NFL Insider

The Post's Mark Maske was online Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest news from around the NFL.

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A transcript follows.

Mark writes the NFL Insider blog, and is the author of the new book War Without Death: A Year of Extreme Competition in Pro Football's NFC East.

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Mark Maske: Hello, everyone. Let's get right to it.

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La Crosse, Wisc.: For those of us hoping it happens, who do you think has the BEST chance of upsetting the Patriots, the rest of the way?

Not that there's anyone who's really GOING to, but as awe-inspiring as their offense is, I can't wait for this to come to an end.

Are there any Patriots left from the defeat by Brett & Co. in Green Bay? You just may have your revenge.

Mark Maske: I guess in terms of regular season opponents, you would have to look at the Steelers or Giants. The Steelers certainly seem to play to the level of their competition. But that game is in Foxborough and it's difficult to envision the Steelers winning, especially looking at it right now after they've just lost to the Jets. The Giants game is interesting because it's the last weekend of the season and the Patriots could have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs locked up. But Bill Belichick shows no signs of letting up under any circumstances. I really believe that the Patriots will take a 17-0 record into the AFC title game, and we'll see if the Colts get healthy enough to be in that game and give the Patriots a fight.

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Georgetown: How would explain the Niners collapse this season? I know everyone says that the offense can't score, which is certainly an issue, but that unit is pretty much the same as last year's where they made a late season playoff run. Does the problem go deeper than injuries and departure of Norv?

Mark Maske: I trace it to the regression of Alex Smith. Part of that is injuries. Part of that is Norv Turner leaving. Part of it is simply not playing well. When your franchise quarterback falls apart, you're not going to win.

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pack4life, cheese state: whats your take on the NFL's "investigation" of the Packers' defense and their "bounties?" Ridiculous terminology, intended to maximize shock value and incidentally make the players look like thugs, by the way. Shame on you, media.

I would hope suspensions would not be in line, but it WAS illegal, so fines should definitely be in order, as I see it.

Mark Maske: I don't look at it as a big deal. I wouldn't call that a bounty. A bounty, to me, is paying someone to go out on the field and hurt someone. That wasn't the case here. These were, allegedly, payments made, player to player, for performing well and shutting down the other team's running game. I'm sure it happens every week in the NFL. I guess some sort of penalty would be in order since it does violate the rules, but I can't get too indignant over it.

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Duluth, Minn.: You added a brand new excuse for looking bad in saying the Packers aren't for real. First it was "they haven't played anybody". Then it was "they're lucky". Then you added, a couple weeks ago, "they've won some games that you ask yourself, how did they do that?"

Yes, kinda like the Cowboys/Bills game earlier?

Why is it that whenever somebody suggests the Packers are the best team in the NFC, you say "Let's wait until they play on Nov. 29," but you have no problem continuing to assert the Cowboys are better? The Cowboys and Packers match up VERY evenly, and in most phases of the game, the Packers are better. After watching the Cowboys/Redskins game, I'm forced to wonder if Favre will throw for 400 yards or 500 yards against that secondary. What do you think?

Mark Maske: If you ask me which I think is the better team, I'd say the Cowboys. Just sit tight and we'll find out soon enough.

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Richmond, Va.: Mark,

I am impressed by Jason Campbell's progress, but one thing that nobody seems to mention is that he's not (or at least not yet) as consistently accurate as the top-echelon passers. If he had hit a few key passes to wide-open receivers this year, the 'Skins would be 8-2 at worst. Does a young quarterback's accuracy improve with time, or is it something that's more innate?

Mark Maske: I think accuracy can improve as comfort level increases. I do think he's already made some improvement in that area but yes, you're right, more is needed if he's going to be a top-tier quarterback.

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Washington, D.C.: I hear Jason Garrett's name mentioned quite often in media circuits with the Dallas Cowboys' success on offense. How come I don't hear anything about New England's offensive coordinator? Better yet, who is the Patriot's offensive coordinator? And how come his name hasn't been thrown about as much? You would think with all the incredible numbers they're putting up, his name would be all over the place as a head coaching candidate.

Mark Maske: He's a very young coach named Josh McDaniels. I think he's been overlooked in part because of the notion that Tom Brady is virtually his own offensive coordinator at this point, and in part because Bill Belichick became more hands-on in coaching the offense after Charlie Weis left. It also doesn't help him that Belichick keeps his assistant coaches from speaking to the media. But he is a rising star in coaching. You'll hear more and more about him, and soon enough he'll be the next Eric Mangini and head off somewhere for a head coaching job at a very young age.

