If you don't learn anything else from It's Always Sunny, You Gotta Let the wild card do his thing: Wild Card Playoff Preview

Well the regular season is over. 17 weeks of action and we are down to 12 teams. 4 of them have the weekend off. The other 8 play for their playoff lives this weekend.

Saturday: Jets vs. Bengals

I would definitely say the Jets are the worst of the playoff bunch. They have been in dysfunctional since a 3-0 start, they have a rookie QB in Mark Sanchez who had a less than stellar season. It looked like they were on the verge of giving up sometime in November. But with last sunday's game the deciding factor between whether the Bengals would face the Texans or Jets, the Bengals got "dominated" and are rewarded with facing an inferior team.

The Bengals, they are the surprise team of the season. Nothing was expected of them, they went through way more adversity than any other team in the league and they have come out the stronger team for it. I'm indifferent towards both teams but i'll probably be pulling for the Bengals in this one. I'd like to see what Carson Palmer can do in a playoff game. His last opportunity was cut to one play due to a gruesome injury. For a couple years it didn't look like he'd get a second chance. The motivation between this second chance and an inferior opponent will lead to a Bengals rout.

Bengals 31 Jets 10

Eagles vs. Cowboys

Personally don't care for either of these teams. The Eagles have played as well as one could for the last decade without actually winning a Super Bowl. Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid have taken a lot of heat for this but outside of the T.O. fiasco this team has been a year-in, year-out playoff contender.

The Cowboys played better down the stretch than they have in the last few years. While McNabb has usually led the Eagles to a playoff win or two before bowing out, he's practically Joe Montana compared to Tony Romo. Unless Romo actually goes through a playoff game without laying an egg and/or losing, I can't in good conscience pick the Cowboys to win a playoff game.

Eagles 28 Cowboys 24

Sunday

Ravens vs. Patriots

Not to high on either team's Super Bowl hopes. The Ravens are more talented than their 9-7 record (but not that much more talented). I thought the Ravens were going to break out with Flacco having another year of experience under his wing.

The Patriots return to the post-season after a brief absence. They had a good season but seem to be missing that killer instinct that they had during their Super Bowl run plus losing Wes Welker to injury doesn't help things. However, i'm applying the reverse Tony Romo principle for this game. Hard to pick against Brady in a playoff game.

Patriots 21 Ravens 10

Packers vs. Cardinals

Obviously, this is the game out of the four that I am anticipating the most. This is going to be Aaron Rodgers' debut on the big stage. He's proven to be more than worthy in his two years as a starting QB and I can't wait to see him light up the Cardinals D.

The Cardinals are coming off a crushing Super Bowl loss to the Steelers last year. The Cardinals (well their second string) are coming off a blow out loss to the Packers.

Obviously, the degree of difficulty this Sunday is going to be a lot higher. With Rodgers on one side and Warner on the other, look for lots of yards and points to be accumulated on both sides. This will come down to who can make A stop (not necessarily a lot) of stops on defense and considering the Packers have Charles Woodson and the Cardinals don't that is being reflected in my pick.

Packers 45 Cardinals 35

Week 17 NFL Preview: Who's Talking About Playoffs, This Guy

So here we go the last post of the year, decade so on and so forth. It is also the last week of the NFL season and the season finale of the weekly NFL preview column (regular season edition). With that said, on to the games.

Tier I: Packers Game

Packers 10-5 vs. Cardinals 10-5

A Packers blowout win vs. Seahawks plus Giants losing to Carolina last week= Playoffs. With the NFC participants set, the significance of this game is more for positioning and match-ups than anything else. The Packers are either gonna be a 5 or 6 seed while the Cardinals will fall anywhere between 2 and 4. A win here would be nice but ending the Vikings post-season would be even sweeter. Packers are the hotter team and I see this translating to a victory.

Packers 28 Cardinals 17

Tier II: The 8-7 Club (AFC Edition)

Ravens 8-7 vs. Raiders 5-10

Not sure where to start delving into the 8-7 club and picked the Ravens to arbitrarily go first. The Ravens have had a relatively weak follow-up to their strong showing last year but a win and a playoff appearance would absolve them of any bad will. The Raiders have actually showed a pulse since figuring out that JaMarcus Russell is pretty useless on the football field. The Raiders may be a bad team but they have shown they have the potential to beat playoff-caliber teams. Raiders have a chance to play spoiler and I see them ending '09 on a positive note.

