Here was a bizarre final score from Sunday: Indianapolis 10, Cleveland 6. What was even more bizarre: The Colts offense’ didn’t score the team’s only TD.

Yes, Indy won its fifth straight, you can’t help but wonder if the team is sliding back into its early-season struggles. The defense played well and scored the Colts’ only touchdown, but any team with Peyton Manning at quarterback and his supporting cast shouldn’t need the defense to bail it out.

The Colts will make the playoffs, but if they play like they did Sunday, they will lose on the road that first week, particularly if they end up playing Pittsburgh, Denver or even Baltimore, who sport better offenses than the Browns.

The Lions are bad. They are really bad. But they are still part of the NFL tradition, and that shouldn’t be diminished just because they are bad.

Criticism for scheduling the Lions every Thanksgiving re-emerged this year, with even Mike Ditka — a classic football player if there ever was one — saying that the NFL should schedule two competitive teams on the holiday rather than the hapless Lions. Never mind the Lions have played a Thanksgiving game every year since 1934. Never mind the Lions won’t always be this bad. Never mind the Lions and Cowboys on Thanksgiving is part of the holiday tradition, just like the Macy’s parade and too much turkey.

The NFL has worked hard to preserve as much tradition as possible while still moving forward. When divisions were realigned earlier this decade, the Cowboys stayed in the NFC East and the Dolphins remained in the AFC East, despite the illogical geography. The Browns recatpured their career records when they became an “expansion” team. We still see United Way commercials on Sundays. These traditions, as well as the Lions on Thanksgiving, are what make the NFL unique in major pro sports — even baseball has abandoned much of its tradition. With all due respect to Coach Ditka, let the NFL schedule a super matchup for the new Thanksgiving night game, and leave the Lions alone.

Plaxico Burress’ struggles this season got worse when he accidentally shot himself in the leg.

Details are still sketchy how bad the injury was, but you must think that this will end his season. Between his sprained ankle in the preseason, suspensions and fines, and his hamstring injury that would have kept him from playing Sunday anyway, this might have been the final straw, even if the injury isn’t serious. He’s averaging less than three receptions a game and has scored only four touchdowns this season. Eli Manning is spreading the ball around pretty evenly, and though Burress’ absence will provide one less concern for opposing defenses, the Giants should still be fine without him. They don’t need the distraction if they want to repeat as Super Bowl champs.

Donovan McNabb proved he still is a competent NFL quarterback Thursday night, throwing four touchdowns and leading the desperate Eagles to an impressive 48-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night.

But it still might be time for McNabb to move on. Not this week, but after the season. He doesn’t enjoy the lovefest Brett Favre had in Green Bay (and even Favre’s adoration by fans started to waver in the offseason), and it might just be a matter of time before another terrible game by McNabb results in a benching and irate Philly fans (yes, I know, that might be a redundant term).

It should be noted that McNabb had help Thursday night — Brian Westbrook finally broke out with four TDs after a couple off games. This can be said in confidence: If both McNabb and Westbrook struggle, the Eagles are a mediocre team, at best.

Three Thursday games for the holiday, I’m getting these picks in just under the wire …

WEEK 13
Tennessee over DETROIT
DALLAS over Seattle
Arizona over PHILADELPHIA
BUFFALO over San Francisco
Baltimore over CINCINNATI
Indianapolis over CLEVELAND
GREEN BAY over Carolina
N.Y. JETS over Denver
Miami over ST. LOUIS
TAMPA BAY over New Orleans
N.Y. Giants over WASHINGTON
Atlanta over SAN DIEGO
NEW ENGLAND over Pittsburgh
OAKLAND over Kansas City
MINNESOTA over Chicago
HOUSTON over Jacksonville
Last week: 10-6 Season: 111-65-1

Brett Favre continues to surprise. I was convinced he wouldn’t be able to lead the Jets to an upset against the best team in league. But there he was, throwing two touchdowns to lift his team past the previously undefeated Titans. He’s not going to put up the incredible numbers of his earlier career, or even last year. But the Jets are so confident right now, and a big reason is Favre. If he didn’t turn in that incredible season last year, he’d be this year’s comeback player of the year.

More pre-Thanksgiving musings:

– What has happened to Eagles? They shouldn’t be this bad, and the benching of Donovan McNabb for the second half Sunday didn’t help. So it’s not all his fault, but maybe he needs a change of scenery in 2009 (there’s always Chicago). I can say this with confidence: The Eagles are the best 5-5-1 team in the league. And the worst.

– The NFL posted its first 800-point week in league history. Are defenses that inept this season?

– It looks like Brady Quinn is done for the season with a broken index finger. Though that sinks Cleveland’s already sunk season, this might not be the worst thing for Quinn. He’s shown he can play at this level, and he will avoid a worse injury over the remaining five games. Sure, he needs more game experience, but at least he’ll get a fresh start next fall when a new coach might be in place. Yes, I’m declaring it now, Derek Anderson will not be starting for the Browns in 2009.

– Finally, with five games left, here are my predictions for the 12 playoff teams:
AFC: Titans, Steelers, Jets, Broncos, Colts, Patriots
NFC: Giants, Buccaneers, Packers, Cardinals, Cowboys, Panthers

We have a new No. 1 this week, as the Giants move ahead of the Titans for the top spot. Yes, the two teams have the same record, but the Giants are the better team, maybe have been the better team all along. The Bears and Vikings each made the week’s biggest jump of four spots, while the Eagles took the most severe tumble, down five.