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East Pete, Pa.: Which coaches are on the hot seat as the season winds down?

Mark Maske: My list at this point would be Brian Billick, Marvin Lewis, Scott Linehan, Cam Cameron, Brad Childress, Mike Nolan, Norv Turner and maybe John Fox. I don't think Andy Reid would be fired no matter what happens in Philadelphia but you have to wonder if he'll step away from coaching after the season.

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Bethesda, Md.: When all is said and done, which present-day quarterback do you believe will be most favorably remembered by history:

Brett Favre, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning?

Mark Maske: They'll all be remembered favorably but at this moment you'd probably have to say Brady. He'll probably set the single-season record for touchdown passes and win his fourth Super Bowl this season. He's still pretty young. What if he wins, say, six Super Bowls? At that point, you'd have to call him the greatest quarterback who ever lived.

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Washington, D.C.: Seahawks have apparently said, "The Heck with the run -- we're throwing it 75 percent of the time." Can that work?

Mark Maske: It can work. I don't think it will work for that team this season, but it can work. There have been times this season when the Patriots had virtually no running threat and their offense was more unstoppable than ever.

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Falcon hunting:: So Vick seems to be betting on being out of jail in time for next season. But if I was management, I'd have a QB on the top of my draft wish list. What do you think?

Mark Maske: The Falcons certainly need to fix their quarterback issue. I don't see Michael Vick ever playing another game for that team, although I don't rule out him playing for another team at some point. As for the timetable for Vick, I don't think anyone can make a realistic guess until we see what happens with his federal sentencing on Dec. 10 and what happens with the state charges against him.

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Greater Green Bay: I'm seeing the same thing with Green Bay-Dallas that I'm seeing with the college football polls: Dallas is "better" because the Reporters Who Cover Football decided before the season that Dallas would be good and Green Bay wouldn't, so Green Bay, even if equal, has to somehow be twice as good to catch up. True?

Mark Maske: Maybe so, but why do you care? You can think what you think and everyone else can think what they think, and it doesn't impact the outcome. Unlike college football, the NFL has a sensible system for deciding a champion and it's all decided on the field.

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Are the Pats inevitable?: Mark: Given that you've covered both baseball and football, can you explain why most dominant football teams go all the way and become champions but not so in baseball? You have the Miracle Mets or the '88 Dodgers (and a bunch of wild card teams lately) winning the World Series, but that doesn't happen in football, even though it's a one-game "win or you're out" playoff system. Why?

Mark Maske: It's a great question. I think it's just an inherent difference between the two sports. There are so many variables about which team wins a single game or a short series in baseball, most notably a hot pitcher. The regular season in baseball is so long, and it uncovers the best team over time. Even the very best teams lose 30 or 40 percent of their games, so that translates into possibilities for huge postseason upsets in short series. There is uncertainty in football, but the very best teams win 90 percent of their games. It's a sport of gearing up for one game a week and everything goes into that game. So while there are upsets, the truly, truly great teams generally win. I don't know if I really answered your question but it's an interesting topic.

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Worcester, Mass.: Good Morning,

A huge part of New England's success that is overlooked is the offensive line.

"Their offensive line is playing great football right now," Bills' safety Donte Whitner said. "They don't want you to touch Brady or even talk to him."

The two teams that played well against the Patriots, the Colts and the Browns, were able to put pressure on Brady.

That is how you beat NE, pressure on the QB. You can't expect to cover this set of receivers for 6-10 seconds. That is asking too much of any backfield.

BTW, that is also how you beat a healthy Colts team; pressure on the QB. Manning and Brady will always find the open receiver if given too much time.

Thanks

Mark Maske: I think all of that is true but it's not overlooked by people who know the game. People inside the league notice how the Patriots' offensive line is playing.

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Brady: Best ever??? Are you nuts, QBs are deserve a lot of credit as managers and field generals -- however, the system and offensive line of the Pats should get more credit than the QB. Media always credits a single player as the reason for success in a sport that cannot function successfully unless as a unit -- Patriots greatest TEAM of all time, not one player ever! Unless you talk about Jim Brown, who did it alone.

