NFL Quick Hits: A Frustrating Look at Week 14

• Before I go into the games and goings-on, we are at Week 14 and I know that players are mentally tired and due for the occasional lapse. It may just be in the games (PHI/WAS, DEN/SD, NO/DAL) that I had the opportunity to watch, but teams - good and bad - are making too many mistakes, be they penalties like false start and illegal motion or dropped balls (see Mr. Birthday Week or Carlos Rogers). As a fan, it's a frustrating level of football to bear and teams should be more crisp in their play execution.
  

• "A little too late" is the story coming out of Pittsburgh. At 6-7, the Steelers are still in the playoff hunt mathematically, but have a daunting schedule ahead of them. Needless to say, destiny is not in their hands. Cincinnati and Jacksonville are both two games ahead of Pittsburgh for the final playoff spots.

• Ahead of Pittsburgh but currently out of the AFC Wild Card picture are Kansas City, Denver, and the New York Jets. The Chiefs' schedule declares them all but out, Denver packed up shop a couple weeks ago, and the Jets laid a major egg on Sunday in a must-win situation. I may be wrong, but I'm likely right.

• Ladell Betts gets a career-high 177 yards rushing in a defeat for Washington versus Philadelphia. Unlike most Redskins fans who will anoint players or coaches as God, I (not a Washington fan) think that Betts' yards are due in large part to the overpaid offensive line actually earning their salaries and good vision by the back. I argue that had Betts ran better at the second level of the defense, he would've easily surpassed 200 yards and found the endzone. As it stands, 177 yards is a good day at the office, but it should've been higher against a porous run defense.

• How about LT?! He didn't have a great day by his standards, but his standards are extremely high. Three touchdowns places him ahead of Shawn "Madden Curse" Alexander for the single-season touchdown record. Mind you, we have three games left and the Chargers are seeking home field in the AFC. Barring injury or having the back rest, the record will be in the mid 30s.
  

• Vince Young is the real deal. He may throw the ball like he's flinging crap and he may not be the poster child for the Wonderlic, but he has demonstrated leadership and courage under fire. I'm running out of cliches, but you get it. The Texans-Jaguars game next week will be a dog fight. There you go, I've got plenty in the reserve.

• The defensive player of the year should be over by now. My vote, if I had one, would go to Jason Taylor. He's lining up every-which-where and has a steady impact, unlike Julius Peppers who has the unfortunate propensity of disappearing from games. So far, Taylor has 11.5 sacks and an insane eight forced fumbles. Did I say that he brought back both of his interceptions for touchdowns?