Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs, the only man to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks, is stepping down again following his second tenure with the team. His second go-around with the club wasn't nearly as successful as his first, but he did manage to turn around a season of disappointment and tragedy this year, and lead the team to a post-season appearance.

I can't say that I'm shocked by the news, especially after his noncommittal interview Monday, in which he was very vague about his future. But it's always sad to see a coach of his caliber ride off into the sunset.

So what does this mean for the future of the organization?

Assistant head coach and defensive guru Gregg Williams is the obvious choice. Back in January of 2006, he signed a huge extension designed to prevent him from taking a head coaching gig elsewhere, and it is believed he was in line at that time to succeed Gibbs.

However, knowing how Snyder loves the headline-grabbing deals, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he were to bring in a bigger name to fill the position.

And with Bill Cowher not currently on the payroll of any NFL team, he could soon be getting a phone call from the Danmeister.

Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images

Looking to erase memories of a poor showing in last year's BCS championship game loss to the Florida Gators, the Ohio State Buckeyes jumped out to a 10-0 lead over the LSU Tigers Monday night on a Chris Wells' 65-yard touchdown run, the longest in a BCS title game, and a 25-yard field goal by Ryan Pretorious in the first quarter of the contest. But the rest of the game belonged to the Tigers, who proved to be too much for the Buckeyes, running off 31 unanswered points to take control of the contest. LSU eventually held on for a 38-24 win.

Ohio State had its chances to open the game up even further near the end of the first quarter when LSU freshman Chad Jones fumbled a punt return deep inside his own territory, but teammate Harry Coleman saved the moment by recovering the ball at the Tigers' 16-yard line. LSU regrouped after the near disaster and managed to cut into the lead with a drive that culminated in a 32-yard field goal by Colt David. Then on the Tigers' next possession, a drive that was aided by two huge penalties by the Buckeyes, quarterback Matt Flynn threw a touchdown pass to tight end Richard Dickson to tie the score at 10.

Again missing out on a big opportunity early in the second quarter, Ohio State's Brian Robiskie dropped what should have been a touchdown. The Buckeyes were forced to settle for a 38-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked by Ricky Jean-Francois, shifting the game's momentum in favor of the Tigers. LSU scored again just a couple minutes later on Flynn's 10-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell, giving LSU their first lead of the night.

Things continued to fall apart for the Buckeyes on their ensuing drive. Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman, under heavy pressure from the LSU defense, overthrew sophomore receiver Ray Small. Cornerback Chevis Jackson intercepted the pass and returned it the Buckeye 24-yard line. Moments later, running back Jacob Hester scored on a 1-yard run, stretching the score to 24-10 in favor of LSU, a lead they took into the locker room at halftime.

The Tigers then opened the second half by putting together a huge 15-play drive that culminated in Flynn's third touchdown toss of the night, this time a four-yard strike to the dangerous Early Doucet. And with a 31-10 lead, the route was on.

Ohio State put another touchdown on the board before the end of the third quarter, and the teams traded touchdowns in the fourth, but the Buckeyes never really threatened to get back in the game.

Flynn, who took home offensive MVP honors, finished the contest with four TD passes, and completed 19-of-27 passes for 174 yards.

Wells led the way for Ohio State, carrying the ball 20 times for 146 yards in a losing effort.

In case you've missed it, rumors have been floating around over the past couple days indicating the Miami Dolphins have offered their vacant head coaching job to Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Tony Sparano. Of course, Bill Parcells & Co. would never admit such a deal is in place because it would violate the Rooney rule, which prohibits the hiring of a head coach before a minority candidate has been interviewed for the position. League rules also prohibit the Dolphins from officially offering Sparano the job until the Cowboys have played their last game, but that doesn't mean some sort of wink, nod, belch agreement hasn't been made.

One of the concerns I have, however, has nothing to do with rules violations. In fact, league rules specifically allow for it to happen. The practice I speak of is that of teams interviewing coaches whose current teams are on a bye week, but still retain post-season life.

I understand the purpose of allowing the assistant coaches on teams facing a bye week to interview during the down time. If the team they work for happens to go deep into the playoffs, it puts them at a disadvantage in the interview process if they are not allowed to talk to other teams at that time. Other assistant coaches will be filling those positions, and all the openings could dry up before they are even eligible to attend an interview. However, I think the league is just asking for trouble in allowing other teams to distract guys from the job they are already under contract to perform before their season is completely over.

Sporano, as well as Jason Garrett are still under contract and are expected to give it their best effort until the Cowboys' season is officially over. But how much can they concentrate their efforts over the remainder of the post-season if they are busy flying around the country and possibly even making preliminary plans to line up their own coaching staff for 2008.

