There's not too much that differentiates the Giants from the Panthers.

Ten seasons ago, the Falcons did the impossible in Minneapolis.

Saints 30, Lions 17: Who said this, a Saints player or a Lions player? We're still professionals, we get paid to do a job, and we'll play these last two games.

Metro Atlanta's most-watched sports events on television last weekend:

Matt Cassel stands to get rich next season.

1.

Pat Williams credits him for his Pro Bowl appearances.

The Minnesota Vikings fully expected to be in the middle of the playoff picture, though they may have taken an unexpected route to this position.

As recently as a couple of weeks ago, if some of us had come across Tarvaris Jackson lying face down in a hallway at Winter Park, we'd have stepped over him while en route to talk to one of the other Vikings.

The final weeks of the NFL are kind of like reading the horoscopes.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson leads the NFL with 1,581 rushing yards, and Atlanta's Michael Turner is second with 1,421 yards.

Marquee matchups

Flowery Branch --- Falcons defensive end John Abraham returned to the team after attending to a personal matter on Wednesday, but he did not practice.

Flowery Branch --- Michael Jenkins was buried on the Falcons' depth chart.

For the second week, the Falcons have lost one of their top special teams players, this time cornerback David Irons, who tore an ACL in his knee.