Mark Maske: I didn't say you would, right now, consider him the best ever. I said if he ends up winning six Super Bowls, you would probably have to call him that. The Patriots have a very, very good coach. They have a very sound system. But take Brady out of the mix and plug in an average quarterback, and it would look a whole lot different.

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Arlington, Va.: So Mark, did Larry Johnson break his foot or not? I've heard differing reports. Some say that he will be shut down for the year and others indicate it's a week to week thing.

Mark Maske: We should have a better idea soon. He was scheduled to be examined yesterday by a foot specialist. You're right. There has been quite a bit of conflicting information put out there on this one.

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New York, NY: Mark, I know you probably get bombarded with Redskins questions every week, but as a Giants fan in NY, I have this rivalry inspired question. It's no secret that we have high expectations for Eli up here and this season he has improved, but still isn't quite "there" yet. The 'Skins/'Boys game was on here this past weekend and I was very impressed with Jason Campbell, more so than Romo, who is the new "IT" QB of the era. What is the overall league perception on Campbell? I know in D.C. they are probably fawning, but how about anywhere else? How would you compare how the league views Campbell to how the league views Eli? (We all know how everyone feels about Romo, so let's leave him alone for once.)

Thanks!

Mark Maske: With Campbell and Eli Manning, it's all about the expectations they faced coming into the league. There's so much baggage for Manning with living up to the family name and living up to being the top overall pick and living up to what the Giants had to give up to get him, it's almost impossible for him to be fairly judged. He's had some good moments. He's become a pretty decent quarterback. He hasn't yet reached the level that you would hope for from a top overall pick, but he might. He probably won't ever reach the level of his brother, but few do. Campbell has a much easier road to travel in this regard.

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La Crosse, Wisc.: Will Vick be suspended on top of his jail sentence upon his return to freedom? Shouldn't jail be enough?

Mark Maske: We'll see. The NFL made Vick's suspension indefinite. So, in effect, the league merely bought itself time and will have to make a decision at some point down the line about when to reinstate him.

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Rockville, Md.: Is it wrong of me to dislike Belichick and the Patriots, but continue to root for the team to just obliterate opponents and go 19-0? At least that would shut up the '72 Dolphins!

Mark Maske: I won't pass judgment. Just pay attention to the Patriots because, whether they go 19-0 or not, they are one of the greatest teams you will ever see.

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Patriots will lose: To the Steelers, simply by clock control. Pats cannot score if they do not have the ball. The score will be close but they will be out of time. And another thing, the Eagles will win against them on Sunday, uh, I meant to say they will beat the 20+ point spread. They might even win, if Feely is the starter, which means run Westbrook until the wheels fall off.

Mark Maske: I can't see the Eagles beating the Patriots. I could see the Steelers doing it if they play their best game and the Patriots play one that's nowhere close to theirs. It's just difficult to trust the Steelers after some of the losses they've had.

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Chevy Chase, Md.: As I watched the Redskins lead the Cowboys at the half the only thing I could think is "We're leading at the half. That means we're going to lose." Why did I think that? Because lately the trend for the 'Skins is to lead at the half and then blow it in the last two quarters. Have we broken a record yet for most leads at the half blown in one season?

Mark Maske: This one, to me, had a different feel to it than some of the others. The Cowboys went out and won the game. The Redskins didn't hand it to them. The Redskins played pretty well and the Cowboys had to play better to win. Yes, Campbell threw a crucial interception. But that one, to me, just didn't have the feel of a give-away game.

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Philadelphia: Mark,

Sounds like Donovan is through here, even if he does have a good year. The knee is definitely not as good as it was, and he's not getting any younger.

He's made his money here, hope he's been saving it.

Mark Maske: Don't send McNabb packing just yet. I don't rule it out. But there's a lot more that we have to see about which direction this season will go for the Eagles before we'll know if big changes like that are in store.

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Rockville, Md.: Where do the Redskins look as far as the playoff race goes?

Mark Maske: If they can beat the Bucs, I'd say they're right in the thick of it. The Giants now look very good for one wild-card spot. But the Lions have a very difficult second-half schedule and the Redskins have already beaten them if it comes down to a tiebreaker.

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Mark Maske: I'm going to run, everyone. Thanks for the questions. Have a great Thanksgiving and see you here next week.

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