John Madden

Each week John Madden answers readers questions. To ask Coach a question, e-mail him at:

Which quarterback has impressed you the most this season?
Ben in Atlanta

Madden: Peyton Manning, Ben. I like some of the young quarterbacks like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Plus, look at what Matt Cassel is doing in New England, and Eli Manning, Brett Favre, Drew Brees and Kurt Warner. But I still say if I had to pick one to play for me right now, it is Peyton Manning.

Coach, obviously something has clicked for the Jets in recent weeks. Is it mostly Brett Favre?
Nico in Long Island

Madden: I don't think so, Nico, I think it is the whole team. It would be easy to say it's Brett Favre.  You watch them and the offensive line is good. They picked up Alan Faneca in the offseason and they run the ball very well. Their defense is playing well and while Brett Favre is playing a big part in it, saying it is all him wouldn't be fair because so many other guys on that team have been playing well.

Which AFC team would you least like to face in the playoffs?
Scott in New Mexico

Madden: There is still five weeks to go, Scott, so it is probably going to be determined in these next five weeks, but the teams that look tough to me … Pittsburgh's defense looks awfully good to me and if you were an offensive team that didn't have a real strong defense you wouldn't want to face Pittsburgh. Tennessee has a team thing going, the Jets look like they have things going and look like they have become a playoff team. 

With all the pressure that goes along with going undefeated, do you think the Titans loss in Week 12 could actually help them in the long run?
Hark from Nashville

Madden: Hark, I have been one to believe that a loss never helps you. There is no such thing as a good loss and there is no such thing as a loss helping. I think anytime you lose you lose a little confidence, you lose a little of your swagger and it takes something out of you for a while.

How important was it for Dallas' future success to get Terrell Owens more involved in the offense?
Chris in Long Branch, NJ

Madden: Chris, when you have a star, a big-play maker, you want to get the ball into his hands. That is true of anyone, whether it is T.O., Adrian Peterson, Randy Moss or whomever. But having said that, you don't want to make that your whole offense. You don’t want to become one-dimensional and you don't want to force anything. Part of it is play calling and part of it is the guy getting open. Then is protection. All those things have to go and you would love to have him catch 10 passes and score four touchdowns but the defenses have something to say about that and trying to get those 10 catches or touchdowns you don't want to have turnovers because you are forcing the ball.

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