December separates the men from the boys in the NFL. And this is how the men and the boys have begun to separate themselves with three weeks remaining in the playoff chase:
The Men
BRONCOS: Just keep that temperature above freezing for Peyton, now 4-8 when it’s below 32 degrees after toasting the Titans. Although Wes Welker’s concussion rash is worrisome, as is having so much trouble with Ryan Fitzpatrick.
SEAHAWKS: Yeah, OK, they blew it at the end to the 49ers, who were the more desperate team Sunday. But who beats Russell Wilson and the 12th Man (and Percy Harvin) in January?
CHIEFS: Andy Reid and Alex Smith are back on track and make a formidable team, though Robert Griffin III and the Redskins cleaned out their lockers before Mike Shanahan could clean out his office. Star linebacker Justin Houston (dislocated elbow) will be back any week now, too.
49ERS: Jim Harbaugh and the boys summoned an enthusiasm unknown to mankind in crunch time to overcome their blood rivals, and Michael Crabtree is chipping off the rust.
SAINTS: Drew Brees-to-Jimmy Graham is Phil Simms-to-Mark Bavaro on steroids (figuratively), and now all of a sudden Brees and Marques Colston have recaptured their old chemistry? Although no one considers them Road Warriors.
BENGALS: Rookie running back Giovani Bernard gives Andy Dalton another dangerous weapon to pair with A.J. Green. Who Dey gonna beat Dem Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium? Depends on whether Good Andy or Bad Andy shows up. Defensive tackle Geno Adkins was a terrible loss.
PANTHERS: Just because they were humbled in the Superdome doesn’t mean you dismiss them. This is a more mature Cam Newton, and that defense means business.
EAGLES: This Chip Kelly can coach, huh? That Nick Foles can throw, huh? That LeSean McCoy can run in the snow, huh?
RAVENS: Joe Flacco was Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco with the game on the line against the Vikings, and a Harbowl rematch ain’t dead yet.
DOLPHINS: Ryan Tannehill is on pace to become the only quarterback other than Dan Marino in franchise history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. A season that was supposed to unravel after the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin fiasco. Beating the Steelers on the road in the snow is nothing to sneeze at.
CARDINALS: Carson Palmer (elbow) didn’t throw all week, then played catch with Larry Fitzgerald against the Rams. The Seahawks and 49ers still stand in the way of an unlikely playoff berth, and Bruce Arians just lost his Honey Badger (torn ACL).
PACKERS: Matt Flynn led the comeback against the Falcons, and if Aaron Rodgers can make it back, don’t be surprised if they steal the division from the Motown underachievers.
The Boys
COLTS: Managed to clinch sagging AFC South and are in line to host Chiefs in wild-card round. But with Reggie Wayne, Andrew Luck and the Colts averaged 26.7 points. Without him, they are down to 21. And over the past six games, the defense has yielded average of 32 points. Crisis time for a team that has lost three of five.
PATRIOTS: A dramatic comeback victory against the Browns, but the loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski is a killer. Shane Vereen can help Tom Brady, but Bill Belichick’s injury-ravaged defense can’t ride to the rescue.
LIONS: It’s probably bad karma when Reggie Bush aggravates a calf injury during warmups and his replacement, Joique Bell, loses two first-half fumbles. Still no excuse for blowing 14-0 lead in Philadelphia after the snow stopped falling. You stand up to these bullies, they’ll find a way to implode.
TITANS: Terrific idea, challenging Peyton Manning to a Mile High shootout. Mike Munchak (record: 20-25) and Chris Johnson are on the way out, and Jay Cutler is on his way.
STEELERS: You can’t lose a must-win game at home in the snow to a team from Miami. It sure seemed like Antonio Brown imagined Mike Tomlin wandering onto the field as he tiptoed on the sidelines before stepping out of bounds on the gut-wrenching, would-be game-winning touchdown.
CHARGERS: Philip Rivers would have been a threat if he played in the NFC East.
COWBOYS: They will beat the Bears on Monday night or they will lose to the Bears. Sorry, but as good as Tony Romo has been, that monkey is on his back. Guilty until proven innocent.
BEARS: Marc Trestman has the brilliant mind, and Josh McCown and/or Cutler has the weapons, but a defense without Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman is not a playoff defense.
GIANTS : It will be playoffs-or-bust in 2014 for Tom Coughlin, when everybody really will be on notice.
JETS: C’mon, man.