, I bring you one word: sacks. It's amazing the teams are sitting a game apart entering the final week with such a huge disparity in how they protect the quarterback.

Last year the Browns allowed 54 sacks, third-most in the league. This year they've allowed 17, second-fewest in the league. In Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger has been dropped almost four times per game in 14 games.

Cleveland's amazing turnaround can be traced to two major factors: the addition of Joe Thomas at left tackle and Eric Steinbach at left guard. The duo has solidified a leaky side of the line that not only has kept Anderson clean, but also helped Jamal Lewis be great again. In addition, free-agent vet Steinbach has been the smart and loose leader this line lacked. For his part, Anderson has gotten rid of the ball on time and in rhythm.

What follows is a chart of the most-sacked and least-sacked quarterbacks -- of the ones starting in Week 16 -- in the NFL this year. The final number in each row is the frequency of sacks. For example, Roethlisberger has been sacked once per 9.6 dropbacks from center, four times as frequently as Anderson has been sacked.

You know what this chart says to me? That Roethlisberger is having a truly amazing season in the midst of consistent protection breakdowns. To have a 32-to-11 TD-to-interception differential under that kind of pressure is stunning.

Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me

Tracy Phillips, the daughter of Dallas coach Wade Phillips, plays a belly dancer in a critical scene of Charlie Wilson's War, the film starring Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julia Roberts. Phillips does a seductive dance in front of the Egyptian defense minister. It's a long story. We'll all have to see it to understand it. Daughter joined Dad in Charlotte for the Cowboys-Panthers on Saturday night, by the way.

Enjoyable/Aggravating Travel Note of the Week

The blessing of all blessings: My biggest road trip in the last seven days was a 40-minute train trip, which was on time in both directions, to HBO last Wednesday. Every air traveler I've encountered in the past few days has some tale of holiday woe to tell. That's one great thing about being off the road most weekends this season.

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