Earning the right to have a bye week is supposed to be an advantage. But if half your coaching staff is working on lining up future employment, they're not using that time to prepare as thoroughly for the upcoming opponent as they can. And it also opens up the possibility of a rival team abusing the privilege just to throw a monkey wrench into another team's post-season hopes.

Even though it would mean the assistant coaches of some highly successful franchises might miss out on some opportunities, this is a practice that should be closed by the NFL.

Photo: Getty Images

Sunday’s NFC Wild-Card contest features a pair of teams in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants that are generally being overlooked. Neither is being given much of a chance at this point, but on the other hand, it would be foolish to take either lightly. Both feature good defenses, with the Bucs ranked second in the league and the Giants seventh. New York also features an offense that can be explosive at times, especially when top receiver Plaxico Burress is healthy, while the Buccaneers take the safer, more efficient approach to attacking their opponents.

Quarterback Jeff Garcia does a nice job of running Tampa’s offense. He’s a tough guy for his size, and has demonstrated throughout his career that he isn’t afraid to take a hit. Despite all the hits he takes, though, he rarely turns the ball over. In fact, he’s thrown just four interceptions and only lost two fumbles all season. He also throws the deep ball much better than advertised.

He’ll be tested, however, by a Giants defense that thrives on pressure, especially from their defensive ends. With Osi Umenyiora on one side and future Hall of Famer Michael Strahan on the other, it’s a case of pick your poison for opposing offenses. If you double one, the other can just as easily burn you. The key for them, however, will be to keep Garcia, who is very effective on the run, in the pocket. Once he gets outside the pocket, he has the ability to make big plays with either his arm or legs.

Despite going through a number of backs this year before Earnest Graham finally settled into the role of starter, the Bucs running game has been relatively effective, which allows them to use play action to get the ball to their tight ends on the short and intermediate routes and their wide receivers down the field. Look for Tampa Bay to try to pound the Giants with their running game, which should have a dual effect if they have some early success. Not only will it slow down the Giants’ pass rush, it will set up the deep pass to Joey Galloway, who is likely to be covered by hobbled corner Sam Madison, assuming Madison plays this week.

Heading into this contest, both teams have some concerns to deal with. The Bucs have lost three of their last four games and have very little momentum at this point. However, they did get a chance to rest some of their starters over the past couple weeks. The Giants finished the season on a strong note, but their decision to go all out to end the Patriots unbeaten streak during week 17 cost them some significant injuries. As mentioned above, Madison is slowed by an abdominal strain. Center Shaun O’Hara and linebacker Kawika Mitchell are also casualties of their final regular-season game, both suffering knee injuries that have them listed a questionable for this weekend.

The biggest key to this contest, though, from what I’ve seen, is going to be Eli Manning’s ability to deal with the Buccaneers defense. Tampa’s defensive line has a lot of speed coming off the edge, and Manning doesn’t always deal well with pressure. It is imperative that he get off to a fast start with a couple big plays to loosen up the Bucs’ cover two. If he struggles early, it could be a long day for the Giants.

This contest appears to me to be one of the tougher to pick this weekend, but eventually I look for the Buccaneers defense to get into the head of Manning and force him into too many mistakes. The game should be tight and could come down to a late turnover. With Manning being far more prone to turning the ball over than Garcia, my money’s on the Buccaneers to pull this one out on their home turf.

Prediction: Tampa Bay 23, New York 20

Winning a Super Bowl obviously is the ultimate goal for every team in this year’s playoff field, but for the San Diego Chargers, it’s all about getting past that first game. Last year they entered the post-season on a 10-game winning streak and sporting a gaudy 14-2 record only to be unceremoniously dumped by the New England Patriots on their own field. Obviously, the last thing they want is a repeat of their monumental playoff flop.

This time around, however, the Chargers appear to have drawn a more favorable match-up in the Tennessee Titans, who enter the playoffs a little beat up. The Titans took the Chargers to overtime during week 14, but quarterback Vince Young is hobbled by a quad injury, and if he can’t go, the team will be forced to turn to veteran Kerry Collins this weekend. Obviously if Young’s mobility is hampered, the team is better off with the veteran behind center simply because Young isn’t much of a passer and doesn’t represent the same big-play threat with his legs that he does when healthy.

With or without Young, the key for the Titans is going come down to how well they control the Chargers run game while still getting pressure on QB Philip Rivers. Tennessee features a pair of defensive linemen who are among the best in the league in DT Albert Haynesworth and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch. Both are solid against the run and are great at collapsing the pocket, which should allow San Diego to drop seven men into coverage on a consistent basis. How Rivers responds will be a big factor.

Assuming Young plays, the Chargers defense will concentrate on keeping him in the pocket where he is inconsistent, while also shutting down the Titans’ inside power-running game led by LenDale White. Chargers nose tackle Jamaal Williams hasn’t exactly had his best season, but his ability to stuff the run will force the Titans to double team him, which should help free up San Diego’s linebackers.

