My Comments On Current Issues In Football

Ok, as far as the the special boot Tom Brady was wearing, yes he is hurt and yes he probably played hurt in the AFC Championship game. He threw 3 interceptions! For those who know a little about Tom Brady, then you know he does not throw 3 interceptions. He looked sloppy and uncomfortable all night. Therefore, he must have played hurt. There is no other explanation as to why he played so bad. This guy is some cyborg alien sent to dominate football and win everything possible. Of course, he'll recover in time for the Super Bowl.

As far as Ladainian Tomlinson is concerned, he is a disgrace to football. As good as he used to be, Sunday's AFC Championship game just ruined his career. Two weeks ago, as hurt as he claimed to be, he was still willing to run against the Colts. Last week against the Patriots, he was listed as healthy and ready to go. He runs on two drives for very little yardage, goes to the sideline, and bundles himself up in an Eskimoish- Dark Vader type outfit where he stood for the rest of the game. He should have either went to the locker room or went back out there to play. Not just stand there and be useless.

As far as Philip Rivers is concerned, I give him mucho guts for playing the whole game with a Torn ACL. I can't recall many players that can do that. He has more guts than LT. However, IT WAS ALSO VERY STUPID AND SELFISH OF HIM TO PLAY THE WHOLE GAME. Yes, he had guts, but c'mon, he threw 2 interceptions and had a very bad game. The quarterback is the most important position in any sport and if your quarterback isn't 100% healthy you shouldn't start him. Wanting to start and having the ability to start are two very different things that can affect the outcome of a game. Philip Rivers really needs to get over himself.

The Chargers had a very real chance of beating the beatable Patriots if LT would have played and Billy Volek would have started or went in after the first half. With a healthy quarterback and running back, they could have taken advantage of Brady's 3 interceptions, which comes once in a lifetime. The Patriots gave the Chargers every chance to beat them, but the Chargers didn't give the Patriots any reason why they should have won.

The New England Patriots Will Represent The AFC In The Super Bowl

Touchdowns will always beat field goals. It's simple math. So while the perfect Patriots haven't looked it at times Sunday, the scoreboard is put a squeeze on San Diego.

The Patriots converted red-zone chances for TDs. The banged-up Chargers didn't. As a result, unbeaten New England is headed to Arizona for Super Bowl XLII.

Despite a shaky Tom Brady, the New England Patriots were still too much for the banged-up San Diego Chargers in the AFC championship game Sunday, pulling out a 21-12 victory that sent them back to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven seasons.

Brady made several stunningly poor throws (he threw 3 interceptions!...in one game) that fluttered in the wind, Randy Moss was a non-factor for the second straight game and the highest-scoring team in NFL history sputtered all afternoon. Instead, the Patriots (18-0) relied on Laurence Maroney's spins, cuts and helmet-rattling runs.

With injured Chargers star LaDainian Tomlinson reduced to mostly watching in a parka, the Patriots moved on to a Feb. 3 matchup in Glendale, Ariz., against the winner of the NFC title game between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants.

Yet for all the Patriots have accomplished -- they're the only team in NFL history to start out with 18 straight victories -- they're well aware they must win that final game to avoid being relegated to a footnote.

Perfection comes down to one game now.

My Analysis Of The AFC And NFC Championship Games

San Diego Chargers At New England Patriots (3:00 p.m.) - I'm sick and tired of analyzing New England Patriots games. Every week I sit here and try to find some excuse as to how the opposing team could possibly beat them. Let's get real here. The Patriots just don't lose. The Colts would have been more of a challenge than this Chargers team who is so hurt and banged up they are the equivalent of having patients from a nursing home play the Patriots. There, I guess that's my analysis.

New York Giants At Green Bay Packers (6:30 p.m.) - All right. This game is more interesting. I never would have expected the Giants to make it this far, but they have. The running attack on both of these teams is about equal. Ryan Grant has emerged into an amazing running back and Brandon Jacobs is so fast and huge he can pound the ball through. Also, the back up running backs on the Giants are decent as well, so if they rotate their running backs they'll have a consistent attack. The receiving core on both teams, again, is almost even, but I would take Donald Driver and Greg Jennings on the Packers over Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress.

So what is going to be the deciding factor(s) in this game? 2 things. First, as far as defense, the Packers not only have the better defense, but they are healthier too. Second, keeping the Packers' better defense in mind, think about where Eli Manning is playing.....in 0 degree weather. While Favre thrives on this kind of weather for some crazy reason, Eli Manning absolutely can not play in cold weather. I mean, think about how he got this far in the playoffs. He had the luxury of playing in warm weather states like Florida and Texas. Can't get hotter than that. Therefore, I'd pick the Packers over the Giants.

Whatever the outcome, I'm excited to watch these games, but bummed there won't be football for 2 weeks after tonight.

Injury Update: Philip Rivers Has A Partially Torn ACL

Mouthy to a fault, quarterback Philip Rivers made a pronouncement Friday that pleased the San Diego Chargers, despite the coach's sentiments and a report to the contrary:

He's optimistic about playing in the AFC Championship Game.

Rivers returned to the practice field, encouraged his sprained right knee would heal enough for him to go Sunday against the New England Patriots.

However, that was Friday afternoon. Now sources told The San Diego Union-Tribune Rivers had also sustained a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. Therefore, Chargers coach Norv Turner took a more cautious approach. He listed Rivers as doubtful and said it would be a game-time decision.

Under NFL rules for reporting injuries, someone listed as doubtful has a 25 percent chance of playing that week. Until Friday, teams were required to merely list whether a player practiced -- Rivers did not work out Wednesday or Thursday.

Rivers handled about one-third of the snaps in practice on Friday. He was hurt last weekend in a 28-24 playoff upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, and backup Billy Volek led the winning touchdown drive.

Already a two-touchdown underdog against the perfect Patriots, the Chargers are awfully banged up. Antonio Gates was put in the doubtful category still with a dislocated toe.

On a positive note, running back LaDainian Tomlinson said he thought his hyperextended left knee would be OK for him to start. If Billy Volek has to start or see major playing time in Sunday's AFC Championship game, than LT is going to have to step up like never before. Remember the LT who set the all-time record for rushing TDs and ran for crazy numbers continuously game after game. Wherever he went this year, he's going to have to return and play just like that against the Patriots if they have any hope of winning.