1. Giants (10-1)
2. Titans (10-1)
3. Buccaneers (8-3)
4. Steelers (8-3)
5. Colts (7-4)
6. Jets (7-4)
7. Panthers (8-3)
8. Patriots (7-4)
9. Cowboys (7-4)
10. Cardinals (7-4)
11. Redskins (7-4)
12. Ravens (7-4)
13. Falcons (7-4)
14. Saints (6-5)
15. Bears (6-5)
16. Vikings (6-5)
17. Packers (5-6)
18. Eagles (5-5-1)
19. Dolphins (6-5)
20. Bills (6-5)
21. Broncos (6-5)
22. Chargers (4-7)
23. Texans (4-7)
24. Browns (4-7)
25. Raiders (3-8)
26. Jaguars (4-7)
27. 49ers (3-8)
28. Seahawks (2-9)
29. Bengals (1-9-1)
30. Rams (2-9)
31. Chiefs (1-10)
32. Lions (0-11)

OK, I missed the Thursday night game on this, but better late than never, right? The end of the season is coming up fast — Fantasy 2008 has whizzed by, hasn’t it?

SMART STARTS
Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys: He’s lost the splint, regained some confidence after last week’s important victory, and is facing the 49ers. Expect a big game.

Matt Forte, RB, Bears: As the only functioning part of the Chicago offense, Forte will step up against the hapless Rams, going over the century mark and scoring a touchdown or two.

Eli Manning, QB, Giants: Expect plenty of points from both teams when New York travels to Arizona. That bodes well for Manning’s fantasy prospects, with a 300-yard game possible.

NOCTURNAL CREATURES
Ravens defense: The Eagles struggled last week against the Bengals; it will be stunning if their offense improves on the road at Baltimore. The Ravens might hold Philly to 13 points again, or less.

Kevin Smith, RB, Lions: The rookie is breaking out despite the Lions’ troubles. Detroit will look to him again Sunday against the Bucs, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he tops 100 yards again and scores a touchdown.

Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs: Bowe has become Tyler Thigpen’s favorite target on a team that simply stinks at running the ball. The two will connect for another touchdown against Buffalo.

JUST SAY NO
Brett Favre, QB, Jets: New York’s showdown at Tennessee will be the team’s biggest game in years. This is just a hunch, but this is the sort of game in recent years Brett Favre sometimes hasn’t shown up for. Sure, he could lead them to an upset, but don’t count on big fantasy numbers.

Justin Gage, WR, Titans: He turned in a career game last week against a seemingly good defense. Can he repeat? I doubt it, as the Titans’ run game will return to form against the Jets.

Jake Delhomme, QB, Panthers: With Carolina’s focus on a successful running game, Delhomme’s fantasy number have stalled. They might unstall next week at Green Bay, but this week in Atlanta, expect no more than a passing TD.

Before embarking on this week’s picks, I want to tip my hat to Brett Favre and the Jets. I didn’t think they would be better than .500 with him at quarterback, simply because I thought he had used up the last of his magic last season. Favre may not be the quarterback he was earlier in his career, but he is doing what he’s done best — leading a successful team. Add the improved offensive line, and the Jets are leading the AFC East. They are the biggest surprise of the year, bigger than the Cardinals, the Falcons and the Titans. But a big test awaits at Tennessee this week.

Now, this week’s picks:

WEEK 12PITTSBURGH over Cincinnati
BALTIMORE over Philadelphia
TENNESSEE over N.Y. Jets
Tampa Bay over DETROIT
JACKSONVILLE over Minnesota
Buffalo over KANSAS CITY
Chicago over ST. LOUIS
MIAMI over New England
DALLAS over San Francisco
CLEVELAND over Houston
DENVER over Oakland
Carolina over ATLANTA
N.Y. Giants over ARIZONA
Washington over SEATTLE
Indianapolis over SAN DIEGO
NEW ORLEANS over Green Bay
Last week: 11-4-1 Season: 101-59-1

The Jets make this week’s biggest jump, from No. 14 to No. 8. The Eagles, by virtue of their miserable tie, take the mightiest tumble, six spots.

1. Titans (10-0)
2. Giants (9-1)
3. Panthers (8-2)
4. Buccaneers (7-3)
5. Steelers (7-3)
6. Cardinals (7-3)
7. Colts (7-3)
8. Jets (7-3)
9. Patriots (6-4)
10. Cowboys (6-4)
11. Redskins (6-4)
12. Ravens (6-4)
13. Eagles (5-4-1)
14. Packers (5-5)
15. Falcons (6-4)
16. Saints (5-5)
17. Dolphins (6-4)
18. Broncos (6-4)
19. Bears (5-5)
20. Vikings (5-5)
21. Browns (4-6)
22. Chargers (4-6)
23. Bills (5-5)
24. Jaguars (4-6)
25. 49ers (3-7)
26. Texans (3-7)
27. Raiders (2-8)
28. Seahawks (2-8)
29. Bengals (1-8-1)
30. Rams (2-8)
31. Chiefs (1-9)
32. Lions (0-10)