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This game makes the spotlight solely to recognize Kansas City running back Priest Holmes. Many doubted Holmes' ability to bounce back from a hip injury, but he responded by setting NFL single-season records in rushing touchdowns (26) and total touchdowns (27).
Holmes' record-setting day was a nice parting gift, too, in a game that meant nothing as far as Kansas City's playoff seeding was concerned. At least he had something to play for, and he didn't disappoint.
Holmes danced into the end zone with a 1-yard run in the second quarter to break Emmitt Smith's single-season record for rushing touchdowns. And Holmes' 2-yard score in the third quarter gave him 27 total touchdowns, one more than the Rams' Marshall Faulk had in 2000.
Holmes was available at the fifth pick in our office league, and I was glad he was there. I'm sure plenty of other fantasy owners are just as thankful that Holmes fell in their lap, too. You can bet he won't last that long next year.
Colts 20, Texans 17
Mike Vanderjagt's NFL-record 41st consecutive field goal gave Indianapolis a last-second win over Houston and a division title. Vanderjagt finished with 149 points this season, a number surpassed only by Jeff Wilkins (163) and Priest Holmes (162).
Vanderjagt proved he is a sure thing, but the Colts won't be against the Broncos in the first round of the playoffs. Denver beat Indianapolis 31-17 last week, and the Broncos did it without Clinton Portis. If you're playing the Sporting News' Playoff 3-for-all, use your favorite Colts early, or you might miss out on using them at all.
Domanick Davis' 99-yard, two-touchdown performance in Week 17 clinched my selection of him as this season's best waiver-wire pickup. Davis finished 2003 with 1,031 yards rushing despite not winning the starting job until Week 6 and being inactive for two games. I think it's safe to say the Texans have found a back to help build their franchise.
While Houston is putting together a solid offense for the future with Davis, David Carr and Andre Johnson, the Colts' old horse, Edgerrin James, capped his first 1,000-yard season since 2000. He had 171 yards and a score against the Texans and is back to being a fantasy factor.
Ravens 13, Steelers 10, OT
Normally, this would have been filed under the heading "Sunday Night Special." But we'll make an exception this week because, well, the game wasn't special, unless you consider Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis' performance.
With the Ravens already in the playoffs thanks to an earlier loss by the Bengals, all eyes were on Lewis as he made a run for Eric Dickerson's single-season record of 2,105 yards rushing. Lewis passed 2,000 yards with no problem midway through the first quarter, but he fell 39 yards short of Dickerson's mark.
Lewis' 114 yards against the Steelers gave him 2,066 yards this season. He also scored his 14th rushing touchdown. Let the debate begin for next season's No. 1 draft pick: Will it be Lewis or Kansas City's Priest Holmes? Only eight more months and you might be lucky enough to make that call.
BEST OF THE REST
Browns 22, Bengals 14
The way Corey Dillon was acting after Sunday's loss indicated he wouldn't be back with the Bengals next season. Dillon gave some of his Bengals gear to fans as souvenirs and talked about how it was probably his last game in a Cincinnati uniform.
This was great news for Rudi Johnson owners because he has gone from being a waiver-wire pickup to deserving solid consideration in keeper leagues all in half of a season. Along with the emergence of receivers Chad Johnson and Peter Warrick, Cincinnati's offense has a good future as long as Rudi Johnson is leading the way.
Against Cleveland, Dillon and Johnson shared playing time for perhaps the last time, and appropriately, Rudi came out on top. Johnson rushed for 52 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Dillon had 50 yards and no scores -- even if he did gain some brownie points with a few Bengals fans afterward.
Lions 30, Rams 20
Kurt Warner replaced Marc Bulger in a shocking loss that handed the Eagles home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. But don't count on Kurt getting the call in St. Louis' first playoff game in two weeks at the Edward Jones Dome.
Coach Mike Martz lifted Bulger for precautionary reasons after Bulger bruised his left forearm and sustained a welt near his right ear in a tough span in the second half. Bulger fumbled twice and threw an interception, and it was after the second fumble that he left the game. On the play, Lions cornerback Otis Smith sacked Bulger on a helmet-to-helmet hit. Warner stepped in and went 4 for 11 for 23 yards, not nearly the stuff of legend.