I'll say this however. The Patriots have not covered the spread in a long time. Other than the games against the Dolphins and Steelers, the rest of the games involving the Patriots have been relatively within reach. Yet, they still continue to be favored by insane amounts of points. I guess that's because the Patriots can go on a tear at anytime and can score almost every time the ball is in Tom Brady's hands.

As for Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Same story. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said San Diego's injury problems were of little concern to him.

"We get ready for all 53 players every week," he said. "We don't have any control over that."

A classic Belichick response. Tom Brady, whose best games often come in the biggest settings, was typically more composed, joking about a future in Hollywood. In fact, everything is a joke to him.

For all his experience in pressurized settings, the Patriots quarterback suggested he had more trouble nowadays when it came to keeping his adrenaline in check. Brady was reminded that six years ago, right before playing in his first Super Bowl, he took a nap on the locker room floor. Brady wound up as the game's MVP in a win over the St. Louis Rams.

"I think I was naive back in the day," Brady said. "I thought it was easy."

Who are you trying to fool, Brady? Of course its easy when you have a line who protects you for so long you could steal Jessica Simpson from Tony Romo, have your way with her, and still be back in time to throw the ball to the best receiving core in football.

I guess when you have the type of season he had (make that the type of career he had) you can laugh and have a good time in the NFL.

Finally, Something To Slow The New England Patriots Down

Surrounded by controversy and achievement, lovers and haters, and an indestructible team, finally an incident happened that could slow down the team morale.

Has anyone noticed how poorly Randy Moss played last week? That's not a coincidence.

Randy Moss joined the Patriots this season determined to avoid off-field problems. Now he's in the middle of one, just days before Sunday's AFC Championship Game. A temporary restraining order was issued Monday requiring the star wide receiver to stay at least 500 feet from a woman who alleged he committed "battery causing serious injury" to her at her Florida home on Jan. 6.

Moss denied the allegation by Rachelle Washington, which he called "this situation of extortion," and said he was "furious" about it. The restraining order was issued in the Broward County 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida.

A hearing on whether to issue a permanent restraining order is scheduled for 3 p.m. Jan. 28, six days before the Super Bowl.

"I want to make something clear," Moss said. "In my whole entire life of living 30 years, I've never put my hand on one woman, physically or in an angry manner. This is a negative," he said of the latest allegation, "a black cloud hanging over my head, and that's something that I did not want coming into the season. ... Everything I tried to do from getting here early, to make sure I eat the right food, all the way to practicing and playing, I wanted all of that to be A-plus.

Undefeated New England plays the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship Game in Foxborough on Sunday, thanks in part to Moss, who was named to the All-Pro team. During the season he caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns, breaking Jerry Rice's single-season mark of 22.

He had one catch in Saturday night's 31-20 playoff win over Jacksonville, which resorted to double and triple coverage on him.

Randy Moss may be the best wide receiver in football, but he is human like you and me and does have emotions which may effect how he plays. You can't argue with that. However, you can argue the fact that the Patriots and Brady did win 3 Super Bowls without him.

Chargers QB Faces Uncertainty Against Undefeated Pats

San Diego quarterback Phil Rivers was listed as questionable for this weekend's game against the New England Patriots. He suffered a sprained right knee in this past weekend's playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. "Right now, it's probably questionable in terms of playing in the game, but he's got a chance," coach Norv Turner said Monday. "That will be a day-to-day thing and we'll monitor it as the week goes on." In Sunday's game against the Colts, Rivers completed 14 of 19 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns before being taken out of the game after landing awkwardly when completing a 56 yard screen pass to Darren Sproles. Billy Volek took over after Rivers left the game and led the Chargers to victory.

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The Chargers also had to rely on other backups on Sunday. They had running backs Michael Turner and Darren Sproles play after LaDainian Tomlinson was injured. Tomlinson said he should be able to play in this Sunday's AFC championship game, but the Chargers are nevertheless concerned about their crop of injuries. "I'm concerned," coach Turner said. "I mean, I'm real concerned. We're lucky, or we're fortunate, to have a Darren Sproles, have a Michael Turner, have a Brandon McKinney, but you can only withstand so many hits." Everyone should be concerned about San Diego's failing health. Everyone, that is, except Tom Brady.

Things Are Great in Boston...Except For The Celtics

I'm quite impressed by the Boston Celtics' 30-6 record. I absolutely can't criticize that. However, when you lost not once, but twice in a row to the Washington Wizards and 3 of the last 4 games overall, you have a slight problem here.

After a successful sweep of the league-leading Boston Celtics, the Washington Wizards are starting to think big even without a healthy Gilbert Arenas. Caron Butler scored 21 and Washington beat Boston 88-83 on Monday night for the Wizards' second victory over the Celtics in three days."Our eyes are on winning a championship," Butler said. "Hopefully we get Gilbert back by March and when he comes back we will be even more dangerous."

Slow down, Butler. All of a sudden they beat the Celtics twice and they think they are going to be the champions? That's the equivalent of saying just because the San Diego Chargers beat the Super Bowl winning Colts, they actually have a shot at the Patriots. Not gonna happen.

Antawn Jamison added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who handed Boston its first two-game losing streak of the season. Butler scored nine points during a 25-6 run over the final 6:24 of the fourth quarter to give the Wizards their fifth win in the last six games overall and against Boston."It's tough to lose at home," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We let our guard down and had a chance to keep them down."Boston also lost consecutive games at home for the first time all season and dropped to 30-6. The Celtics are 2-3 over their last five and have averaged 85 points a game over that span. "As much as we preach defense, offensively I think we've hit a little snag," Celtics guard Ray Allen said.

Has anyone noticed the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots are very much alike in the sense that they beat up on the easy teams, but struggle to win against teams that are above average?

The New York Giants Advance In The Playoffs

Not one, but two upsets in the same day. Vegas must be rollin in money. Manning advanced, but not Peyton. Rather, hours after Peyton's Colts were stunned by the Chargers in an AFC divisional game, Eli Manning and the Giants ousted the NFC's top-seeded team. It appears that little brother is all grown up.

Tony Romo can go wherever he wants with Jessica Simpson now. Eli Manning and the New York Giants knocked him and the Dallas Cowboys into the offseason Sunday.

Having to wait out long, slow drives by Dallas, Manning made his few chances count, throwing two touchdown passes to Amani Toomer and getting a 1-yard touchdown run from Brandon Jacobs for a 21-17 victory that put New York into the NFC championship game for the first time since the 2000 season.

