Who's Hot Who's Not

TROUBLE IN D.C.

The Capitals may be reality stars (page 24), but through Sunday they had lost eight of nine. The Skins dropped a heartbreaker on Sunday in Dallas and appear to be entertaining the idea of a Rex Grossman era. And the now Gilbert Arenas--less Wizards sit in last place, with rookie sensation John Wall injured.

NFC WEST GOES HAYWIRE

The Niners, Cards, Rams and Seahawks all lost last week, marking only the 14th time in the past seven seasons that a division went 0--4 (and the third time the NFC West has done it this year). The NFL's first playoff team with a losing record in a nonstrike year is looking likely.

FEUDING TEXANS

Houston may have lost seven of eight, but don't call these Texans punchless: Teammates Antonio Smith and Brian Cushing fought each other on the field in Sunday's 31--17 loss to the Titans, earning an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty when the latter's helmet flew off.

DOLPHINS: EPIC FAIL

Miami's playoff hopes were officially dashed with kicker Dan Carpenter's fourth field goal miss, with 1:53 left, in a 17--14 home loss to Buffalo. Said Carpenter, the first kicker in nine years to miss four FGs in a three-point loss, "I don't ever expect to have a day like this."