Raiders 24 Ravens 21

Chiefs 3-12 vs. Broncos 8-7

The Cheifs have been stuck in epic fail mode for 2+ years. The Broncos were supposed to be terrible, then won six in a row, they were supposed to be great and then they lose 7 of 9 and look unlikely to make the playoffs despite a 6-0 start. On the bright side, Jay Cutler isn't their problem anymore. The Broncos are struggling but not bad enough to lose to the Chiefs.

Broncos 14 Chiefs 10

Steelers 8-7 vs. Dolphins 7-8

The Steelers have been an epic fail, but on a smaller scale. A win here and they may make the playoffs despite losing five in a row. The Dolphins are a better team than their 7-8 record indicates but that doesn't change the fact that anything short of divine intervention, they ain't going to the playoffs (though they'll probably be back in 2010). The Steelers may have struggled this year but Big Ben thrives in the clutch and I see him coming up big late in this game.

Steelers 31 Dolphins 24

Patriots 10-5 vs. Texans 8-7

Patriots are in don't need to win but it wouldn't hurt to do so mode. The Texans? All I gotta say is there are few guarantees in life. Those being death, taxes, the Vikings not winning the super bowl and the Texans going 8-8. It's just the way it is, some things will never change.

Patriots 21 Texans 7

Bengals 10-5 vs. Jets 8-7

Just like the NFL, I saved the Bengals-Jets match-up for last in Tier II. The Jets win and they can make many of the above games irrelevant. The Jets lose opens the door for about a million different playoff scenarios. The Bengals may be looking ahead to the playoffs and Carson Palmer's first chance to show what he can do on the playoff stage. The Jets have more incentive to win but the Jets just don't strike me as a playoff caliber team. I don't see Mark Sanchez up to the task of stepping up.

Bengals 17 Jets 14 (OT)

Tier III: Other Games Of Interest

Giants 8-7 vs. Vikings 11-4

The Giants take the award for doing the least despite starting 5-0. The Vikings are playing for positioning. Some teams "peak" at the right time. The Vikings are not one of those teams. When your getting outplayed by Cutler in December, this should set up for an awesomely epic fail.

Giants 35 Vikings 21

Saints 13-2 vs. Panthers 7-8

Losing to Dallas is one thing, losing to Tampa, the Saints suddenly look less invincible. The Panthers main mistake this year was sticking with Delhomme for too long. The Panthers are looking to close out the season on a strong note. Out of the non-playoff teams in the NFC, I would peg them and the 49ers as the two teams most likely to be in the post-season next year.

Eagles 11-4 vs. Cowboys 10-5

A lot on the line for this game. Positioning, the NFC East and bragging rights. More of a tune-up before moving to a bigger stage. Could go either way, Eagles have been one of the hotter teams in the league and this gives them the slight edge.

Eagles 24 Cowboys 20

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Colts 14-1 vs. Bills 5-10

No, the Colts are normally not a bad team. Bad teams do not win 14 games. However, the chance of seeing significant playing time from many of the players who contributing to those 14 wins is somewhere between slim and none. I was reading one of the local papers around here (New Times)...I saw a particularly tacky advertisement for a local bar (Buffalo Pub and Grill) that had the tagline of what happens in Buffalo stays in Buffalo. Not sure what this has anything to do with anything but this is about the only circumstance where a team like the Bills actually has a chance against a team like the Colts. The Bills will capitalize on this but this ability to beat the Colts will be constrained to Week 17.

Bills 17 Colts 10

Jaguars 7-8 vs. Browns 4-11

The Jaguars somehow had a shot at the post-season and to the shock of nobody, made absolutely nothing of it. The Browns have actually started to not be terrible (but made the mistake of not showing up for about 3 months). Really, not much incentive to watch here.

