There are only two games that need to be talked about after this last week. They are not the useless contests between the Bengals and the Browns or the 49ers and the Rams. No, they are the match ups between the league leaders.

I do not know how the NFL did it, but they managed to get the number one and two teams in both divisions to play each other. Whoever set this up deserves a huge Christmas, err…, Holiday bonus.

First the Tennessee Titans destroyed the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think the Titans did more than simply win the game though. Tennessee demolished any confidence Ben Roethlisberger had been building up. Big Ben had four big turnovers as he opened the game with two big fumbles, then managed to get the Steelers the lead, and then threw two picks, one which was returned for a touchdown.

Kerry Collins, Chris Johnson, and LenDale White had to do little more than simply not turn the ball over. Right now fans with Titans season tickets are looking forward to buying playoff tickets to watch their team march toward the Super Bowl.

Steelers fans have to be wondering if maybe Byron Leftwich would not be a better choice to lead the offense. Roethlisberger’s touchdown passes to Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes were impressive, but the man has not figured out that his offensive line is not nearly what it used to be. I’d say that every turnover was his fault. He lost the game and I have to question his ability to lead a team to the big game.

The second big game was between the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers. This game was much closer and even went to overtime, but in the end it was a two-yard run by Brandon Jacobs that won the game 34-28.

It was a match up of two teams that featured run dominated offenses that utilized multiple backs. It showed too. The Giants Derrick Ward ran for 215 yards while Brandon Jacobs ended up in the end zone three times. The Panthers DeAngelo Williams scored four touchdowns and ran for 108 yards.

This game was an old school coach’s wet dream. Big runs, plenty of gut checking plays, and the number one seed throughout the NFC playoffs up for grabs. The Giants came in and proved that they were the better team, and more importantly, that Plaxico Burress would not be a distraction on the way to the Super Bowl.

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