Gregg Rosenthal

For one glorious moment Sunday, the Steelers were transported back to last year’s Super Bowl, when receivers’ toes magically dragged through the end zone, and no amount of fourth quarter wackiness could stop Ben Roethlisberger from delivering a perfect strike.

Big Ben’s last second toss to Mike Wallace was just one of three fantastic finishes Sunday afternoon. Here’s a quick look at the lasting impact of each.

Kaeding’s kick
The Bengals battled adversity with aplomb all year, the latest example being a fourth-quarter rally against the Chargers, which tied the game at 24.

But Philip Rivers and his Chargers teammates have no use for sentimentality on a day the Bengals dedicated to Chris Henry.

It was Rivers who showed courage last on Sunday. Knowing that an onrushing blitzer was ready to crush him, Rivers delivered a 15-yard strike to Malcom Floyd without flinching. That set up Nate Kaeding’s clutch 52-yard field goal to win the game, 27-24.

The Chargers are headed for a playoff bye, then a home game. Rivers should be headed to involvement in the MVP race. And the Bengals, now fourth in the AFC, will come together to head to Henry’s funeral Tuesday.

The Bengals have overcome a lot this year. In January, they may now have to overcome Peyton Manning on the road.

Russell’s resurgence
Well, now we've seen everything. Replacing a woozy Charlie Frye, JaMarcus Russell led the Raiders on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to beat the Broncos in Denver, 20-19. Really.

We've heard everything too. When Russell found Chaz Schilens for a 10-yard score with 35 ticks left on the clock, CBS’ Gus Johnson wasted no time comparing Russell to Johnny Unitas. Really.

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This game could haunt Josh McDaniels all offseason. It showed the Broncos’ rushing game isn’t as good as we thought. And with a road game in Philly next week, Denver isn’t the playoff lock we thought, either. They need to beat the Eagles in Philly next week or rely on getting some help along the way to make the playoffs.

Of course, the result is a reminder that anything can happen — even when JaMarcus Russell is involved.

Back to Ben
Pittsburgh’s miraculous 37-36 win against the Packers means the Steelers can dream for another week, like the other five 7-7 teams. 5! Next week’s matchup against Baltimore is a rivalry game at its best. If Baltimore wins, the Ravens are likely to go to the playoffs. If the Steelers win, well, this race is chaos.

Even a 9-7 record isn’t likely to get Pittsburgh to the playoffs because of their conference record. But everyone in the AFC wild-card mix has a challenging finish, so it would be foolish to assume too much.

For Green Bay, the loss isn’t devastating. A win next week against Seattle would put them in commanding position for a playoff spot. The Giants need the Packers or Cowboys to gag for a reasonable chance to make the playoffs.

Got everything? Good. Week 15 just seriously raised the ante for the final two regular-season Sundays. Let’s hope the final two weeks can live up to this one.

The seven-loss posse
The Ravens had the best early afternoon of any AFC Wild Card hopeful. They didn’t play. After the early games, five AFC hopefuls are tied at 7-7: The Jets, Titans, Jaguars, Texans, and Dolphins. Conference record will be key if any of these teams tie at 9-7. The Jaguars have the fewest conference losses of the group, but they also have a tough game next Sunday in New England.

Baltimore is in the driver’s seat for now. That may just mean it’s their turn to crash next week in Pittsburgh.

Don’t panic
1. The Cowboys are still in the mix, but the Eagles remain in great shape for the NFC East crown following their 27-13 victory over the 49ers. Philly has clinched a playoff spot with two games left, a remarkable accomplishment considering they were once 5-4. The Eagles are showing they can win any style of game.

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2. The Patriots are learning how to win ugly, which is good enough to win the AFC East. Their 17-10 win in Buffalo had some trademark flaws; the Patriots didn’t play smart in the fourth quarter and they didn’t protect Tom Brady. But New England’s first true road win puts them two games up over the Jets and Dolphins with two games to play.

There’s a lot wrong with this Patriots team, but they did enjoy their best game all season rushing the passer. The Patriots will get a chance to correct their flaws in the playoffs, at home. At least for one game.

3. The Texans are known for blowout victories and losing heartbreaking games. That’s why I can’t kill them for barely beating Keith Null and the one-win Rams. This was a game that could have got Gary Kubiak fired, but the Texans overcame a halftime deficit to eke out a 16-13 victory. Houston faces Miami and New England the next two weeks. It’s possible the Patriots will rest starters in Week 17, so the Texans still have a shot for a winning record. Because of their conference record, even 9-7 isn’t likely to get them in.

4. For the second straight year, the Cardinals are going through a December malaise. The team escaped Detroit despite taking a 17-0 lead with the ball in the red zone in the second half. A huge mistake by Kurt Warner returned for a score let the Lions back in it, but we actually see some positives from the experience. Beanie Wells helped close the game out on the ground. Wells gives the Cardinals a different dimension than they’ve had in years past. The Cardinals can match nearly any team in the league in top-tier talent; they just need to stay focused.

5. Brady Quinn threw for 66 yards and two interceptions on 17 attempts against the worst pass defense in football. There’s no way the Browns can bring him back as a starter. Quinn’s opposing quarterback, Matt Cassel, threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns. Quinn apologists can’t blame the weather.