Browns 24 Jaguars 17

Bears 6-9 vs. Lions 2-13

Speaking of players/teams that no showed for months at a time, Jay Cutler. Coming off his first good game since September and playing the second worst team in the NFL, the Bears will inexplicably end the season on a 2-game winning streak. Another season where the closest Jay Cutler will get to a playoff game is by watching it on tv.

Bears 27 Lions 20

Titans 7-8 vs. Seahawks 5-10

A battle of two teams that were absolutely atrocious in Week 16. In fairness to the Titans, the officiating seemed highly biased in favor of the Chargers and if that didn't happen, things may have not been so bad. I would like to thank the Seahawks for doing absolutely nothing to prevent the Packers from locking up a playoff spot.

Seahawks 10 Titans 0

Falcons 8-7 vs. Buccaneers 3-12

Falcons, greater things were expected, greater things were not delivered. Tampa, wow things have gone downhill fast. The Raheem Morris era didn't exactly start great.

Falcons 14 Buccaneers 7

Tier V: The Blowouts

49ers 7-8 vs. Rams 1-14

The 49ers have been inconsistent but have the pieces to have an explosive offense. The Rams in no way shape or form have the talent or ability to prevent this from happening.

49ers 35 Rams 10

Redskins 4-11 vs. Chargers 12-3

The Jim Zorn era ends here. When a coach is on their last straw (game), you get an 95% chance of blowout. I've seen this in person. In December '08 I ended up attending what happened to be the last game of the Reggie Theus era. Seriously, the Sacramento Kings played so bad they would have lost to a D-League team. They happened to be playing the Knicks that night and proceeded to fall behind by 20+ in the first quarter thus ending the game before it started.

The Redskins are playing a team much better than the Knicks in the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers don't lose in December and happen to be one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. Like that fateful Kings-Knicks game, this game will be over before it begins.

Chargers 49 Redskins 3

Week 16 Preview.....Where I fight the TMZination of the Sports world by actually discussing the games ON the field

Well, time for the Week 16 Preview.......Let The Game Begin

Tier I Packers Game:

Packers 9-5 vs. Seahawks 5-9

The Packers come into this week with a bit more pressure on them to win than they had last week. Granted the choke against Pittsburgh and the Giants blowout win over the Redskins didn’t help but the Packers still have control over their own destiny. The defense was an epic fail last week as they seemed to have channeled their 2008 defense.

Speaking of epic fails, the Packers face a Seahawks team going nowhere for the second straight year. The last time these teams played in a game of any consequence was so long ago that Brett Favre was still a Packer and he had 0 career retirements. Oh wait, that was like only two years ago. The Packers won that game handily. Considering that the Packers dropped that zero and have gotten with a hero at QB since the Pack wins this in a laugher.

Packers 49 Seahawks 17

Tier II A: Playoff Implications (NFC Version)

Giants 8-6 vs. Panthers 6-8

The Giants may not be natural rivals but as a Packers fan, they have been a thorn in my side two of the last three seasons. The only thing separating the Packers from playoffs in ’06 was the Giants winning the last game because Tiki Barber rushed for like a million yards. Then there was the ’07 NFC Championship game where Favre handed the Giants the game on a silver platter.

The Panthers season was an epic fail but they have high spoiler potential. They get bonus points from me for schooling the Vikings on National TV. Things haven’t gone well for them this year but they have a chance to do at least something great by helping the Giants not make the playoffs.

Panthers 34 Giants 28

Cowboys 9-5 vs. Redskins 4-10

Got to hand it to the Cowboys, they came up with a big win in December against a really good New Orleans team (Disclaimer: The did almost blow a 21-point lead, their kicker pulled a Mason Crosby and missed a late field goal and the Saints were knocking on the door but they still had more points than the other team at the end of the game). I was hoping the Redskins could channel their rivalry and a national stage against the Giants. (However that worked out about as well as signing Jason Kendall to a two year contract and/or trading Carlos Silva Straight up for Milton Bradley)(Seriously, this is going to go down as one of the more lopsided trades in recent memory). Back to my original point, Romo’s propensity for choking didn’t magically disappear but we’re talking about the Redskins here.

