As winter’s chill rolls in and the thermostats get turned up, the NFL season hits its home stretch. While five weeks remain, the mojo metre waits for no man. Here’s who’s hot and who’s not in the NFL.
Cozy fireplace hot:
LaDainian Tomlinson
Ho-hum, another day at the office. The San Diego running back ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, while throwing a 19-yard TD pass to tight end Antonio Gates to claim a 21-14 victory over Oakland. That brings his season totals to 1,146 yards rushing, 456 yards receiving, 20 yards passing and 24 total TDs. The NFL record for TDs in a season is 28, notched by Shaun Alexander last year. Given the fact that Tomlinson has scored 16 times in his last five games, he could very well be on his way to obliterating that record. Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest running back…ever?
Lone star hot: Tony Romo
After taking over for lame-duck quarterback Drew Bledsoe in week seven, Romo has finally come into his own, and he’s riding the heat of his own winning streak. Over his last three games-all wins-he is averaging 280 yards through the air, throwing for seven TDs. More impressively, he seems to have finally gotten the Cowboys, who have withstood receiver Terrell Owens’ meltdown and kicker Mike Vanderjagt’s implosion on an even keel. Just in time for their big NFC East showdown with the New York Giants. Speaking of…
On the shoulders of not:
New York Giants
Things looked awfully nice for the Giants this Sunday, as they led the Tennessee Titans 21-0 heading into the fourth quarter. But then it shattered, as the G-Men gave up 24 points in less than ten minutes, losing on a 49-yard field goal, which came after they gave up an onside kick, which came after they gave up three straight Vince Young-led scores. After winning five in a row, the Giants have lost their last three and face a barn-burner this weekend.
Obscenely not: Michael Vick
The fastest man in the league came within nine yards of beating his own quarterback-rushing game record Sunday, as Vick ran for 166 yards in Atlanta’s 31-13 loss to New Orleans. But the impressive total came with good reason. Vick was sacked three times, and had passes dropped on at least five certain receptions in a frustrating afternoon. Tired of having his teammates drop the ball, Vick tried to take the game into his own hands, but the frustration boiled over. As fans heckled him as he left, Vick gave the Atlanta faithful two dirty birds en route to the locker room. Coming off a week where former NFL coach and father of current Falcon manager Jim Mora Jr. called him a coach-killer, Vick might not be able to run away from his detractors this week.