The X-factor, in my view, is San Diego tight end Antonio Gates, who creates mismatches in coverage and should draw a lot of double teams Sunday. Running back LaDainian Tomlinson is the heart and soul of the Chargers offense, and will certainly get his touches. But Gates’ presence opens up so many options in the passing game.

Bottom line, as close as they came to knocking off the Chargers in week 14, the Titans just don’t have the offensive firepower to pull this one off. And as good as the Titans defense is, they won’t be able to pull this one out without an equally effective performance on the other side of the ball. I just don’t see that happening.

Prediction: San Diego 31, Tennessee 13

Just a few short weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to be one of the few teams with a legitimate chance at upsetting the undefeated New England Patriots. But since that time, the team has been riddled with injuries at key positions. They've lost their best running back in Willie Parker, their best defensive lineman in Aaron Smith, their starting left tackle in Marvel Smith, and his backup, Max Starks.

Their secondary is also banged up with safety Troy Polamalu still hampered by a knee injury that has plagued him all season, cornerback Deshea Townsend suffering through some sort of foot problem, and backup Bryant McFadden limited by an ankle injury.

On top of all that, they must play host this week to a very physical Jacksonville Jaguars squad that is hungry for some respect. The Jags feature a dominating running game, which doesn’t bode well for a Steelers team that has struggled against the run since losing Aaron Smith. They also have the luxury of an efficient quarterback in David Garrard who does an excellent job of protecting the football.

Just as they did in a week 15 win over the Steelers, the Jaguars will rely a heavy dose of that running game and a tough defense to keep them in this contest.

The Steelers, on the other hand, will count on the post-season experience of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is now sharing the backfield with Najeh Davenport instead of the speedy Parker. Davenport is a more powerful runner, but he lacks the explosiveness of Parker, who is a threat to go the distance at any time.

For the Steelers to be successful in this game, they must protect Roethlisberger and give him time to connect with speedsters Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington. They may be able to take advantage somewhat of a Jaguars secondary that has had its share of struggles, especially with top corner Rashean Mathis slowed by a groin injury. Hitting a couple big plays early would go a long way toward loosening up Jacksonville’s run defense, so look for the Steelers to spread things out and hope for some early success.

With the Steelers down to their third-string left tackle, Trai Essex, it will be interesting to see how well they will be able to protect Roethlisberger. The Jaguars are sure to test Essex, although he will probably receive help in pass protection on a regular basis. Not allowing Big Ben to get outside the pocket as they apply pressure is key because he has uncanny accuracy throwing the ball on the run. If he can avoid the pressure with his ability to buy time, he should be able to make some big plays down the field.

However, I’m not sure the Steelers can overcome the key injuries they have suffered recently. They also lack momentum, having lost three of their last four games. The Steelers also haven’t beaten a playoff-caliber team since blanking the Seattle Seahawks, 21-0, way back in week five. Meanwhile, the Jags come in having won three out of their last four with their only loss during that stretch coming in a meaningless week-17 contest against the Houston Texans.

Bottom line, I expect the Jaguars to out-physical the Steelers, which is generally the way the Steelers knock off their opponents. But this time around the Steelers won’t be the more physical team on the field. Look for Jacksonville to grind it out and eventually wear Pittsburgh down in a hard-hitting battle.

Prediction: Jacksonville 28, Pittsburgh 23

Considering the tragedy the Washington Redskins incurred during the season with the death of safety Sean Taylor, they are the sentimental favorite for many in this year’s playoffs. And coincidently, they are playing their best ball of the season right now, having won their last four games of the regular season. However, they will be traveling all the way out to the West Coast to face the Seattle Seahawks, and Qwest Field is one of the toughest venue’s in the league to go into and win.

Expect the Redskins defense to keep Shaun Alexander under control since pretty much ever team he has faced this year has done the same. He just hasn’t been the same runner this year and probably won’t be a big factor in this game. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if head coach Mike Holmgren turns to backup Maurice Morris if Alexander struggles out of the gate.

Conversely, the performance of Redskins running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts could be critical. Seattle is likely to stack the box against them, and try to take them out of the game. Fortunately for the Redskins, Todd Collins has stepped in admirably at quarterback for the injured Jason Campbell, actually adding some consistency to the team’s passing attack.

Of course, on the other side of the field you have Matt Hasselbeck, who is a tried and true veteran of the post-season having taken the Seahawks to the Super Bowl just two years ago. His presence and leadership, along with home-field advantage, tip the balance in Seattle’s favor, in my opinion.

