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Despite being out of the playoff chase, Chicago's Desmond Clark and teammates Kevin Shaffer (78) and Jason McKie (37) didn't give up against the postseason bound Minnesota Vikings on Monday. The Bears won 36-30 in overtime.

Q: Why does Tom Coughlin refuse to put Eli [Manning] into the no-huddle offense? Every time he is forced to use it, Eli strikes quickly and successfully. Eli is the closest approximation of Peyton [Manning], but do you feel he lacks the coach's trust to lead as effectively? Or is Coughlin too controlling?
— Tess, Princeton, N.J.

A: I just think Coughlin is not real comfortable using the no-huddle as anything other than an occasional changeup. He prefers a more traditional approach, and Manning seems content to huddle up as well. I don’t think it’s about Manning as much as it is about general philosophy. The frenetic nature of the no-huddle does not suit Coughlin’s coaching personality.

Q: Why is Philip Rivers constantly shunned from the upper ranks of the NFL's greats? Last year he led the league in QB rating and didn't even get voted to the Pro Bowl. If you look at Rivers' stats and on-the-field accomplishments, he's just as good, if not better, than the Breeses and Bradys of the NFL over his career. The stark difference, really, is that while all the great QB's have had good offensive lines, Rivers has put up stellar numbers with crappy offensive lines. Maybe it'll just take a few more wins against the Colts or a couple Super Bowl wins to do the trick.
— Slappy James, San Diego

A: Rivers is on the verge of entering the conversation with Manning, Brady and Brees. He doesn’t have the finger jewelry that Manning and Brady have, and he doesn’t have some of the statistics that Brees has. But he has arrived at the point in his career where he has become a supremely efficient quarterback and a standout leader. A good postseason run by the Chargers would result in Rivers being respected a lot more than he has been.

Q: Dan, what areas will the Falcons address in the draft? Last year, they only worked the defensive side.
— Eric, Atlanta

A: If you take a good look at the Falcons roster, you probably will come to the conclusion that they still need defense more than offense. I would suspect general manager Thomas Dimitroff will deem cornerback the team’s biggest need heading into the offseason. But the Falcons also could use an outside linebacker, a defensive end and a tight end. Teams have to be careful about ignoring one side of the football for consecutive drafts, because it can catch up with them eventually.

Q: I always imagined coaches doing some workout with the players; some of the younger ones do look fit. Do the trainers have a regimen they tailor to the coach's lifestyles?
— Raymond Urbi, Fremont, Calif.

A: As a rule, team strength coaches aren’t concerned with how coaches work out. Most coaches work out more like the typical guy at the health club than their players. But there are exceptions. Through the years, I’ve always gotten a kick out of watching now 62-year-old Ravens offensive consultant Al Saunders run with players before, during and after practices. The way he keeps up with the young bucks is amazing.

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