Isaac Bruce suited up but played sparingly against Detroit. Bruce, who had a sprained ankle and needed 19 receiving yards to reach 1,000 this season, did not record a receiving statistic. If he knew this was going to be the result, then why did Martz even bother risking Bruce's availability for the postseason?
Dolphins 23, Jets 21
Ricky Williams picked a bad time not to have his best game. Williams sputtered to 73 yards in 20 carries. His longest run was a 16-yard touchdown, but it wasn't the type of big game we expected from a top fantasy pick against the Jets' porous defense.
The Dolphins having no postseason hopes might have affected Williams. But more likely, he wore down on the way to a career-high 392 carries. Adding to the frustration of those who drafted Williams over LaDainian Tomlinson was the fact L.T. rushed for 243 yards and two scores Sunday against Oakland.
What could Miami receiver Chris Chambers accomplish if the Dolphins had more stability at quarterback? Chambers had nine receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown against the Jets. It was his first 100-yard game since Week 1, which also occurred with Jay Fiedler at the helm. Still, Chambers managed to score 11 touchdowns in his season of spurts.
Falcons 21, Jaguars 14
Michael Vick and Peerlees Price showed what life in Atlanta could have been like had Vick been healthy all season. They connected on a 44-yard flea-flicker for a touchdown as the Falcons won for the third time in four games since Vick returned to the starting lineup. Both players will be good value picks in next year's draft because some owners will be fearful of selecting them too high after this season's downer.
Fred Taylor finished a fantastic season with 121 yards rushing against Atlanta, his fifth trip over the century mark in the final six games. Taylor showed what he could do when healthy for a full season and that was set team records with 1,572 yards and 355 carries.
Byron Leftwich took plenty of lumps in his rookie season, but he is much closer to being a fantasy factor than, say, Carson Palmer, who spent the entire season holding a clipboard. Still, Leftwich is another half season from serious consideration because he has more learning to do and Jacksonville needs to settle its receiver situation.
Panthers 37, Giants 24
With the exception of Ron Dayne, who was inactive for all 16 games, Tiki Barber was the biggest dud among Giants. Barber finished with three touchdowns this season and didn't have a 100-yard game in the final six games. His fumble problems continued, and he became a non-factor in the red zone because the Giants couldn't trust him.
The Carolina defense came up with another clutch performance for fantasy players, registering four interceptions, two sacks, one fumble and one touchdown return against the Giants. It was the second time in three weeks the Panthers scored on an interception return. They should continue to improve under the leadership of John Fox.
Cardinals 18, Vikings 17
The best lesson to learn from this game -- along with the Lions' upset of the Rams -- is that some of the worst teams can be the most dangerous to your fantasy hopes in Week 17. Teams such as the Cardinals, who have young players trying to make a career for themselves, are more likely to play well late in the season than teams such as the Bucs, for example, who were perhaps embarrassed to be without postseason hope.
That scenario played out to the dismay of Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and Michael Bennett owners as the Vikings -- like the Packers, 49ers and Bengals before them -- went dry in the desert. Culpepper and Moss did hook up for a touchdown, but players such as the Titans' Neil O'Donnell, recently rescued from the scrap heap, and the Cardinals' Nathan Poole, who hauled in the winning score against Minnesota, had better days.
Packers 31, Broncos 3
This game was Exhibit A in why you don't want to have a Week 17 fantasy Super Bowl. The Broncos' postseason position was locked in at No. 6, and they decided to rest everyone.
Without Jake Plummer, Shannon Sharpe, Clinton Portis, Mike Anderson and plenty of other key players, Denver didn't stand a chance at Lambeau Field against a team fighting for its playoff life.
Ahman Green carved up the Broncos for 218 yards rushing and two touchdowns. It was tough to tell if the Denver defense was even on the field during Green's 98-yard touchdown run. From the fantasy world to Denver, we give a sarcastic, "Thanks for playing."
Chargers 21, Raiders 14
What a finish for Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who scored eight touchdowns in San Diego's last four games. Tomlinson's 243 yards rushing against the Raiders, who quit on the season long ago, marked his second 200-yard game of the season and the fourth one of his career.
Tomlinson finished the 2003 season with 1,645 yards rushing and 17 total touchdowns. This was quite an accomplishment for the running back of the team that was so bad that it will get the No. 1 draft pick next in 2004. It speaks to how much talent he has that he was able to succeed under such adverse circumstances.
