Extra Points: Week 15

OUT-THERE OUTTAKES

• Reggie Brown’s momentum propelling him inside a large, red Salvation Army donation-collecting kettle after a touchdown pass.

• A Dallas scoring drive of minus-1 yard, and their first failure to find the end zone since 2004.

• Three Tony Romo interceptions, all intended for Terrell Owens.

• Romo compiling a career-low 22.2 passer rating with girlfriend Jessica Simpson in attendance, “besting” his previous worst of 45.5 last year against Philly with girlfriend Carrie Underwood in attendance.

• Donovan McNabb aping T.O.’s favorite TD pose of an back-arched, arms-extended gaze skyward.

• Brian Westbrook stopping at the 1-yard line when he could have scored, enabling Donovan McNabb to take a knee three times and run out the clock. (“He used that Villanova education,” beamed Andy Reid, who obviously doesn’t have Westbrook on his fantasy team.)

TAXING EVASIONS
UrbanDictionary.com describes the phrase “it is what it is” as “what incredibly vapid, stupid and unoriginal people say when they cannot construct a proper thought, retort or sentence.” In 2004, a USA Today poll revealed it as No. 1 cliché of the year, but the contagion rages unabated in the NFL. (Bill Belichick seems to have been isolated as the original carrier.) In the last two weeks alone, “it is what it is” was precisely (a) what Devery Henderson had to say about the Saints’ botched reverse against the Bucs; (b) how Chris McAlister assessed the officiating in the Ravens-Patriots game; (c) the manner in which Marques Douglas described the implosion of his 49ers this season; and (d) what Kevin Mawae said when accused of a cheap shot on Shawne Merriman. And these are just accounts we’ve seen in print. Oh well, it is what...

BUMP AND RUN
Extra Points’ recurring installment of slapdash observation and imprudent opinion:

Until Miami’s OT upset of Baltimore this weekend, this was true: The last time the Patriots lost a regular-season game was the last time the Dolphins won one. The date was December 10, 2006...Miami-21, New England-0.

Lane Kiffin might have Bobby Petrino to thank that his reputation is still intact. Word in Oakland is that Kiffin was furious that the Falcons ship-jumper took the Arkansas job — because HE wanted it.

The next different Patriot to find the end zone will be the 22nd — a record-breaker. They’re pretty much out of scoreless offensive players (Let’s Go Matt Gutierrez!), so it will have to come from the other side of the ball.

The origin of the Belichick-Eric Mangini enmity is, of course, the latter’s decision to seek the Jets job against the former’s wishes. The media dissection of their relationship that preceded their face-off on Sunday included this leak: When Mangini returned from his interview in New York, the lock on his Foxboro office had been changed.

QUOTABLE
“I challenge him to come down here and take my job. ESPN producers, let him go.” —Terrell Owens after hearing that Keyshawn Johnson credited Bill Parcells for laying the Cowboys’ foundation for success.

“There will be some fans that don’t show up, rightly so, That’s OK, too. That’s part of the deal. When you don’t win, that’s part of the deal. You want to come to the game? It’ll be cold. It might be raining. We’re not winning. You might not want to come out to the ballpark. That’s OK.” — Herman Edwards speculating that Arrowhead Stadium might not be filled for last Sunday’s game against Tennessee. (He speculated correctly; it was half-empty.)