Cornerback R.W. McQuarters intercepted a pass into the end zone with 9 seconds left, ending the Cowboys' final drive and marking Romo's second straight last-minute goof to cost Dallas a playoff game. His flubbed hold of a short field goal in Seattle ended the Cowboys' season last year.

Manning is heading to his first NFC Championship Game, at Green Bay next Sunday. Manning had a much better day than his brother, Peyton, whose Indianapolis Colts were stunned by the San Diego Chargers.

This loss by the Dallas Cowboys this post-season has arguably one of the worst impacts on a team's legacy. Dallas' failure is huge, much bigger than last season's flop in Seattle when Romo botched the hold on a go-ahead field goal in the final minutes.

The Cowboys just wasted a 13-3 season, which matched the best in team history. They're the first No. 1 seed in the NFC to lose in this round since the NFL went to the 12-team playoff format in 1990. They also became the seventh team to lose a playoff game against a team they'd beaten twice in the regular season -- joining Dallas' 1998 club.

Worst of all is the extension of all the skids: Romo now 0-2 in the playoffs, coach Wade Phillips 0-4 and the team 0-for-the-postseason since winning a wild-card game in 1996. The Cowboys have dropped five games since then.

Even worse, the Cowboys might be headed into a potentially stormy offseason in the near future. Team owner Jerry Jones said Thursday he would keep Phillips regardless of what happened in the playoffs. Now that will be tested, especially with highly valued assistant coaches Jason Garrett and Tony Sparano interviewing for jobs elsewhere.

And people better not dare point to Romo's trip to Mexico last weekend with his latest celebrity girlfriend as a disruption. The Cowboys' problems this game ran a lot deeper. There were all kinds of penalties that hurt Dallas drives and helped New York's, sloppy tackling on defense and special teams, dropped passes and wasted timeouts.

The San Diego Chargers Advance In The Playoffs

First, the Chargers lost LT. Then Philip Rivers. And they still beat the defending champion Colts ... on the road. Are you kidding?

Even without LaDainian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers, the Chargers made sure the Indianapolis Colts won't repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Honestly, as a big Colts fan, I have to admit the Indianapolis Colts didn't deserve to win this game. They played horrible. They played like the playoff Colts I remember from 2 years ago. On offense, Peyton Manning's passes were tipped and intercepted. At times I didn't know what he was thinking when he overthrew passes or tried to fire them in. Oh, and what a wonderful defense! No, seriously, that defense was great! (That's sarcasm). You know what the worst part is? Almost all the calls and penalties favored the Colts. They had plenty of help and still couldn't win.

OR PERHAPS the Colts should have won this game? I don't know, but look at it this way. They technically should have won, but they didn't deserve to win. The main reason why the Colts lost the game was because of 3 red zone possession turnovers...2 of which were freaky, tipped passes that just happened to land in the defender's arms. Those 2 bizarre interceptions (I swear the ball just happened to land in the defender's arms) should have been at the bare minimum 2 field goals instead. So instead of the Colts losing 28-24...they could have won 29-28! By 1 single point the Colts would have won if those bizarre, tipped interceptions never happened. Oh well, that's football.

I still have more. Injuries plagued this team all game and the Chargers just seemed to have done everything right. Even the Chargers' punter played well, pinning the Colts back on their final drive. However, injuries also plagued both teams. Injuries took a toll on both teams in Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game.

San Diego lost LaDainian Tomlinson for much of the day with a bruised left knee. The Chargers also watched Phillip Rivers head to the locker room after hurting his right knee on a short pass that Darren Sproles turned into a 56-yard touchdown on the last play of the third quarter.

Indianapolis lost safety Bob Sanders, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, briefly with a shoulder injury, while running back Joseph Addai sat out a portion of the second half after being shaken up on a 10-yard run.

Rivers jumped to throw the ball to Sproles and landed awkwardly. He was helped onto a training table on the sideline before going to the locker room for evaluation. By the time he jogged back out of the tunnel onto the Chargers sideline, he already had been replaced by Billy Volek.

Tomlinson was injured during a second-quarter run and remained on the sideline through the end of the third quarter, even though the Chargers said his return was probable. Sanders injured his shoulder tackling Turner with 6:14 remaining in the third, but returned the next time the Colts defense took the field.

Tomlinson limped off after being tackled on an 8-yard run that helped set up a second-quarter touchdown. The NFL rushing champion fumbled on the play, but San Diego recovered and Rivers threw a 14-yard TD pass to Vincent Jackson on the next play.

Tight end Antonio Gates, whose status was uncertain because of a dislocated big left toe, played sparingly in the first half. His first reception, a 23-yard catch, came on the same drive Tomlinson was hurt.

Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo also was taken to the locker room for attention after being blocked in the ribs on a first-quarter passing play. He returned after only missing a few plays.

But as LT and Philip Rivers watched, Michael Turner and Billy Volek helped the Chargers reach the AFC title game in New England.

With Billy Volek at quarterback and Michael Turner as the main runner, San Diego went 78 yards on eight plays, with Volek sneaking in from the 1 with 4:50 remaining for the lead. The Chargers' big-play defense then held on downs at its 7, and stopped Indy again in the final moments to preserve their eighth straight win.

The Chargers persevered 28-24 and its a sad day in the NFL, except for Chargers fans. Oh yea, and this may have been Tony Dungy's last game. I hope not.

The Chargers didn't come close against the Patriots in Week 2, falling 38-14. That was the beginning of a slide to 5-5 for San Diego. Perhaps this is a sign of the inevitable. That is, the New England Patriots were meant to win the Super Bowl this year.

And Philip Rivers needs anger management help with the way he was screaming at the Colts fans. Even the commentators said he needs to give that up. Seriously, though. Things like that is what gets you penalized or hated by millions of fans. I can't stand that guy's attitude and his constant angry face. Even when he's smiling he looks angry. He hasn't even accomplished anything yet, except for almost making me hate Tom Brady less. Still, despite that mad face he could be the nicest guy in the world. Anyway, I'm probably just sour the Colts lost.

Injury Update: Antonio Gates Will Play Against The Colts

Chargers tight end Antonio Gates was on the field Sunday before San Diego's playoff game against Indianapolis and will play, according to head coach Norv Turner.

However, Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal, who is recovering from a broken leg, is inactive for the game.

"It's pretty sore," Gates told the San Diego Tribune on Friday. "It felt good Tuesday, but it doesn't feel as good today [Friday]. It's a tricky situation, it really it is."

Gates dislocated his left big toe late in the second quarter of Sunday's 17-6 wild-card win against Tennessee and didn't return. He has been undergoing intensive therapy on the injury in the hope of being available to help San Diego in its difficult away game in Indianapolis.

Brandon Manumaleuna was slated to take Gates' starting spot if he wasn't able to play.

"Right now, keeping pressure off of it is the best thing for it," Gates said. "It's just imperative that I keep the swelling out and I keep pressure off of it."

Gates was San Diego's leading receiver for the fourth straight season, with 75 catches for 984 yards and nine touchdowns.

Even with Antonio Gates playing, I don't think he'll be as big a factor this game as everyone is making him out to be, especially if he plays hurt. The Colts should roll in this one.

However, the interesting thing to note is that yesterday both the home-team favorites won. Will that happen again today? My guess is yea, but there is more speculation about the Giants upsetting the Cowboys than the Chargers upsetting the Colts.

Ravens Approach Marty Schottenheimer

It has been reported that the Baltimore Ravens recently spoke with NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer about joining their franchise as head coach. "There's been some discussion but nothing substantive," stated a representative for Schottenheimer. This is an excellent move made by Baltimore. He is definitely the best replacement available for Brian Billick, ex-coach for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens need a strong coach to lead them. Veteran Schottenheimer fits the bill. He led the San Diego Chargers last season to a 14-2 record. They lost in their first playoff game against the New England Patriots thanks to multiple fumbles as well as other mistakes made on the field. If picked up by Baltimore, Schottenheimer will prove to be an invaluable asset. He has the experience and knowledge of building a team's offense around star running backs (LaDainian Tomlinson for the Chargers) which will prove to be an essential skill for the Ravens. The Ravens' lackluster offense has only one bright side, that being running back Willis McGahee. By applying the techniques and methods he used while at San Diego in making Tomlinson a fearsome weapon, Schottenheimer can similarly turn McGahee into Baltimore's own LT. As coach for the Ravens, Schottenheimer will prove to be the catalyst necessary for restoring a stagnant team and propelling them to the playoffs and beyond.

The Future Of Coach Tony Dungy Is In Speculation

This is bad news for the Colts and Colts fans alike. Can you picture Peyton Manning talking on the sideline to any coach other than coach Dungy? I sure can't.

The good news is Coach Tony Dungy doesn't want to talk about retirement...yet.

Dungy, who has considered leaving football each of the past two years, acknowledged Thursday he would talk with his wife and Indianapolis officials about the future when the Colts' season ends.

Speculation about his potential departure was fueled by a report Thursday in The Tampa Tribune that said his son, Eric, enrolled at Plant High School in Florida. Eric Dungy, who turns 16 Saturday, was a receiver-defensive back at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis the last two years but reportedly began attending classes at Plant on Tuesday.

Tony Dungy would not confirm the report.

"I'm not going to say anything because it's not really worthy of comment," he said. "I've heard and read a lot and some of it is true, some of it is partially true and some of it isn't true at all. I wouldn't read anything into any of the things you hear and read."

The 52-year-old Dungy signed a three-year contract extension in September 2005, a deal intended to keep him with the Colts through 2009.

But he has considered leaving football before.

He waited one week after the 2005 season to announce he would return when some speculated he might retire to spend more time with his family following the death of his 18-year-old son, James. Last year after leading the Colts to their first Super Bowl title in more than three decades, Dungy again briefly considered retirement.

And he's ready to follow the same decision-making process again this season.

"I'll sit down with my wife and talk it through and then talk to [owner] Jim [Irsay] and [president] Bill [Polian], like I do every year," Dungy said. "And then we'll take a look at it."

Since winning the Super Bowl, Dungy has become more involved in life away from football.

A longtime supporter of charitable groups such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and All-Pro Dads, Dungy wrote a best-selling memoir, "Quiet Strength", which now has 1 million copies in print. He also was appointed to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Dungy has said in the past he never intended to be a "lifer" in football and that he initially planned to retire by the time he was 50. But when he announced his return as Colts coach in February, Dungy said he still had the passion to keep coaching.

Colts players say they've seen no indication Dungy intended to leave.

"He's not said anything and I certainly hope not," Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday said.

Dungy is 127-65 in 12 seasons as a head coach, finishing his six-year career in Tampa Bay as the franchise's winningest coach. He is the only Colts coach to get double-digit victory totals and earn playoff berths in six straight seasons. He led the Buccaneers to the NFC Championship Game in 1999 and has been to the AFC Championship Game twice with the Colts, following the 2003 and 2006 seasons.

In 2007, the Colts became the first team in league history to win at least 12 games in five consecutive years, and Indy has won five straight AFC South titles. Dungy also has been an assistant coach with Minnesota, Kansas City and Pittsburgh and spent three seasons in the late '70s playing for the Steelers and San Francisco 49ers.

Indy's quest to repeat as Super Bowl champs begins Sunday when the San Diego Chargers visit for a divisional-round game that could mark the final time Indy plays in the RCA Dome. The new Lucas Oil Stadium, a retractable-roof dome, opens next season.

Dungy's assistant head coach, Jim Caldwell, also has become a regular on the interview circuit. He met with the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens about their openings last week and interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals last year.

My Analysis For This Weekend's NFL Divisional Playoff Games

Seattle At Green Bay (4:30 p.m.) - Brett Favre has learned to relax and trust his teammates, particularly a receiving corps that excels after the catch. The Packers running game has also improved with the addition of Grant. However, Seattle has been to the Super Bowl before with this same team and has five players named to the All-Pro team. Let's look at some statistics:

TEAM OFFENSE	TM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	SEA	349.0
	GNB	371.0
Yards Passing	SEA	247.8
	GNB	270.9
Yards Rushing	SEA	101.2
	GNB	99.8
TEAM DEFENSE	TM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	SEA	321.8
	GNB	313.3
Pass Yds Allowed	SEA	219.1
	GNB	210.4
Rush Yds Allowed	SEA	102.8
	GNB	102.

