Here's an abbreviated column for Christmas Eve. We'll return with predictions on Friday:

THE MENTAL OVER THE PHYSICAL: Left tackle Matt Light, who played most of the first half of Sunday's game with a partially separated shoulder, says the key for him was being mentally prepared to perform despite the pain (Boston Herald).

KEEP IT TO 3: If the Patriots get through Sunday's game with three or fewer accepted penalties called against them, they will set a new 16-game regular-season record (Boston.com). Patriots opponents have accepted 55 penalties so far this season; last season's Seattle Seahawks set the record with 59.

A THROWBACK: Patriots graybeard linebacker Junior Seau recently compared Mike Vrabel to Karl Mecklenberg, the Denver Broncos' perennial All-Pro of the 1980s. Mecklenberg, now a motivational speaker, tells the Globe's Mike Reiss that Seau's comparison is on the mark: "I've followed Mike's career, and I look at it the same way as I did my career -- he moved around a lot and has been effective in different roles. That's unusual because the positions are all different, so you have different footwork, and you have to adjust mentally to all the different assignments you get. It's hard to do, but Mike does it as well as anyone."

QUITE A CAREER CHANGE: Tatum Bell, who will be in the Broncos' backfield for Sunday night's prime-time, AFC West-deciding game against the San Diego Chargers, was selling mobile phones at a mall kiosk just about a month ago (Denver Post), a job he successfully applied for on monster.com. The game may or may not cap a very strange football season for Bell, which began when he was cut by the Detroit Lions and then accused of stealing Rudi Johnson's bags on his way out the door (FanHouse.com).

WOUNDED DOLPHINS: Starting linebacker Channing Crowder and cornerback Will Allen were held out of practice today, but did do some stretching and jogging on the sideline.

PLAYER ENDANGERMENT? Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips is second-guessing his own decision to play running back Marion Barber the last two weeks (Fort Worth Star Telegram). Barber has reaggravated his toe injury and missed practice yesterday.

'SANTA CLAUS' BARRED: The Pittsburgh Steelers have canceled a recent tradition in which sports announcer Bill DiFabio interrupts the coach's Christmas week news conferenced dressed as Santa and pokes fun at the coach, his players and the sportswriters covering it all (projo.com). Mike Tomlin grew irritated by DiFabio's lengthy routine yesterday. Here's some of the video:

A TANDEM FOR THE AGES: If Derrick Ward can pick up 52 yards in the Giants' regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings, Ward and Brandon Jacobs will become the fourth set of teammates in NFL history to each rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. The accomplishment probably ensures that Ward and Jacobs, who are both unrestricted free agents after this season, will not be teammates again next year (N.Y. Daily News).