The biggest key to this game, however, will be the performance of the defenses. With more playmakers on that side of the ball, and the energy of the crowd to feed off of, I look for a stronger performance by the Seahawks. The Redskins secondary could have a tough time hanging with Seattle’s receivers, especially if their pass rush remains as inconsistent as it was most of the regular season.

Expect this to be a tight, hard-fought contest. But in the end the Seahawks should prevail.

Prediction: Seahawks 27, Redskins 17

Trailing by 12 points in the third quarter of Saturday night's contest with the New York Giants, it appeared the New England Patriots might come up short in their quest to become just the second NFL team during the Super Bowl era to put together an undefeated regular season. But in typical Patriots fashion, they didn't panic, and wound up capping a historic season with a 38-35 victory, making them the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to make it through the season unblemished.

As is noted below, we didn't agree with head coach Bill Belichick's decision to go with his starters in an otherwise meaningless game. Kudos to him and his team, though, for tackling this historic achievement full force, and bringing home such a glorious accomplishment without suffering any significant losses in personnel.

The only problem going forward is the pressure that is going to continue growing with each passing day. As bad as this team wanted to hold the distinction of being one of the few teams to make it through a regular season undefeated, they don't want to go down in history as the biggest playoff flop ever. With an AFC field that is loaded with talented teams, the potential for upset will be there every playoff game and the road to Super Bowl XLII won't be easy.

As illustrated by the many records that were broken Saturday night, the Pats are one of, if not the greatest offenses in NFL history. But there has to be a little concern about the 35 points they surrendered to the Eli Manning-led Giants. There's no doubt guys like Peyton Manning, David Garrard, and Ben Roethlisberger will be looking at this game to see what was working for the Giants.

Of course, Belichick is the master of adjustments, so you know he'll have something new up his sleeve in the post-season.

As most of us are aware of by now, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick plans to play his starters this weekend in pursuit of a perfect regular season despite the fact that they really have nothing else to play for. Their division is wrapped up, they have a first-round bye, and every post-season game they play will be in Gillette Stadium. This scenario, obviously, leads to the never-ending argument of whether a team should rest its players in a meaningless game such as this, play them just enough to stay sharp, or just continue like it's business as usual.

To begin with, I'm not so sure heading into the playoffs undefeated is the best thing for any team. So why go to such lengths to ensure it happens? By doing so, the Pats are setting themselves up to potentially become the largest flop in NFL playoff history if they don't win the title. That's an enormous amount of added pressure that not many are talking about at this point.

And then there's the motivation factor this gives other teams. I mean, when you're the Giant (not to be confused with the New York Giants), everyone wants to be Jack and chop down the beanstalk. As easily as New England has cruised through the regular season, they are going to face some teams, especially in the AFC, who are pretty darn good themselves. And each of these teams would love to be the one to beat the unbeatable. Granted, all teams are going to be heavily motivated in the playoffs, but as a coach, you're always looking for every possible form of motivation you can get.

Now I'm not saying the Patriots should lie down for the New York Giants Saturday night, but if I were running the show in New England (and Pats fans everywhere should be thrilled I'm not), I wouldn't deviate from my normal approach to the playoffs for the purpose of locking up any record regardless of how coveted it is. The prudent thing to do, in my view, is to keep the starters fresh with a couple quarters of work and then let the chips fall where they may as far as the outcome of the game.

There's certainly no right or wrong answer to what is the correct approach. And it's difficult to question the logic of a guy who has won three Super Bowl rings since the turn of the century. But my personal opinion is -- especially if you are facing a bye week -- that you simply can't give your star players the week off. That's just too much time for rust to set in, and, when game day does finally roll around, they could find themselves falling in a hole too big to crawl out of while they search for their rhythm. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you leave your players in the entire game, you are unnecessarily putting them at risk for injury.

So it seems the obvious thing to do in the Pats' case would be to give Tom Brady and crew enough work to keep them sharp and then shut them down until the games really mean something. Yes, an undefeated season would be great for Belichick and his players to throw in the faces of those who dared question the team for their role in Spygate. But is that distinction worth risking an NFL title, which, after all, is the ultimate goal?

Perhaps for the Patriots, it is.

One thing I do know though... if the Pats head into the playoffs undefeated, they come out just one of two ways; the greatest NFL team ever or the biggest playoff flop in league history.

It's late December. The playoff picture is just about completely in focus. And if you're one of the unfortunate fans whose team has already been eliminated from postseason play, you're probably looking ahead to the 2008 NFL Draft. With that in mind, About Football's 2008 NFL Mock Draft has been updated.

We've also updated the positional rankings along with the top-32 prospects overall. For those of you who are now pulling for your favorite team to lock up a favorable slot in the draft, we'll be posting the draft order following the close of each week's schedule. And if you're curious as to how the order of selection is determined, we have that for you as well.