Cowboys 28 Redskins 3

Tier II B: The 7-7 AFC Tier

Chargers 11-3 vs. Titans 7-7

By far the most interesting of the games involving a member of the double 7 club. An epic Christmas Night match-up between two of the hottest teams in the NFL. Its become a holiday tradition for the Chargers to not lose in December and 2009 is no exception. The Titans have a dream. It is a fairly epic dream. It is a dream that ends by running into the buzz-saw that is the San Diego Chargers. Better luck next year.

Chargers 21 Titans 14

Texans 7-7 vs. Dolphins 7-7

Two teams that really should not have 7 losses to this point. The Texans are a team content with having a strong offense, no D and an apparent inability to break .500….ever. The Dolphins have overcome the loss of their original starting QB, the loss of Ronnie Brown but in return have received a vintage year out of Ricky Williams. If a few more things went their way they could easily be at 9 or 10 wins by now. Not sure if the Dolphins can break into the playoff picture, but I like their chances better than Houston.

Dolphins 31 Texans 21

Jaguars 7-7 vs. Patriots 9-5

How the Jaguars even won 7 games is beyond me. This team fails to inspire on all levels. The Patriots are looking to lock up the AFC East and they have a fairly weak hurdle to get over to do this.

Patriots 35 Jaguars 21

Ravens 8-6 vs. Steelers 7-7

Ravens control their own destiny. They were also courteous enough to not win at Lambeau. Not going to hide it, I have my biases and I’m picking against the Steelers out of spite.

Ravens 21 Steelers 14

Jets 7-7 vs. Colts 14-0

If it weren’t for Jacksonville, the Jets would be the worst of the double 7 club and the funky bunch. They’ve lost 7 of their last 11 and going up against a team that hasn’t lost all year. The Colts may be going through the motions at this point, but they’ll be with it just enough to ruin another mediocre teams playoff hopes.

Colts 28 Jets 21

Tier III: Other Interesting Games

Broncos 8-6 vs. Eagles 10-4

A Broncos loss could further convolute the AFC Playoff Picture. College Football could take a valuable lesson from this, teams fighting for playoff spots (even if many of them are not that good) makes for much more captivating football than the current 34 bowl games, 33 of which are irrelevant. The Eagles have taken control of the NFC East and will be looking to get closer to putting it on lockdown. I’m looking ahead to an 8-7 tier in next week’s preview (likely to involve Denver)

Eagles 24 Broncos 14

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Bills 5-9 vs. Falcons 7-7

I hear Buffalo is lovely this time of year. This years Bills team, not so much. What do the Falcons and my fantasy team have in common? Turner’s injuries seriously endangered (and eventually killed their respective playoff hopes). Like the Steelers, the Falcons get picked to lose out of vengeance.

Bills 10 Falcons 0

Raiders 5-9 vs. Browns 3-11

This game is the NFL Week 16 equivalent to a lump of coal. These two teams are the walking definition of unwatchable. When 5-9 is a pleasant surprise, things are not right. On the bright side for the Browns, they do have Holmgren and thus some hope for the future (one unlikely to involve Mangini). This inspires the Browns to victory in the Lump of Coal Bowl.

Browns 7 Raiders 3

Lions 2-12 vs. 49ers 6-8

On the bright side, the Lions won 2 more games than they did last year. The 49ers I have determined are the NFC version of the Texans. They have the talent to have a better record but still manage to regress to an average to below average team. Not sure whether the good or bad Niners team shows up Sunday but after that travesty against the Eagles, I’m not ready to give any benefit of the doubt.

49ers 13 Lions 3

Tier V: The Blowouts

Chiefs 3-11 vs. Bengals 9-5

The Chiefs have nothing to play for and are going nowhere. The Bengals have a lot to play for in the aftermath of Chris Henry’s death. Even though they lost Sunday, there is no shame in losing a close game to San Diego. Also, they are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot which they do Sunday, with authority.

Bengals 31 Chiefs 10

Buccaneers 2-12 vs. Saints 13-1

The Saints lost their first game on Saturday and someone is going to feel the wrath of it. I’m not Nostradamus but I’m predicting that said wrath will be taken out on a team that has won twice all year.