Gameday Matchup

	W	L	T	PF	PA	DIV	CON
SEA	10	6	0	24.6	18	5-1-0	8-4-0
GNB	13	3	0	27.2	18	4-2-0	9-3-0

As you can see, the Packers are better in just about every statistical category. Yes, I know they are in an easy division, but a win is a win. This is Favre's year and I see no reason the Packers should lose unless some odd, freaky stuff happens.

Jacksonville At New England (8:00 p.m.) - Just in case anyone hasn't heard, the Patriots haven't lost a game this season. However, I wonder if now that the Patriots have completed their undefeated season, will the NFL and the refs continue to favor them? Will Randy Moss continue to push off receivers to catch touchdown passes and the refs won't call it?

I don't even need to examine statistics for this game. However, the Jaguars were the hottest team coming into the playoffs. They have an insanely good running game, which is very important when playing the Patriots, who have trouble stopping the run. If the Jags can run the ball well, control the clock, and keep Tom Brady off the field, then they have a very good chance of winning. Even with that said, the Patriots always find a way to turn up the gears and come away with a victory. Therefore, I just can not go against the Patriots, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Jags pull an upset. Don't forget, David Garrard can also randomly take off running too when they need crucial yards, as proven last week.

San Diego At Indianapolis (1:00 p.m) - First, some injury updates. While Pro Bowler Antonio Gates rehabbed his dislocated left big toe, All-Pro fullback Lorenzo Neal returned to practice for the San Diego Chargers exactly one month after breaking his lower left leg. Gates dislocated his left big toe late in the second quarter of Sunday's 17-6 wild-card win against Tennessee and didn't return. He wasn't available to the media after practice.

"We're getting Antonio ready to play," coach Norv Turner said. "He's making progress, he's going through all his treatments and all those things. We'll see where he's at later in the week. He's making good progress. I have hope that he'll be able to play."

After hearing much speculation, however, Gates is doubtful for Sunday's game.

Meanwhile, Tony Dungy said Marvin Harrison was supposed to play in the final game of the season, but in the last second decided it would be better if he didn't. Now, Harrison has participated in practices all week and is most likely to play on Sunday, which is bad news for the Chargers.

At first, I liked the Chargers chances of winning just because the Colts are known as a team to choke at odd times. However, I no longer have that feeling. Why? Because if it took the Chargers 3 quarters to get their offense going against the Titans, then how do they expect to keep up with the Colts' offense? Also, the Colts' defense is better (Bob Sanders defensive player of the year) than the Titans.

Yes, I know the Chargers beat the Colts in the regular season and Peyton Manning threw a career high 6 interceptions that game, but I truly believe Manning and Dungy are the types of people who would look over the tapes of that game and make sure that doesn't happen again. Peyton Manning is too smart of a quarterback to let that happen again and I have full faith in him. Therefore, the Colts should win over the Chargers this Sunday.

New York Giants At Dallas (4:30 p.m.) - First, some injury updates. The good news for the Cowboys was that Terry Glenn went through his most rigorous practice since coming back from two knee operations. Glenn saw limited action in the season finale against Washington, but didn't catch a pass. On Wednesday, he went through an entire team workout for the first time since training camp.

However, Terrell Owens still wasn't able to practice Wednesday because of a high ankle sprain, continuing the drama of whether the Dallas Cowboys will have their newest All-Pro receiver for the playoff game Sunday against the New York Giants. Coach Wade Phillips didn't even see Owens on Wednesday, but knew he was doing all he could to get healthy. And if T.O. says he's ready to go at game time, Phillips will let him play.

If Terrell Owens plays, the Giants are going to lose. Its that simple. Terrell Owens creates such a distraction out there and is Tony Romo's favorite target. If not Owens, Romo has Glenn, Witten, and Crayton out there to throw too. The Cowboys have too much offense for the Giants to handle. Oh yea, and they have two decent running backs handy that they could switch in and out so they both can rest. Yes, I know the Cowboys have been slacking off lately, but they didn't care about that last game of the season.

If Terrell Owens doesn't play, the Giants have a very good chance of winning and things will be radically different. If you remove Terrell Owens, you are removing the second best receiver in football and the other receivers become covered because the defenders won't have to worry about what Terrell Owens is doing. The Giants are playing on the road, where they are 8-1, and they have been playing better than the Cowboys as of late in this season. Though things are starting to shift in the Giants favor, I believe Terrell Owens will play and the Cowboys will earn this win. However, if Terrell Owens doesn't play, it wouldn't surprise me if the Giants pulled off an upset.

And the issue with Jessica Simpson is not a distraction. Actually, its such a joke that the joke is becoming a distraction. Tony Romo is a professional football player and professional football players don't blame their private lives off the field for blowing the game on the field. If anything, the thought of Jessica Simpson should push Tony Romo to do better. Think of the reward she'll give him if he wins...

San Diego Chargers Advance In The Playoffs

Thirteen long years after their last postseason victory, the Chargers finally came to life late in the second half Sunday to beat the Tennessee Titans 17-6 in an AFC wild-card game.

Overall, the Chargers had lost four straight postseason games dating to their ugly 49-26 loss to San Francisco in the Super Bowl following the 1994 season.

At first, this was a terrible game for San Diego. They entered the second half having scored zero points. Interceptions and fumbles plagued this team. LaDainian Tomlinson was shut down and I thought for sure this was the curse of Norv Turner.

But, thanks to Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson finding open spots on the field and the lack of the Tennessee Titans being able to actually score, the Chargers came back to win 17-6. Rivers was 19-of-30 for 292 yards, with one interception. Chris Chambers had six catches for 121 yards, and Vincent Jackson had five for 114. I knew this game was over as soon as the Chargers scored their last touchdown on a bogus call. They were up by 11 at that point (the spread was for the Chargers to win by 10) and Vince Young is defiantly not the quarterback you want to fire the ball downfield during a 2-minute drill.

Why do I think LaDainian Tomlinson's second effort touchdown run was bogus? Because after he jumped into the air, he was stopped behind the goal line. If there was nobody beneath him, he would have hit the ground and the play would have been dead at that point. However, because there were so many bodies underneath him, it was impossible for him to hit the ground. So, when he landed on the first body, the official blew the whistle, making the play dead. BUT, no one acknowledged the whistle and this allowed Tomlinson to reach out for a second effort to cross the goal line. The play should have been ruled dead as soon as he was hit in mid air and dropped straight down onto the pile of bodies. After this touchdown, the Titans had no hope of coming back and all those calls against them which pinned them back to their own 1 yard line didn't help either.

