Extra Points: Week 17

HOW DID THAT WORK OUT?
Looking back, it’s become patently clear why the Raiders got a new staff this year. “They’ll find out Randy can’t run consistently anymore,” said 2006 head coach Art Shell in May after the trade of Moss to the Patriots. “He’ll drive Brady and Belichick crazy. He teases people because every now and then you see something, but he can’t keep it up consistently anymore...He’s losing his legs. He’s becoming an old man fast.” Former offensive coordinator Tom Walsh chipped in with this evaluation about the same time: “Randy Moss is a player whose skills are diminishing.”

POPULARITY CONTEST
The Steelers team MVP as voted by the players? Ben Roethlisberger, whose passer rating was exceeded only by Tom Brady’s? Willie Parker, the league’s No. 4 rusher? Nope. It was 29-year-old first-time starter James Harrison, a linebacker who topped the NFL’s stingiest defense with 98 tackles, eight sacks and seven forced fumbles. Some have interpreted the snub of Big Ben — who wasn’t elected a team captain, either — as a possible disconnect between the QB and his troops.

FEELING A DRAFT?
If you’re in the wait-‘til-next-year mode already, here’s some vital first-round 2008 draft info:
• The Dolphins (1-15) pick first. (They’d pick higher if there was a choice before the first one.)
• After St. Louis (3-13) at No. 2, four teams tied with four losses. Based on their division finishes, strengths of schedule and coin flips to be conducted in February, the Falcons could choose third through fifth; the Raiders will pick third or fourth; the Chiefs will be fourth or fifth; and the Jets are locked at sixth.
• The Patriots (ugh) own the Niners’ choice at No. 7, and the Niners have the Colts’ late playoff-determined choice.

THIS IS WHAT’S IN A NAME
The All-Madden Team now has its youngest-ever member. Over the holidays, Muhsin Muhammad’s wife Christa traveled to Ethiopia to collect two adopted children. In addition to eight-year-old daughter Journey came five-year-old son Madden. Muhammed, whose first name means “one who does good deeds” in Arabic, has received honors for his charitable work with youth. He and Christa have four other kids.

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

Buffalo’s Ashton Youboty cost Donovan McNabb a record — at least for now. Had it not been for his second quarter interception in Sunday, the Eagles QB would hold the career mark for lowest pick percentage. McNabb now stands at 2.117, compared to 2.106 for Neil O’Donnell.

In case you were wondering, yes, Kevin Curtis was the first player in history to a recover a teammate’s fumble in the end zone in back-to-back games. Only two others have even done it twice in a season: Buffalo’s Ahmad Rashad in 1974 and Green Bay’s Del Rodgers in 1982.

Reggie Bush is living up to his reputation by at least one measure: His Reebok jersey was the second-highest selling of 2007, behind only LaDainian Tomlinson’s. If the Chargers had not redesigned their unis, Bush would be, inexplicably, No. 1.

According to the reliable Aikman Efficiency Ratings, five of the best six teams reside in the AFC. No. 1 is obvious, but who will the NFC Super Bowl rep be? Not Dallas...but Brett Favre and his Packers. Ah, another Good vs. Evil showdown.

QUOTABLE
“I think he’s grown a lot.” — Redskins teammate Fred Smoot after fill-in QB Todd Collins engineered three straight wins. (The “growing” Collins is a 36-year-old vet who was playing in the NFL when Smoot was a junior in high school.)

“I felt like I should have whipped somebody. I should have beaten somebody up so at least they put you on SportsCenter.” — Warren Sapp, denying he ever touched the official when he was ejected two Sundays back.

“There are things around here that are a little stale. Get rid of them. You know how you go to your garage and say, `I’ve got to get rid of this junk?’” — Marvin Lewis on his 7-9 Bengals.