Cover-2

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told Peter King of SI.com that if team medics tell him Brett Favre is ready to go this week - after bruising a shoulder bone and joint and his sternum on a hard Buffalo hit early in Sunday's game - that the 41 year-old QB will play against the Giants in Minnesota this Sunday.

Baltimore and Pittsburgh now have played four consecutive three-point games. The two NFC North rivals have split the series in each of the last two seasons, with the Ravens winning twice in Pittsburgh and the Steelers winning twice in Baltimore.

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen gave then-coach Josh McDaniels a vote of confidence two weeks ago, in the wake of news that McDaniels failed to report an illegal taping of an opponent's practice.

However, according to ESPN.com, the team has been researching whether it could fire the coach "for cause," in which case they would not owe McDaniels the balance of his contract.

According to the website, the team sought opinions from their own legal counsel and from the NFL management council on whether the words of chief operating officer Joe Ellis would hurt the team's case in a "for cause" firing of McDaniels.

Ellis stated on Nov. 27 that he did not consider the videotaping incident a "fireable offense."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently upheld the Oakland Raiders' decision to fire Lane Kiffin for cause and not honor the remaining years of his contract.

This is important to the Broncos because McDaniels still had two seasons to run on his original contract and the team is still paying Mike Shanahan, who now coaches Washington.

Cleveland cornerback Joe Haden on Sunday became the first Browns' rookie to intercept passes in three consecutive games since the fabled Bernie Parrish in 1959.

Rookie receiver Dez Bryant had surgery on his fractured right ankle on Monday and is done for the season, Dallas coach Jason Garrett said.

Bryant, a rookie from Oklahoma State, had 45 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns this season.

"He's certainly made great strides in his rookie year," Garrett said. "For a guy who missed as much training camp as he did to make the impact he's made on our football team has been significant."

The Eagles are at Dallas at 8:20 Sunday night.

Donovan McNabb was 11-4 as the starting quarterback for the Eagles against the Giants. Sunday's 31-7 beatdown was McNabb's first start against New York as a Redskin. He'll get another shot on Jan. 2.

Edwin Pope of the Miami Herald, on watching the Dolphins fall to Cleveland, 13-10: "This offense would put a whole gallon of adrenaline to sleep."

Dandy Don Meredith was born and raised in Mount Vernon, Texas, about 100 miles east of Dallas. He went on to star at Southern Methodist, which is in Dallas. All of his nine seasons in the NFL were played for the Cowboys.

He never played a home game outside of North Texas.