Battles at the top
A gentle word of caution to the NFL’s conference leaders, the NFC’s New York Giants and AFC’s Tennessee Titans:
Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
Not that the Giants and Titans need a reminder, but the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers have closed the gap and moved into the passing lane, both looking to step on the gas today and pull ahead for home-field advantage in the playoffs.
In a coincidental bit of scheduling on this must-watch Sunday, the Panthers play at the Giants, and the Steelers play at the Titans.
Whereas Giants-Panthers will decide the NFC’s top seed, and Tennessee could lock up home-field advantage with a victory today, the Steelers would need to win their final two games -- they finish against Cleveland at home -- to be the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
As momentum goes, the Panthers and Steelers have it, and the Giants and Titans don’t. Pittsburgh has won five in a row; Tennessee is coming off a stunning loss at Houston.
Carolina, riding a three-game winning streak, has won seven of eight. New York, with receiver Plaxico Burress suspended and power back Brandon Jacobs hobbled by a sore knee, is trying to avoid losing three in a row for the first time since 2006.
“My motto has always been, ‘To be the best you have to beat the best,’ and right now Carolina . . . is probably the best team in the NFL,” Giants defensive end Justin Tuck told reporters last week.
“They look that good to me. We know we have our hands full, but we feel as though when we play Giants football we can handle anybody, and that is what we have to get back to doing,” he said.
Since surging to the top of the NFC with an 11-1 start, the defending Super Bowl champion Giants have lost consecutive games to Philadelphia and at Dallas, and lately have seen major breakdowns along their offensive line. Quarterback Eli Manning was sacked eight times by the Cowboys and saw two of his key linemen leave the game: right tackle Kareem McKenzie had back spasms, and left guard Rich Seubert was battling the flu.
Although the Giants are confident they can get their offense back on track this week, the fact remains that without Burress drawing double-teams, defenses are better able to load up against the run. And without the 264-pound Jacobs, who is expected to play today, the Giants have been missing the league’s premier jackhammer running back.
The Panthers, meanwhile, have the NFL’s leading running back tandem in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. They have combined for 10 rushing touchdowns over the last three weeks.
When opposing defenses focus on stopping them, as Denver did last Sunday, the Panthers can make them pay with the passing game. Quarterback Jake Delhomme’s favorite target is Steve Smith, who had nine receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown in a 30-10 rout of the Broncos.
Successful as they have been, the Panthers have yet to wrap up their division. So, a victory for them would secure three things: the NFC South title, a first-round bye and home-field advantage.
As for the Titans and Steelers, they have already won their respective divisions, although the sands are still shifting in that conference.
Tennessee won its first 10 games and leaned heavily on a defense that held all but one opponent in that streak to 17 points or fewer.
But today the Titans will be without two defensive stars. Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch will miss his fifth game of the season, and worse, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is out with a knee injury.
They have gotten by without Vanden Bosch, who this week underwent groin surgery, but have yet to play without Haynesworth, a most-valuable-player candidate. According to SI.com, the Titans are 3-13 since 2004 when Haynesworth has been out.
Pittsburgh’s five consecutive victories haven’t come easy. In three of those games, the Steelers trailed with three minutes remaining.
Defense has paved the way for the Steelers, who lead the league in rush defense, pass defense and total defense. They could become the first team since the 1991 Philadelphia Eagles to finish the season No. 1 in all three categories.
If they can get past Tennessee, the Steelers would have the only Browns in their path, and they have beaten Cleveland 10 consecutive times.
Then again, as the suddenly sputtering Giants and Titans can attest, there are no givens this season.
No givens. But perhaps some takeovers.
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
NFL playoff scenarios
Who can clinch what:
AFC
EAST DIVISION
The three-way tie for the lead means nothing will be decided before Week 17.
SOUTH DIVISION
Tennessee clinched the division and a first-round bye. It can clinch home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs with a win.
Indianapolis clinched a playoff spot with its win over Jacksonville on Thursday.
NORTH DIVISION
Pittsburgh clinched the division and a first-round bye. Baltimore is alive for a wild-card spot.
WEST DIVISION
Denver can clinch the division with 1) a win or tie; 2) a San Diego loss or tie.
NFC
EAST DIVISION
The New York Giants clinched the division. They can clinch a first-round bye with: 1) a win or tie; 2) a Minnesota loss or tie. They can clinch home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs with: 1) a win vs. Carolina.
Dallas can clinch a playoff spot next week with: 1) a win or tie against Philadelphia and an Atlanta loss; 2) a win and a loss or tie by Chicago and a Tampa Bay loss; 3) a win and an Atlanta loss, a Chicago loss or tie and a Tampa Bay loss.
SOUTH DIVISION
Carolina has clinched a playoff spot after Dallas’ loss Saturday to Baltimore. It can clinch the division with: 1) a win or tie; 2) losses or ties by both Tampa Bay and Atlanta. It can clinch a first-round bye with: 1) a win or tie; 2) a Tampa Bay loss or tie and an Atlanta- Minnesota tie. It can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with: 1) a win against the N.Y. Giants.
Tampa Bay can clinch a playoff spot with: 1) a win, an Atlanta loss and a Philadelphia loss or tie; 2) a win, an Atlanta loss and a Dallas loss or tie.
Atlanta can clinch a playoff spot with: 1) a win and losses by Tampa Bay and Philadelphia; 2) a win and losses by Tampa Bay and Dallas.
NORTH DIVISION
Minnesota can clinch the division with: 1) a win; 2) a tie and a Chicago tie; 3) a Chicago loss.
WEST DIVISION
Arizona has clinched the division.
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Sources: Associated Press and NFL
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Los Angeles Times
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