When the playoffs approach, the big-time quarterbacks assert themselves.
Like Erik Kramer, Jeff Kemp, Steve Beuerlein and Steve Bono.Not to mention Mark Vlasic, whose off-the-bench heroics clinched a playoff berth for Kansas City.
As the NFL's regular season winds down to its final two weeks, five of the six AFC playoff berths are decided; just one of six in the NFC. And while 18 teams are technically alive, it's really 15 - the prospects for Minnesota (7-7), Cleveland (6-8) and Seattle (6-8) are so marginal as to be nonexistent.
The major longjam is in the NFC, where only the Washington Redskins (13-1) have clinched a spot - they've won the East and have the home field throughout the playoffs. The defending NFL champions, the New York Giants, were knocked out Sunday by the Philadelphia Eagles, but there are seven teams between 10-4 and 8-6 with shots at the five remaining spots.
Then there are those quarterbacks, some of whose resumes read like a chapter in "If it's Sunday, this must be Calgary?"
That's where Kramer was two years ago, sitting out with a knee injury sustained in the training camp of the CFL's Stampeders.
Now he's playing ahead of Andre Ware, who won the Heisman Trophy the same year. Since replacing Rodney Peete, lost for the season with an Achilles tendon tear, Kramer has quarterbacked Detroit to a 5-2 record that has them at 10-4 - their first season of double-figure wins in 21 years.
Kemp was unemployed six weeks ago after being released by Seattle when Dave Krieg recovered from a broken thumb. He had thrown 12 interceptions in seven games and his signing was criticized as a favor by owner Norman Braman to his friend, Kemp's father Jack, the former NFL quarterback and now Secretary of Housing.
But in the last two games, he replaced an injured Jim McMahon and helped lead Philadelphia (9-5) to victories over Houston and the Giants. McMahon may miss the final two games with Dallas and Washington, leaving Kemp (and the league's best defense) to get the Eagles into the playhoffs.
Beuerlein, described by teammate Michael Irvin as "a backup who plays like a starter," took over for Dallas when Troy Aikman went down with a knee injury in the upset win over Washington and is 3-0 since. That puts the Cowboys at 9-5 going into two deciding games against Philadelphia and Atlanta, which is seeking its first playoff spot since 1980.
San Francisco's last-gasp playoff drive is being directed by Bono, 4-0 since replacing Steve Young, Joe Montana's replacement and doing some Montana-like things. On Sunday, he directed a 55-yard drive in 29 seconds in San Francisco's 24-22 win over Seattle. That follows two 300-yard games and probably means Young won't get back his job even if he's healthy.
A look at the playoff races:
AFC
Buffalo (12-2) has clinched the East and Houston (10-4) has clinched the Central. Three teams from the West - Denver (10-4) and Kansas City and the Los Angeles Raiders (both 9-5) have clinched at least wild-cards and all are alive for the division title. The Chiefs might use Vlasic, a Plan B acquisition from San Diego who was 12 of 18 for 150 yards as Kansas City came back from a 14-0 deficit to beat San Diego 20-17 in overtime.
That leaves the final playoff berth to be decided among Miami (8-6 after Monday night's 37-13 victory over Cincinnati; the New York Jets (7-7) and the two outsiders, Seattle and Cleveland (both 6-8).
NFC
Don't even try to figure out the possibilities in a conference where five teams could finish 10-6 and two could miss the playoffs.
The only sure thing is that Washington (13-1) has won the East and has home field advantage for the playoffs. The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions (10-4) are competing for the Central title; Atlanta and New Orleans (9-5) and San Francisco (8-6) can win the West and all are in the wild-card race along with Philadelphia and Dallas (both 9-5).