Just like that, the nightmares of the Marty Schottenheimer era finally went away. The Chargers advance to face the Colts on Sunday in Indianapolis. That game also will be a rematch. San Diego escaped with a 23-21 win over the Colts on Nov. 11, when Peyton Manning threw a career-high six interceptions and Adam Vinatieri missed a 29-yard field goal attempt with 1:31 left.

Vince Young Or Kerry Collins: Who Is The Better Start?

Many have been questioning the status of Young's health and if he'll be 100% ready to play for his first playoff game. Obviously, you wouldn't want your quarterback to start a playoff game if he wasn't anything less than 100% ready. In Last week's game, Young was injured and Kerry Collins stepped in. The same Kerry Collins who led the Giants to the Super Bowl, but then got smacked.

Young and Collins have two radically different styles of play. Young is mobile and can make plays with his legs. This is always a threat because a defense never knows if Young will pass or throw. However, unlike a mobile quarterback like Michael Vick, young does make plays and always looks to throw before he takes off running. Collins, on the other hand, is more of your traditional in the pocket, fire it down field type quarterback.

Vince Young took part in most of practice Friday but will be a game-time decision for the Titans' playoff game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.

Vince Young

Quarterback
Tennessee Titans

Profile

2007 Season Stats

Att	Comp	Yds	TD	Int	Rat
382	238	2389	9	17	71.1

Coach Jeff Fisher said Young was better but did not go full speed with his sore right quadriceps.

"I did say early he's a quick healer," Fisher said of his quarterback. "He's been that way. He can overcome some difficult things rather quickly, so we're very optimistic at this point."

But the Titans will still test Young on Sunday to make sure he can run around and be close to full speed.

"Then we'll make the decision," Fisher said.

Young is 17-11 as the Titans' starter since being drafted with the third pick overall in 2006. He originally hurt his quadriceps muscle in October and missed a game the next week but has said this injury isn't as severe.

It is interesting to note that while Young's numbers are pretty bad, he still finds a way for his team and him to win games and that's reflected in the record of his team since he joined.

This would be his second game against the Chargers in a month. Young was intercepted twice and limited to 2 yards on two carries. Fisher said Young has studied the tape of that game.

"Hopefully with some anticipation, he'll be able to take advantage of some things," Fisher said.

Also, running back LenDale White was back with the Titans after being excused the past two days of practice because of the death of his grandmother. He didn't practice Friday because of a sore knee but is expected to start after running for 1,110 yards.

However, the Titans are not without injuries. Center Kevin Mawae missed practice again with his sore left calf, and right guard Benji Olson (back) also sat out. Eugene Amano has started for Mawae the past two games, while Daniel Loper replaced Olson late in last week's win at Indianapolis.

The Titans have a roster spot with receiver Roydell Williams breaking his right ankle, and team officials planned to discuss making a move later Friday. With Mawae and Olson expected to be game-time decisions as well, an offensive lineman was expected to be promoted from the practice squad.

The bottom line is that if Young is able to start, then he will start. He is their young, future quarterback and Collins is only there as a veteran to guide him and come in if necessary. Then again, whenever you have a mobile quarterback on your team, every play seems like a back up will be needed. Mobile quarterbacks don't seem to last long in the NFL anymore.

In-Depth Wild Card Weekend Preview

Jaguars	Category	Steelers	Reason
check	Offense		Both teams want to run the ball, but the Jaguars have more of an identity. They are a running team, period.
	Defense	check	Both are strong here, but a healthy Troy Polamalu allows Pittsburgh to make more big plays.
	Special teams	check	The Steelers are better equipped to handle the footing if there are bad weather and field conditions issues at Heinz Field.
check	Coaching		Jack Del Rio has the experience of being in the playoffs. In addition, he also has his team playing better right now.
check	Intangibles		The Jaguars have finally manufactured enough big plays in the passing game in the absence of Jimmy Smith.
check	Wild card		Jags' ability to get Maurice Jones-Drew the ball in space will cause trouble for the Steelers' LBs.

Overall: Jaguars
The Jags are among the few teams that match up well physically vs. Steelers.

Redskins	Category	Seahawks	Reason
	Offense	check	This team has gotten comfortable becoming one-dimensional with Matt Hasselbeck and the receivers.
check	Defense		The front 7 has been pretty strong most of the year, but now the secondary is making more plays.
check	Special teams		Antwaan Randle El has a history of making big plays in the playoffs.
check	Coaching		Mike Holmgren is used to the big stage, but Joe Gibbs has his team on a roll right now.
	Intangibles	check	As Tony Romo learned, Seattle can be a hard place for a visitor this time of year.
	Wild card	check	Shaun Alexander is just two years removed from league MVP and is capable of a big game.

Overall: Redskins

This game will not be the kiss of death for the Redskins.

Titans	Category	Chargers	Reason
	Offense	check	The players and coaching staff have finally come to the realization that LT must keep getting the ball.
	Defense	check	The Chargers have picked up their pass rush in the past four games, and the run defense now looks like it did last year.
	Special teams	check	Darren Sproles gives the Chargers one of the most explosive return games in the league.
check	Coaching		Jeff Fisher gets as much out of players as any coach, and he will have them ready for a physical football game.
	Intangibles	check	We'll finally get to see how much of a difference it makes not having Marty Schottenheimer.
	Wild card	check	Philip Rivers gets to prove he'll be a benefit and not a hindrance in a key situation.

Overall: Chargers

Albert Haynesworth is not 100 percent, and the Titans lack outside speed. If anything, the Madden curse should theoretically haunt this game.

Giants	Category	Buccaneers	Reason
check	Offense		They have the better running game and Plaxico Burress is getting healthier.
	Defense	check	They can line up in man coverage at corner and pressure the QB without sending a lot of blitzes.
check	Special teams		They keep throwing guys out on returns who can take it to the house.
	Coaching	check	Jon Gruden is feeling less pressure and has a better history in big games.
	Intangibles	check	The Giants might not be able to overcome the emotionally and physically draining game against the Pats.
	Wild card	check	Conversely, the Bucs should go into this game well-rested and healthy.

Overall: Buccaneers

Tampa Bay's zone defense should confuse Eli Manning, forcing him into turnovers.

With help from Yahoo Sports and Cris Carter, this was one of the most detailed breakdowns of this weekend's NFL Wild Card games that I could find.

