Green Bay's Rodgers still sidelined

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants to play against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy doesn't want him to, saying the QB hasn't fully come back from the broken collarbone he suffered against Chicago on Nov. 4.

Coach wins.

Rodgers practiced on a limited basis this week and even took some reps with the first-string offense. But after consulting with the team doctor, McCarthy decided Rodgers would miss a sixth straight game.

"Hey, it's not the easiest thing to sit there and tell your franchise quarterback he can't play in the game when he wants to play in the game," McCarthy said Friday. "This is clearly a decision that's made in the best interest of Aaron Rodgers."

The Cowboyls will be without linebacker Sean Lee, who has been ruled out after injuring his neck against the Bears Monday.

Mr. December. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers looked pretty nifty on Thursday night, throwing two touchdown passes to Keenan Allen and helping the Chargers chew up clock time in an impressive, 27-20 win over Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos at Mile High.

It shouldn't be a surprise. Though he's been inconsistent in his career, in December Rivers is tops - better than Manning, Rodgers, and Tom Brady. The win over the Broncos improved Rivers' NFL-best record to 28-6 when there's one page left to rip off the calendar.

Still, Denver has a trend working in its favor: The last four Super Bowl champions - and five of the last seven - lost in Week 15. (It's probably a good idea for the Eagles to try for a victory, though.)

Just sad. Investigators say the stabbing of at least three people in a parking lot at the Broncos' stadium after Thursday night's game stemmed from a fight over a near fender-bender.

Quotable. Oakland QB Terrelle Pryor, on being replaced as starter by former Penn State star Matt McGloin: "I don't call it 'lost a job.' I got hurt, he came in and played well. . . . But, you know, did he end up playing well and he's helping the team? However you want to call it."