Larry Stone: Three Goals

Take mom's Christmas turkey, her peanut butter and chocolate candy, and add in the Titans' first half against the Cowboys...well, the 'ole stomach wasn't doing too well at halftime Monday night.

The Titans defense acted like a big pack of Tums by opening the second half on a turnover rampage. Anthony Wright probably wished he had stayed home for Christmas as the Titans beat Dallas 31-0. More importantly, the Titans checked off three goals from their list: AFC Central championship, first-round bye, and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

Three important goals...and goals that will help the Titans accomplish three more goals: a win January 7th, January 14th and January 28th.

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As the Cowboys left the field Monday night, you had to wonder what kind of team would take the field at Texas Stadium to start the 2001 season. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and coach Dave Campo will obviously spend this week in evaluation of the salary cap, the talent level and where to go next.

Some specualtion in the press box Monday night had it that Jones had realized the Cowboys no longer had another run in them. Injuries decimated the team's offensive effort, but a spending spree on free agents, like the one that brought wide receiver Joey Galloway to town last season, would only prolong the team's growing salary cap problems.

The Cowboys appear on the brink of facing some of the hardest decisions in sports: when do you let go superstar players who have meant so much to an organization, in order to start rebuilding with younger players.

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Hard to argue with Marshall Faulk as the league's MVP. The Rams running back scored 11 touchdowns in the last three games to carry the defending world champion to the playoffs.

There's always a debate about MVP awards about whether they reward the most outstanding play in the league or whether they recognize a player's contribution to his team's play. If you believe the latter to the best way to judge Most Valuable Player, you have to give the award to the Eagles' Donovan McNabb. Since mid October when Philly lost running back Duce Staley to injury, the gutsy quarterback has done it all. He can throw, run like a back, and make it a nightmare for the defense.

It should be fun watching Tampa's defense deal with the challenge this weekend.

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The Colts and Rams making the playoffs makes this a very strong top-to-bottom field in both conferences. There's no team in either conference that you say, 'this team has no chance.'

No 8-8 teams made it. No teams back doored their way in with a string of losses. Indianapolis and St. Louis are capable teams that have faced much more difficult schedules in 2000. Yes, their defenses are suspect, but their offenses make them potent.

This should be an exciting month of football.

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Hope you will join Mike Keith and me Friday night for the first of our Titans Radio specials, Titans Countdown Friday. Head coach Jeff Fisher will join us as the Titans resume practice, plus we'll talk live with those set to cover this weekend's wild card action, and we'll take your phone calls. It's Friday 5-7p (cst) on Titans Radio.