Peterson: Offensive Rookie of the Year? Of Course!

Running back Adrian Peterson from the Minnesota Vikings was voted as the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press this morning. This was a no brainer considering Peterson's enormous skill and huge potential to be the next greatest running back in the league. This season, he set a league mark for rushing in a game with 296 yards in a 35-17 win over the San Diego Chargers. He also had 224 rushing yards in a win against the Chicago Bears. Peterson led the NFC with 1,341 rushing yards and is second in the league only to San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson. These extremely impressive stats clearly paved the way for being selected for this honor. Peterson definitely deserves this award. He has been an unbelievable and explosive running back for the Vikings scoring 78 points on 13 touchdowns (second in the NFC). Towards the end of the season, however, it appeared that opposing teams figured out a way to stop him. In the Vikings game against the San Fransisco 49ers, for instance, Peterson had 14 rushing attempts for a mere 3 yards. If the Vikings want to maintain Peterson's highly effective running game, they would be wise to improve their passing offense. Derek Anderson would be a good pickup. The Vikings should jump all over him.

My Predictions For Week 16 Of The NFL

Thursday

Pittsburgh At St. Louis - This is a very big game for the Steelers, who have the Browns breathing down their necks in the AFC North. Jacksonville pushed the Steelers around Heinz Field on Sunday. If not for Ben Roethlisberger's heroics, the game would not have gone down to the wire. While St. Louis isn't nearly as big and physical as the Jaguars, Pittsburgh will be on the road with little preparation or healing time for Thursday night's contest. Despite these facts, I still like the Steelers to pull out a victory in this one. Look for the league leading rusher Willie Parker to have a good game.

Saturday

Dallas At Carolina - I seriously doubt Jessica Simpson's global positioning on this Earth had any kind of gravitational effect on Tony Romo's poor performance last week. That's one of the greatest excuses I've heard though. The Cowboys need to rebound after a terrible outing against the Eagles last week. They need to win in order to hold onto home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Carolina was impressive last week, but can they make it two weeks in a row? I think not.

Sunday

New York Giants At Buffalo - Is anyone aware that the Giants may not make the playoffs. They play the Patriots next week (thats an automatic loss), so if they don't win this week and the teams behind the Giants win their last 2 games, then the Giants are out. Buffalo is scratching for a Wild Card with the Browns and Titans. This has the makings of a very good inter-state game and I like the Bills to upset the Giants.

Green Bay At Chicago - With the Cowboys stumbling a week ago, the Packers are breathing down their neck to position themselves for the No. 1 playoff spot. After last week's disappointing loss for the Bears, they have nothing to play for. Just give the win to the Packs.

Cleveland At Cincinnati - The Bengals were utterly unimpressive in their Saturday night loss in San Francisco, but now they get an extra day to prepare for this home game. In a crucial game for the AFC wild-card picture, Cleveland defeated the Bills last week in nasty Cleveland weather. Cincinnati was officially eliminated from the postseason after Week 14, making this season a major disappointment. The Browns have stayed remarkably healthy and are battling Pittsburgh for the lead in the AFC North. While the Browns have put together a very impressive season, they are just 3-4 on the road. In Week 2, these teams combined for a whopping 96 points and 1,085 offensive yards in a narrow Cleveland victory. Look for Cleveland to win again.

Kansas City At Detroit - I must stick with my theme (despite all stats and facts) and pick the Chiefs just because Kitna promised 10 wins. This loss will make loss #9....with 1 more week to go.

Houston At Indianapolis - The Texans are coming off two impressive wins and still have a mathematical chance to make the postseason. They would like to finish the season out with a four game winning streak, which would give them their best record since the franchise started. The Colts have wrapped up a bye for the first week of the playoffs and home field advantage until they possibly meet the Patriots for the AFC championship. This is actually tough to pick. Immediately I would choose the Colts to win, but unlike a team like the Patriots, the Colts are actually respectful and would bench their starters this late in the season if they got out to a big lead. Even still, Sorgi is a great player and I like the Colts regardless of who's playing.

Philadelphia At New Orleans - These two teams met in the playoffs last season and the Saints won to advance to the NFC championship game. Right now the Saints are just trying to fight for their playoff lives and the Eagles were eliminated once the Vikings won on Monday night. New Orleans QB Drew Brees to WR Marques Colston has been one of the most lethal combinations in the NFL over the second half of the season, but I like the Eagles secondary to shut them down and get the win.

Atlanta At Arizona - There aren't many easy wins in the NFL, but the hard-luck Falcons might be one. Atlanta is beyond struggling right now and it's to a point where it is just trying to find any and all competitiveness left to finish the season strong. Even though the shots of the Cardinals making the playoffs are next to none, they will still get this win because they would like to finish on a good note.

Oakland At Jacksonville - Based on the way Oakland has been playing and based on the way the Jags have been playing (one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now), its a no brainer to pick the Jags.

Tampa Bay At San Fransisco - The Buccaneers have clinched a divisional title but are hoping to fine tune their offense as QB Jeff Garcia returned last weekend after missing two games with a back injury. This is also a return to the city where he led the 49ers from 2000 through 2003 and went to the Pro Bowl three times. I think this is a game where the Bucs, having already clinched, will fall asleep and let the 49ers win.

New York Jets At Tennessee - The Titans must win in order to stay in the playoff hunt, while the Jets are looking to build on a strong outing against the Patriots. Under head coach Eric Mangini the Jets have played their best football in the second half of the season, while Titans head coach Jeff Fisher continues to have his players playing at a high level. Expect the Titans to come out pounding the ball against a Jets run defense that has struggled all season. The Titans should win this and Vince Young should be entertaining as the Jets try to contain him.

Baltimore At Seattle - The Ravens have lost seven games in a row. They are beat up on the defensive side of the ball especially at the CB position where they may once again be without starters Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle. How will they deal with Seattle's passing attack this week after giving up 315 passing yards last week to Dolphins QB Cleo Lemon? The Seahawks are coming off an extremely ugly road loss last week and this is the week they bounce back at home.

Miami At New England - Wouldn't it be so ironic if the only team to go undefeated stops the Patriots from doing so and preserving their record. If the winter conditions in the Northeast continue through the weekend, it could make the passing game take a back seat to the ground game, which would serve as an equalizer to an underdog, especially since the Patriots lack a running game. I will pick the Patriots to win, but I will be cheering on Miami to perform the biggest upset in decades.

