The potential BCS blunder of 2000 has me thinking how good the NFL has it.
No polls. No campaigning for positioning. No scoreboard watching. No running up the score in Week 1. No waiting around for a computer to spit out some numbers to determine which two teams should face off for a title. No arguing that a third team in the equation should've been one of the top two teams. And no possibility of said third team then sneaking back into the equation to potentially take part of the national title.
No matter what you call it in its various forms through the years (Bowl Alliance, Bowl Coalition and now Bowl Championship Series), the system by which college football decides its champion is seriously flawed.
After all the rhetoric that the BCS would eliminate the possibility of a split national championship, exactly such a scenario remains plausible heading to the final week of the college season.
Decide it on the field.
Take heart, NFL fans, that your league decides its champion on the field.
The team that wins the AFC Championship will play the team that wins the NFC Championship in Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 26, 2001. The winner of that game will be known as the top team in the NFL for the 2000 season through the annals of time.
Sure, upsets are possible and the best team may not win the Super Bowl, but any team that survives three (or four in the case of wild-card teams) tough playoff games after battling through a 16-game regular season and four- or five-game preseason deserves to hold the Vince Lombardi Trophy aloft. No waiting until the morning of Monday, Jan. 29, to see who some coach on the West Coast votes for. When the clock hits four zeros, the world will know who the champion is.
| Week 14 NFL Preview |
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Broncos (8-4) at Saints (8-4), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 29: Yards needed by Broncos rookie running back Mike Anderson to allow Denver to become the second team with three different 1,000-yard rushers in consecutive seasons, joining Eric Dickerson, Charles White and Greg Bell of the 1986-88 Los Angeles Rams.
Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Broncos undersized center Tom Nalen (286 pounds) against Saints defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, who leads the league with 16 sacks this season. |
| Player to Watch |
| Aaron Brooks, QB, New Orleans: First start against St. Louis was impressive, but Denver allows 12.7 fewer yards per game and has a plus-11 turnover margin compared to a minus-4 for St. Louis. |
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Dolphins (9-3) at Bills (7-5), 1 p.m. |
Key Stat |
| 43-25-1: Dolphins' record against the Bills (.631 winning percentage), though Buffalo has won three of the past four, including a dominating 23-3 win in Buffalo on Nov. 14, 1999. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Bills wide receivers Eric Moulds (career-high 84 catches for 1,121 yards) and Peerless Price (36 catches for 458 yards) against Dolphins defensive backs Sam Madison (four interceptions, 10 passes defended), Patrick Surtain (four interceptions, 16 passes defended), Brock Marion (five interceptions, 11 passes defended) and Brian Walker (five interceptions, seven passes defended). |
| Player to Watch |
| Trace Armstrong, DE, Miami: Veteran pass-rush specialist has a career-high 13 1/2 sacks, and is only one-half sack shy of 100 for his career. |
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| Cowboys (4-8) at Buccaneers (7-5), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 6-0: Cowboys' record against the Bucs, including a 17-13 come-from-behind victory at Tampa Bay on Oct. 21, 1990, in their last meeting. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Buccaneers defensive tackles Warren Sapp (13 1/2 sacks, 4 stuffs) and Anthony McFarland (6 1/2 sacks, 1 1/2 stuffs) against Cowboys interior offensive lineman Larry Allen, Ben Fricke and Solomon Page. |
| Player to Watch |
| Warrick Dunn, RB, Tampa Bay: Bucs' pint-sized running back has 402 yards rushing in the past five games, including a season-high 106 and two touchdowns against Buffalo last Sunday. |
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| Cardinals (3-9) at Bengals (2-10), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 27.4: NFL-leading kick return average for Arizona's Martay Jenkins, who can become the first Cardinal since Terry Metcalf in 1974 to lead the league. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Bengals left tackle Jamain Stephens against Cardinals defensive end Simeon Rice (6 1/2 sacks, three stuffs). |
| Player to Watch |
| Michael Pittman, RB, Arizona: While Thomas Jones plods along through his disappointing rookie season, Pittman has emerged as a talented all-around back with 1,085 total yards and six touchdowns, including 548 yards and three touchdowns in the past five games. |
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| Giants (8-4) at Redskins (7-5), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 570: Giants' winning percentage in 135 games (75-56-4) against the Redskins, though Washington has won the past four, including a 16-6 win at Giants Stadium in Week 4. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Redskins running back Stephen Davis (1,073 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns this season) and Skip Hicks (12 rushing touchdowns in 26 career games) against Giants linebackers Ryan Phillips (38 total tackles, 1 1/2 stuffs), Michael Barrow (65 total tackles, 3 1/2 stuffs) and Jessie Armstead (79 total tackles, four stuffs). |
| Player to Watch |
| Brad Johnson, QB, Washington: Returning from a three-game absence due to a knee injury, Johnson faces a team he has enjoyed playing in the past, with 678 yards and five touchdowns in his past three games against the Giants. |
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| Raiders (10-2) at Steelers (6-6), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| .643: Rich Gannon's winning percentage (18-10) as the Raiders' starting quarterback, compared to a .534 winning percentage (31-27) as a starter with the Chiefs, Redskins and Vikings. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Raiders' rushing attack (NFL-high 20 rushing touchdowns and league-leading 147.3 yards per game) against Steelers' rushing defense that has surrendered only seven rushing touchdowns. |