DOGS OF THE DAY
Titans 33, Buccaneers 13
Eddie George was steady but not spectacular in reaching 1,000 yards rushing for the seventh time in eight seasons. His 87 yards against Tampa Bay pushed him past 1,000 and gave him more than 10,000 yards for his career. However, he finished with only five touchdowns.
The milestone numbers might not be as amazing as the fact George held off Chris Brown all season as Tennessee's No. 1 back. But if Brown can keep his hamstrings healthy, expect him to give George more of a run for the job next season. At the very least, there will be a backfield-by-committee in Tennessee.
The Titans decided to rest QB Steve McNair for the playoffs, and Neil O'Donnell's solid play allowed them to get away with it. Even though he got extra rest for his ankle and calf injuries, McNair faces a tough task next week against the Ravens. Baltimore has won the past five meetings with Tennessee.
Saints 13, Cowboys 7
With Joe Horn sidelined because of a shoulder injury, Donte' Stallworth flashed his brilliance on a 76-yard scoring pass. But it was too little, too late for Stallworth and the Saints, who will miss the playoffs for the third straight year.
The TD catch was a slap in the face to those who drafted Stallworth only to watch him miss five games and part of a sixth because of injuries. After scoring eight touchdowns in his rookie season, Stallworth slipped to three this season.
A string of bad matchups hurt Deuce McAllister down the stretch. After dominating the midseason with nine straight 100-yard games (beginning in Week 4), McAllister failed to reach the century mark in the season's final four games. He faced tough run defenses in Dallas, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay. And the Giants were so bad at pass defense that the Saints didn't need Deuce to beat them.
SATURDAY'S LEFTOVERS
Patriots 31, Bills 0
Why should fantasy owners unite against the Patriots in the postseason? Because if Bill Belichick's crew wins its second Super Bowl in three seasons, other teams might rethink the importance of having a feature back or a go-to receiver. And we all know how difficult it is to settle on a player in a running back- or receiver-by-committee situation.
The Patriots have used the group approach at both positions and have been successful. New England became the second team since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to win its last 12 regular-season games (the '72 Dolphins being the other). The Patriots also clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with their win over Buffalo.
New England has accomplished all this despite not having a 100-yard rusher until Week 16. And there seems to be a different receiver each game that steps up for QB Tom Brady. In Week 17, it was David Givens, who had seven receptions for 80 yards and a score.
It might sound a bit drastic to say a Patriots Super Bowl win would spell doom for the feature back and go-to receiver. But with this being a copycat league and salary-cap restraints as they are, Belichick and Co. have built a blueprint for success worth noticing.
Seahawks 24, 49ers 17
Raise your hand if you drafted Seahawks receiver Koren Robinson too early this year. You're not alone. It was understandable to jump on his bandwagon after Seattle's passing game came alive in the second half of last season, and K-Rob finished with 1,240 yards. However, it's clear after a season of inconsistent play that he has some growing up to do.
Dropped passes played a big part in holding down Robinson, who had 896 yards and four touchdowns in his third pro season. It also didn't help to hear QB Matt Hasselbeck say on national television that he trusts No. 3 receiver Bobby Engram the most in pressure situations.
Robinson went out on a high note in the win over San Francisco with 85 yards on six receptions, including an impressive, foot-dragging 30-yard score. But let's make a pact not to be fooled by Robinson's late-season heroics again. Bump him down your list of wide receivers for next season, and keeper leaguers should look for better options elsewhere.
Eagles 31, Redskins 7
The news isn't all bad for Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, but he'll be far from a sure thing for those involved in playoff fantasy games. An MRI on Sunday confirmed Westbrook tore a triceps muscle against the Redskins. The team's official website reported there's a chance Westbrook could play in the divisional playoffs in two weeks.
If he can't go, Westbrook would be a big loss because of his threat to score in a variety of ways: running, receiving, on punt returns and kickoff returns. Westbrook leads the Eagles with 13 touchdowns this season. If he can't play, the Eagles would replace him on punt returns with Reno Mahe and on kickoffs with James Thrash.
As for the Eagles' backfield,
coach Andy Reid will likely stay with the committee approach. But keep in mind
Duce Staley has more big-game experience than Correll Buckhalter. It might be
time for Reid to turn the Duce loose.