Gregg Rosenthal

The Titans are learning how to make the impossible happen. Vince Young’s 99-yard drive to beat the Cardinals was an epic display of athleticism, decision-making, and timely plays. It was football at its best.

Rookie receiver Kenny Britt was just as responsible for the win as Young. He caught the game-winning touchdown by coming back to the ball in traffic. But his fourth-and-four catch to start the drive that was made over the back of Bryant McFadden was much tougher. Without that incredible play, Young’s drive doesn’t happen. The Titans have found their quarterback of the future … and his top receiver.

After the Titans won their first game of the season, Chris Johnson predicted the team would sweep their next 10 and make the playoffs. They are halfway there.

Young’s superlative play (387 yards passing) keeps the Titans alive in a packed AFC wild card race. And after the Steelers' loss to the Ravens, Tennessee is just one game behind the final playoff spot. That’s the good news. The bad news is there would be seven teams with five or six losses.

Translation: everyone is still alive!

Next week's a big one
Tennessee has its toughest game yet at the Colts next week. It’s also Indy’s biggest roadblock to a 16-0 record. That game could come down the Colts’ ability to stop Chris Johnson. “Every Coach’s Dream” tied an NFL record with his sixth straight game over 125 yards Sunday. He just had the biggest November rushing the ball since the merger. The league has never seen a player quite like Chris Johnson; he has to be a MVP candidate.

Video   Titans rally once again Nov. 29: Vince Young says Tennessee's confidence level is high after another dramatic win.

Indianapolis has essentially clinched the number one seed in the AFC; it is three games ahead of the rest of the conference with five to play. It’s worth wondering if the Colts would even play their starters through Week 17 if the team remains undefeated. Previous Colts history would indicate that Jim Sorgi should start warming up.

Texans tumble may cost them a playoff spot
The Texans are the league's most inconsistent team. From half to half, you never know what team is going to show up. No deficit is too big for them to overcome and no lead is too big for them to lose. When the Colts trailed 17-0 early, it felt like Indianapolis had Houston right where they wanted them.

Andre Johnson couldn’t haul in a pass that would have made the score 21-0, but the Texans still went into the break up 20-7. Then they gave up four unanswered touchdowns. Matt Schaub was flawless in the first two quarters, and then threw a backbreaking interception returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Colts and Texans really aren’t that different, but the Colts don't lose games like these. The Texans can’t win them.

Houston, we don't have a problem
It would be a mistake for the Texans to overreact to all these closes losses and consider removing Gary Kubiak. Houston has something rare going on; a young team that has played together a long time. The organization has done a good job drafting for Kubiak’s style of play. It’s a solid nucleus that isn’t going anywhere.

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There are problems to be corrected, sure. But why start from scratch when you are so close to making great things happen? The players may not fit in another system.

Eagles are now the comeback kids
Philly fans may see a 27-24 win over the Redskins as ugly. I see a team making every play necessary in the final eleven minutes to beat a frisky division opponent.

DeSean Jackson left the game early, so the Eagles turned to Jason Avant as their most dangerous receiver. Avant was shaken up briefly, so the team was down to two receivers for a stretch. They used Eldra Buckley to score a fourth-quarter touchdown, and Leonard Weaver got key carries late. (Don’t worry, most people haven’t heard of them either.)

Philadelphia’s game-winning drive included six runs and three pass plays, the key play being a 35-yard strike to Jeremy Maclin. The Eagles are finding different ways to win, and that can’t be a bad thing.

It’s still tough to get a read on this team, but the Eagles are positioned nicely at 7-4. For the second time in as many weeks, the Eagles came from behind to win. A squad that hasn’t been able to win close games during the Andy Reid era suddenly look like the comeback kids.