| Player to Watch |
| Rich Gannon, QB, Oakland: If a former Arena League quarterback can win the MVP, then why not a 34-year-old journeyman? Gannon is on pace for throw for 3,506 yards and a career-high 25 touchdowns and run for 538 yards and five touchdowns. |
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| Rams (8-4) at Panthers (5-7), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 436: Rams' league-leading point total, putting them on pace for 581, which would break the 1998 Vikings' record of 556 points. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Panthers undrafted rookie free-agent running back Brad Hoover (233 total yards in past two games) against Rams undersized middle linebacker London Fletcher (96 total tackles, 3 1/2 stuffs, three interceptions). |
| Player to Watch |
| Kurt Warner, QB, St. Louis: After going only 2-3 with Trent Green as the starter, the Rams are thrilled to have "The Franchise" back under center against the Panthers. |
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| Titans (9-3) at Eagles (9-4), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 6-0: Eagles' record against the Houston Oilers (before they moved to Tennessee), including a 21-6 victory in Philadelphia in their last meeting on Oct. 24, 1994, in which Randall Cunningham threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (2,538 yards passing, 558 yards rushing) against Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse (40 total tackles, seven sacks, 5 1/2 stuffs). |
| Player to Watch |
| Samari Rolle, CB, Tennessee: Leads the AFC with seven interceptions and has picked off 10 in his past 14 games. |
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| Seahawks (4-8) at Falcons (3-10), 1 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 6-1: Ricky Watters' career record against Atlanta, including 584 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in those seven games. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Falcons running back Jamal Anderson (averaging only 3.6 yards per carry since his 1,846-yard season in 1998) against Seahawks linebackers Chad Brown (75 total tackles, four stuffs), George Koonce (83 total tackles, three stuffs) and Anthony Simmons (110 total tackles, seven stuffs). |
| Player to Watch |
| Michael Sinclair, DE, Seattle: Underachieving former Pro Bowler has only 8 1/2 sacks in the past 27 games after recording 62 sacks in the first 97 games of his career. |
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| 49ers (4-8) at Chargers (1-11), 4:05 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 47.2: League-leading punting average for Chargers punter Darren Bennett, who now ranks second in NFL history with a 44.97 career average to trail only Washington's Sammy Baugh (45.1 career average). Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| 49ers' league-worst passing defense (268.4 yards per game) against Chargers' passing attack that has averaged 244 yards in the past two games. |
| Players to Watch |
| Ryan Leaf, QB, San Diego: May finally be showing improvement now that head coach Mike Riley has decided to stick with him as the starter. Leaf has thrown five touchdowns and only three interceptions in the past two games after managing only two touchdowns against eight interceptions in his first five games this season. |
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| Colts (7-5) at Jets (8-4), 4:15 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| .617: Colts' winning percentage against the Jets (37-23), including wins in the past four meetings. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Jets cornerbacks Marcus Coleman (nine interceptions in past 28 games) and Aaron Glenn (11 interceptions in past 40 games) against Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison (189 catches for 2,803 yards and 22 touchdowns in past 28 games). |
| Player to Watch |
| Curtis Martin, RB, New York: Has rushed for 1,136 yards in 11 career games against the Colts, and needs only 109 rushing yards to join Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson as the only players to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of their first six seasons. |
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| Browns (3-10) at Jaguars (5-7), 4:15 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 29-13: Mark Brunell's record (.690 winning percentage) against AFC Central opponents, including a perfect 5-0 mark against Clelveand. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Jaguars running back Fred Taylor (782 rushing yards and four touchdowns in past six games) against Browns rushing defense that is ranked 30th with 154.5 yards per game. |
| Player to Watch |
| Travis Prentice, RB, Cleveland: Ranks third among AFC rookies (behind Jamal Lewis and Mike Anderson ) with 401 rushing yards, but has only 241 yards and one touchdowns since his season-high 97-yard, three-TD game against Arizona in Week 6. |
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| Packers (5-7) at Bears (3-9), 8:35 p.m. |
| Key Stat |
| 83-70-6: Bears' advantage (.541 winning percentage) in the most played series in NFL history, dating to 1921. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Packers running back Ahman Green (1,170 total yards and six touchdowns) against Bears rookie middle linebacker Brian Urlacher (96 total tackles, six sacks, four stuffs). |
| Player to Watch |
| Brett Favre, QB, Green Bay: Has thrown for 4,019 yards and 35 touchdowns in 17 career games against Chicago, including a season-high 333 yards in the Packers' Week 5 loss to the Bears. |
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| Chiefs (5-7) at Patriots (3-9), 9 p.m. Monday |
| Key Stat |
| 172: Yards needed by Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez to join wide receiver Derrick Alexander as the first 1,000-yard receiving tandem in team history. Stats matchup | Preview |
| Key Matchup |
| Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe (sacked 37 times this season) against Chiefs defensive tackle Dan Williams (7 1/2 sacks). |
| Player to Watch |
| Derrick Alexander, WR, Kansas City: Big-play threat leads the AFC with an average of 18.5 yards per catch, and has 654 yards and five touchdowns in the past six games. |
