PIOLI HAS AN INTERVIEW: The Patriots' absence from the playoffs means that vice president of football operations Scott Pioli can interview for general-manager openings around the league. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports this morning that the Patriots have granted permission for Pioli to be interviewed by the Browns, who wasted no time yesterday in firing general manager Phil Savage. The Plain Dealer also reports, quoting Browns owner Randy Lerner, that former Steelers coach Bill Cowher is not interested in succeeding Romeo Crennel. But Lerner is believed to be intrigued by Eric Mangini, raising the intriguing (though probably unlikely) possibility of Mangini and Pioli being reunited to try to turn around the Browns. Adam Schefter of NFL.com believes that the Browns at least have a legitimate shot of landing Pioli.

ANOTHER BELICHICK PROTEGE FALLS: When Mangini's Jets in 2006 came into Foxboro and beat Bill Belichick's Patriots, it seemed like the beginning of a new era in the AFC East. It turned out to be the high point of Mangini's tenure. The team lost to the very same Patriots in the first round of that season's playoffs, went 4-12 the following season, and then jumped out to a fast start this season only to collapse in December. There have been reports that Mangini and Brett Favre never really got on in New York; now that Mangini is gone, you wonder if Favre actually might be back next season (assuming that he does not need offseason shoulder surgery). Some of Favre's teammates want him back, even though Favre (two touchdowns and nine interceptions in the final five weeks of the season) arguably is the single greatest reason that the Jets went from division front-runners to a 9-7, nonplayoff team.

IT WAS NOTHING: You could never say very much about the results that Rod Marinelli got on the field as coach of the Detroit Lions, but Marinelli often got credit for maintaining class and professionalism despite the withering criticism that he and his team received on their way to the first 0-16 season in NFL history. In his farewell address to the media today, Marinelli said that it is unfortunate when a coach receives praise because his players act the way the are supposed to act, even if it often seems like the exception to the rule in today's sports world.

BY THE WAY: To all who still refer to Belichick as "Billycheat" or some variant -- stop. True, Belichick deserved to be punished over Spygate; however, his legacy as a great coach is in no way diminished. Ask yourself this question: Of the NFL's 12 playoff teams -- only four of which had better records than the Patriots -- how many made it through as many crippling injuries as the Patriots? How many lost a starting quarterback -- and Vince Young doesn't really count, since he may well have been on his way to the bench anyway? The answer is, none. Are the Patriots using injuries as an excuse? No. I am using it as an excuse for them. To anyone who looks at what the Patriots accomplished this year, and doesn't come in prejudiced by an irrational hatred of all things Belichick, the results are very, very impressive. Spygate? That was all blown up in Week 1 of the 2007 season, and the Patriots are a pretty fair 28-6 since then.

CARNAGE AND RECRIMINATIONS: "Pathetic," wrote Clarence E. Hill Jr. in the Fort Worth Star Telegram. "Truly pathetic." The Dallas Morning News headline was "Quittin' Time," with columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor saying that Wade Phillips' team was the "most gutless team in franchise history." Phillips doesn't seem likely to be facing any repercussions from the Cowboys' collapse; owner Jerry Jones gave him a vote of confidence after yesterday's 44-6 loss in Philadelphia, in a winner-moves-on, loser-goes-home showdown. But offensive coordinator Jason Garrett might be the fall guy, since both Tony Romo and Terrell Owens seemed to criticize Garrett's play calling yesterday. The real blame, though, seems to rest on the shoulders of Romo, who once again made horrendous decisions on the field that the Eagles repeatedly capitalized on (just as the Ravens had the week before), and of Jones, who assembled this high-talent, no-character thing that he called a team. Jones just can't seem to find players who can win after November -- since 2000, the Cowboys are 14-22 in December under three different coaches, and they of course haven't won a playoff game in 12 years.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY: Late in the game, Romo suffered a rib injury that resulted in his being replaced by Brooks Bollinger. Then after the game, Romo collapsed in the shower and had trouble breathing; Romo was able to collect himself and spoke to the media, but he was clearly having trouble moving around (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' December collapse may have been lower-profile than the Cowboys' or the Jets, but it was no less startling -- four straight losses capped by a game in which the Bucs blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead at home to the lowly Oakland Raiders. But there is something encouraging for Bucs fans to talk about today: The knee injury that Cadillac Williams suffered in the second half yesterday may not be as devastating as feared; in fact, Williams might be ready for training camp come summer (Tampa Tribune).

FULL STRENGTH: The Cardinals certainly look ripe for the picking when the playoffs start next week, but they will be at home when they face the Atlanta Falcons, and it appears certain that Anquan Boldin will return to the lineup, giving Kurt Warner his full complement of starting receivers (Arizona Republic).

OTHER FIRST-ROUND NOTES: The most intriguing game of the coming weekend sends the Colts to San Diego to play the Chargers in a rematch of San Diego's 2007 playoff upset. These may be the two hottest teams in the AFC -- the Colts have won 12 straight and the Chargers have won four in a row. It also matches two men who had the best seasons of any playoff quarterbacks: Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers; Baltimore at Miami is a matchup of two teams that were 3-13 and 1-15 a year ago; both were 11-5 this season. Coaches Tony Sparano and Jim Harbaugh could end up one and two in Coach of the Year voting, while quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Joe Flacco were among the biggest surprises of the season in their own right; Philadelphia and Minnesota matches up Eagles coach Andy Reid with Brad Childress, the man who was once his offensive coordinator.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE THIS? The road team is the early favorite in each of the four first-round playoff games.