Washington At Minnesota - The Vikings and the Redskins are both still in the hunt for the last Wild Card playoff spot in the NFC. Peterson and Taylor are running behind the best offensive line in football right now. Despite how poorly the Vikings have been playing (I wrote an article about this), I still like them over the Redskins.

Denver At San Diego - Forget the records these teams bring into the final Monday night game of the season, because this is an intense divisional rivlary no matter what and both teams are sure to play hard on this stage. Expected this game too be heated and close, but expect LT and the Chargers to pull out a win. San Diego is a very dangerous team heading into the playoffs with a dominating running game behind LaDainian Tomlinson and a defense that is attacking offenses much more in recent weeks.

Football Predictions For Week 15 Of The NFL

I can't believe how time flies. It seems like just yesterday the season started.

Thursday

Denver At Houston - This is a great Thursday night game of evenly matched teams fighting for their playoff lives. I will term this a coin toss win, but I can see the Texans winning if Andre Johnson can burn the Broncos' secondary.

Saturday

Cincinnati At San Fransisco - While this isn't the most exciting matchup of the week, it is the only NFL game on Saturday night, which is ample reason to watch. San Francisco is at the bottom of the league by a substantial margin with a minus-141 point differential and was dominated at home last week by the Vikings. Needless to say, the 49ers have not lived up to expectations this year. The same can be said for Cincinnati, who has been riddled with injuries throughout the season, but injuries alone do not excuse the Bengals' 5-8 record. With all that said, I'd still choose the Bengals over the 49ers.

Sunday

Buffalo At Cleveland - Quite possibly the most exciting game of the week in terms of playoff implications. It seems Buffalo came out of nowhere and the winner of this game will most likely grab a Wild Card spot. The Bills have been a gritty defensive club with a hard-nosed ground attack; the Browns have tried to outscore opponents as they have the worst-ranked defense in the league. This should be an outstanding contest between the second-best club in the AFC North and the second-best team in the AFC East. I believe the Browns will edge the Bills in this one.

Tennessee At Kansas City -This game is critical for Tennessee to win. The Titans pretty much have their backs to the wall if they want to make it to the postseason while Kansas City is already out of the race. Tennessee suffered a heart-breaking loss to the Chargers at home on Sunday, but I see no reason why they should lose this week.

Green Bay At St. Louis - This is a match of two teams going in opposite directions. The Packers and Favre have exceeded expectations while the Rams haven't lived up to any expectations. Both teams still have powerful offenses and in this shootout I'd obviously take the Packers.

Baltimore At Miami - Baltimore is on a huge losing skid. How does a team stop a losing streak? By playing Miami of course! Miami will be starting Cleo Lemon instead of John Beck, who never scored a point.

New York Jets At New England - I live in New York, so I have no choice but to watch this putrid mess of a game. The Patriots will run up the score on the Jets, but they have every right to. After all, Mangini was the one who exposed Belichick and turned millions of football fans to question and dislike the Patriots.

Arizona At New Orleans - This is another highlight game of the week. While the Arizona Cardinals are coming off a disappointing loss, the New Orleans Saints have given themselves a chance with a road win in Week 14. The loser of this meeting will be out of postseason consideration. Both teams are banged up in certain positions. Reserves need to step up. This will be an intriguing matchup between two young coaches of inconsistent teams. This is another coin toss game, but I'd take the Cards over the Saints because the Cards have the better running game and Warner doesn't screw up as much Brees.

Jacksonville At Pittsburgh - This is another great game. In fact, this whole week of football is so dramatic. This should be an excellent matchup between 9-4 football teams. The Jags' victory last week all but wrapped up the fifth seed in the AFC playoff picture. Heinz Field is a very tough place to play and the Steelers are a perfect 7-0 at home. The Jags defense is amazing, but the Steelers' defense is the best. The Steelers, however, edge the Jags in offense and that's why I pick them to go 8-0 at home.

Atlanta At Tampa Bay - The Falcons are playing for next year while the Bucs want to wrap up a divisional title this weekend. I have nothing new to say about the Falcons' horrible season on and off the field that hasn't been said already. Just hand this win to the Bucs.

Seattle At Carolina - Again, these are two franchises going in opposite directions. Carolina was completely dismantled by the Jaguars last week and has no hope of getting into the postseason. Seattle locked up the NFC West in decisive fashion with a 42-21 victory against divisional rival Arizona. The Seahawks are peaking at the right time, having won five in a row coming down the homestretch. The Seahawks are playing very well on both sides of the ball and I see no reason why they should lose against the Panthers.

Indianapolis At Oakland - Was Marvin Harrison injured? Did the Colts have 7 injuries at one point? You would never know with the success that the Colts have displayed this season. They'll beat Oakland silly.

Philadelphia At Dallas - In the first meeting between these two teams the Cowboys embarrassed the Eagles. This is a classic NFC East rivalry. The Cowboys need a win to stay in front of the Packers for NFC supremacy, while the Eagles must win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. I can easily see Owens catching 2 TDs and 100 total yards in a win over his ex-team. He shouldn't let what Keyshaun said get to him. Just look at who's on the field catching touchdowns every week and who isn't.

Detroit At San Diego - I'm telling you. Kitna actually meant 10 losses, not 10 wins. While the Lions are coming off a last-minute loss, which forces them to run the table to have a chance at the postseason the Chargers have put more distance between themselves and the rest of the AFC West with an overtime road victory. The Chargers came from behind in a dramatic effort on Sunday that gave them their fourth win in the past five contests. The Lions are reeling from their fifth loss in a row and are trying to avoid a total collapse in the second half of the season. The Chargers will beat them and this loss will be #8...2 more to go with 2 weeks left. Has any guarantees by players come in this year?

Washington At New York Giants - The Giants escaped Philadelphia in Week 14 with a 16-13 victory and have clearly established themselves as the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs. However, the Giants simply need to stop turning the ball over so frequently. New York is only .500 at home this year and has yet to defeat a team with a winning record. I'm going to pick the Giants to win over the Redskins and actually feel more confident in this team than usual, at least for now.

Monday

Chicago At Minnesota - A chance to show off the Vikings running game on Monday night. Chester Taylor, Adrian Peterson, take your pic. Not even real Bears could catch up to them. Vikings will win over the Bears.