Saints 49 Buccaneers 14

Rams 1-13 Cardinals 9-5

Cardinals have the West locked up. Not sure who the Cardinals back-ups are but I’m pretty sure they are good enough to win more than once a year.

Cardinals 35 Rams 10

Vikings 11-3 Bears 5-9

Let the Favre soap opera begin………over-riding “coach” Childress’s attempted benching. Playing a clunker game against the Panthers. Still, they are playing the Bears who have Jay Cutler who is a younger, less talented version of Favre. The Vikings ship is definitely sinking but going up against Cutler they get one more lopsided win before the real fun (and by fun I mean Favre throwing for 5 interceptions in a blowout loss to a yet to be determined NFC team in the first or second round) begins.

Vikings 28 Bears 10

Week 15 NFL Preview Plus Bonus Rants about the Bucks-Lakers game and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Ouchhh....Just Finished Watching the Bucks blow a 6 point lead with 1:20 to the Lakers and lose on a Kobe jumper at the buzzer.......not sure whats worse Kobe getting single coverage at the buzzer or actually expecting anything out of the Bucks...........or that dubious blocking call that got the Lakers 3 points that shocked even the uber-homer Lakers announcers.........haven't seen a call that bad on that much of a level since the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Kings ......seriously the Kings are barely starting to recover from that......and it's been almost 8 years

but that's neither here nor there....Week 15 of football should be less frustrating (assuming Kobe doesn't sign with the Steelers between now and Sunday).....on to the games

Tier I Packers Game:

Packers vs. Steelers

The Packers look to be peaking at the right time and ride into Sunday's game with a 5-game winning streak. Despite a 9-4 record, there is still work to do to get into the playoffs. The Bears game was a bit close but when Jay Cutler is the opposing QB, there is room for error.

How would I describe the Steelers. To paraphrase Tom Petty, they have been free-falling straight into nothing. Usually its the team that loses the Super Bowl that gets the year-after hangover. However, the Steelers are trend-setters and they are the team that is likely to miss the playoffs. With losses to Oakland, Kansas City and Cleveland....that's enough of a black eye that even the Redskins are pointing and laughing at this point.

Packers 31 Steelers 13

Tier II (A): The Undefeated Watch

Colts vs. Jaguars

The Colts are one of two teams that are trying to run the table (and bruise the inflated egos of the '72 Dolphins). The Jaguars are one of the worst playoff contending teams ever. The Colts are in the don't need to win but it wouldn't hurt to do so stage but someone needs to put the Jaguars in their place.

Colts 35 Jaguars 10

Saints vs. Cowboys

This game is probably gonna be more interesting. I could rationalize picking the Saints to lose on their dangerous tendency to play down to inferior competition ( and Tony Romo in December is pretty inferior). On the other hand, the Cowboys are worse at closing out games this time of year than the Milwaukee Bucks. Cowboys make it a game but lose when Romo throws a pick with less than two minutes left

Saints 28 Cowboys 24

Tier II(B): Best Game of the Week Where Both Teams Have Lost At Some Point This Year

Bengals vs. Chargers

The Bengals in the playoffs. Even though it actually happened a few years ago, it still seems bizarre to write those words. It will be good to see what Carson Palmer can do with a full playoff game.

The Chargers would also be in the run for an undefeated season, if September games didn't count in the standings. Besides the point, they are the hottest team right now and are the AFC representative in the peaking at the right time category. I don't see the Chargers losing (until the playoffs)

Chargers 21 Bengals 10

Tier III: Other Interesting Games

Dolphins vs. Titans

Two teams that are much better than their combined 13-13 records. If the D-Fish close out a couple more games earlier this year they would be cruising back to the playoffs. If the Titans didn't wait till week 7 to show up, they would be amongst the elite as well. However, none of the above happened and we get a match-up of two teams fighting for their lives. Titans get the edge because coming back from 0-6 would be unprecedented and pretty cool.

Titans 24 Dolphins 20

49ers vs. Eagles

The 49ers take the NFC label of team that was good enough to be in the playoffs but lost too many close games, too early. Still, that doesn't mean they are not going to try to make something out of it. Definitely my choice for breakout team of '10.

