Andy Reid and the Eagles had high hopes in August, but they simply have failed to run the ball with any consistency this season, particularly with All-Pro guard Shawn Andrews still laid up after back surgery.

Brian Westbrook had four carries for six yards at halftime. What kind of commitment is that? Well, there is no commitment and Reid must face facts. He needs another running back. Heck, he doesn't really think of Westbrook as a running back, but as a receiver.

The Giants have three running backs. The Panthers and Titans and Dolphins have two very good running backs. The Eagles need a real deal running back and save Westbrook for the home-run damage. He doesn't really pound the ball inside. And he really shouldn't be used that way.

Yes, an Eagles' fan held up a sign in Cincinnati, which basically asked to have the team moved to the NFC West. Granted, such relocation would help this season, but Philadelphia is used to playing New York, Washington and Dallas. They used to be capable of beating such teams. Well, not anymore.

They have lost to all three and Reid must re-think his long-range plans. And does he really want to stick around and rebuild this team? Maybe it's time to relocate and get out of the Philadelphia fish bowl? Reid remains a solid coach, but his formula is no longer working.

After near miss, Chargers need miracle

Although they were whipped by the Steelers in every facet of the game, the San Diego Chargers could have won the game. Nate Kaeding just missed a field goal attempt and inside the Pittsburgh 20-yard line, Philip Rivers was intercepted, losing a sure three points.

In a strange score, the Chargers lost 11-10 and now they are two back of Denver in the AFC West. With six games to go, they can't afford another loss. They have three straight at home — Indy, Atlanta and Oakland — then two on the road before finishing the season against the Broncos at home. It's possible, but it seems to be a stretch.

Does this mean the end of Norv Turner? Only Dean Spanos and A.J. Smith know for sure, but they already fired a defensive coordinator and they also know that LaDainian Tomlinson isn't the same.

I hate to say this, but I doubt Atlanta would trade Michael Turner straight up for L.T. right now. I wonder what people would have thought of such talk back in August? They would have said everyone was nuts. But Turner has turned into an absolute beast for the Falcons while L.T. managed 57 yards on 18 carries against the Steelers.

Yes, Pittsburgh is one super defense. They proved that by limiting San Diego to 218 yards of offense while safety Troy Polamalu made one phenomenal one-handed interception of Rivers. Off a tipped pass, Polamalu dove a few yards in the air and barely slipped his right hand under the ball just before it touched ground.

There's no doubt about it. Polamalu is the game's finest safety. The Chargers need a miracle, one similar to Polamalu's one-handed grab.

Jacobs merits MVP consideration

The MVP race is starting to heat up. The contenders seem to be Arizona's Kurt Warner, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who still has a shot at Dan Marino's single-season record, and maybe Brandon Jacobs on the New York Giants.

Jacobs may not be a full-time running back, but he is definitely the tone setter for the Giants, football's most physical team. Jacobs pounded Ray Lewis and his teammates into submission yesterday. He scored twice, giving him 11 touchdowns on the season. He only has 879 yards rushing right now, but he is averaging 5.36 yards a carry. Jacobs is a faster Larry Csonka. He runs like a wild bull on the loose. It generally takes two tacklers to bring him down; sometimes more than two.

This could end up being one of the tightest MVP races in years. Brett Favre could end up earning some votes if he takes the Jets to the playoffs. Remember, Favre finished second last season to Tom Brady. There is too much football left to play to say Warner or anybody is definitely going to win. But Jacobs deserves some recognition because the Giants are really about running and playing defense. They pound you on offense and pound you on defense. And if the Giants were into putting two players in a cage fight, I'm not sure there's another Giant who could whip Jacobs.

Barber rescues Cowboys

Well, the Cowboys saved their season. Thanks to Marion Barber and a clutch touchdown catch by rookie tight end Martellus Bennett, the Cowboys beat the Redskins, forging a second-place tie in the NFC East at 6-4 with Jim Zorn's bunch. It was close until Barber took over in the fourth quarter. Like Jacobs, Barber is the heart of the Dallas offense.

Now, that Dallas has figured out how to win again, maybe their talent can get back on track and fulfill owner Jerry Jones' proclamation that they will be a playoff team. The Cowboys were a heavy Super Bowl favorite, and now they have a realistic chance of getting into the playoffs. They have consecutive games at home against San Francisco and Seattle before traveling to Pittsburgh, where the Steelers are difficult to beat.

The Cowboys were focused and dominated the fourth quarter. There's a chance that suspended cornerback Pacman Jones could be reinstated later this week and it will be interesting if Jones is serious about allowing him back onto the roster. He says he is, but does he really want to deal with a potential distraction should Pacman fail again? It's a fine line in the NFL and the Cowboys don't need any more bumps in the road.

Late hit by Edwards needs strong response

In this season of huge player fines, you have to wonder what fate awaits Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards for his unnecessary roughness penalty against Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia. Edwards left his feet and was a good four seconds late before applying a helmet-to-helmet hit that required Garcia to get some sutures. I mean Garcia was watching his pass sail down the field when Edwards popped him on the chin.

Later in the game, after a scramble, you could spot Edwards offering an apology to Garcia and it appeared that the quarterback accepted, but the NFL has to come down harshly on this penalty. It's difficult to figure out whether this is a $50,000 fine or a suspension.

Unknown Bucs cornerback Elbert Mack, now a member of the Chicago Bears, was suspended for a game for a similar hit on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan in Week Two. For Edwards, it should be one or the other: Big money or a one game suspension.

I will say that most of the coaches and players are upset with the league's policy this season. Many believe the fines have been excessive. I thought Jets safety Eric Smith deserved a $50,000 fine for knocking out Arizona receiver Anquan Boldin. But many coaches disagreed with me. They didn't see intent with Smith's helmet hit.

But the Edwards' hit on Garcia came so much later than what Smith did. There doesn't seem to be any gray area on this one. It could be a tough blow for the Vikings, considering Jared Allen is facing a similar fine while defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams will appeal their potential four-game suspension for the use of illegal diuretics this week. The Vikings could be goners if they lose any of these players for an extended period of time.