The Eagles have finally managed to take control of the NFC East after a wild Sunday Night Win against the Giants. The 49ers showed what they can do against playoff caliber competition on Monday and I see them staying alive for at least another week.

49ers 31 Eagles 28

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Browns vs. Chiefs

Fun Fact: If you combine the Browns 2 wins and the Cheifs 3 wins, you would still not even be close to playoff competition. Even if you throw in both of Kansas City's wins last year, its a borderline at best cause. The Browns can hold their head up high by beating Pittsburgh and being 3 games away from the Mike Holmgren era. The Cheifs can hold their head up high by.....still thinking........still thinking.....um can I get back to you on this in say 2014?

Browns 7 Chiefs 0

Texans vs. Rams

Not sure which Texans team is going to show up and at 6-7 i'm over giving them benefit of the doubt. Its not like they'll need much against the Rams.

Texans 17 Rams 10

Falcons vs. Jets

The Falcons aren't a truly bad team and if they won a few more closer games, Turner didn't get injured, they didn't bottom out at the worst time, so on and so forth , they wouldn't be in the going nowhere fast category. Technically, the Jets are still in it but they've pretty much sputtered since losing to the Saints and I do not see them as a playoff team.

Falcons 24 Jets 20

Buccaneers vs. Seahawks

If a tree falls in the woods but no one is around, does it really fall? This sums up how I feel about this game.

Seahawks 21 Bucaneers 10

Tier V: Blow-Outs

Patriots vs. Bills

Patriots have the Dolphins right on their tails but still control their own destiny. The Bills are off to another non-playoff season. No surprises here.

Patriots 42 Bills 10

Cardinals vs. Lions

So thats what happens when you turn the ball over 7 times in a game. If we learned anything from the Lions-Ravens game last weekend, is the Lions are the perfect team to play if you are coming off a bad game.

Cardinals 38 Lions 0

Bears vs. Ravens

This season has shown that maybe the Bears were better off with Kyle Orton. In a related story, I have lost absolutely ZERO sleep over the Bears struggles and Jay Cutler's season. The Ravens are still in playoff contention (a.k.a they actually have something to play for).....the Ravens have frustrated me (when their kicker failed and as a result lost to the Vikings)...they have made me happy (by losing to the Packers)..........they improve to 8-6 (by beating the Bears)

Ravens 31 Bears 14

Raiders vs. Broncos

Game 1 of the JP Losman era. The cream of the UFL crop. The Broncos haven't done much in the last couple months but with their 6-0 cushion and an easy game against Mr. UFL coming up, they'll do just enough to lose in the first round.

Broncos 31 Raiders 7

Giants vs. Redskins

The Redskins, 3 more games until Jim Zorn is shown the door. Now time for a rant involving the Saints, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and both New York Teams

In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, the Gang are constantly concocting schemes to ruin the lives of those around them, (Case 1: Matthew Mara a.k.a Rickety Cricket who was a priest, quit the priesthood because Dee lied about being in love with him in the episode The Gang Exploits A Miracle, only to shoot him down afterwards and ended up being broke and homeless). This year, the Jets started 3-0, they fell for Mark Sanchez only to realize they were not ready for elite-status after single-handedly being destroyed by Darren Sharper and the Jets status as a great team was ruined.

Case 2: (The Waitress, who was in love with Dennis, only to have this exploited time and time again. To add on to the misery, Charlie has pretty much stalking her over the first 5 seasons time. 5 is also the number of games the Giants played (and won) before their game against the Saints. They gave up 48 points in that game and they are now 7-6.

What does this mean, The Saints ruin the seasons of teams crossing their paths and It's Always Sunny characters ruin the lives of the people that cross paths with them. End of Rant.

Giants 31 Redskins 10

Vikings vs. Panthers

Vikings are going through the motions until their playoff meltdown, Panthers going through the motions until they can get a better QB. Nothing to see here, move along.

Vikings 42 Panthers 20

NFL Week 14 Preview

So it looks like my pick of Browns over Steelers may be coming true, lets see what other genius I come up with for the coming week.

Tier I: Packers Game

Packers vs. Bears

The Packers are coming off the 4th straight victory. More importantly they are coming off a victory in the tied for second most penalized game in NFL History. Its good to see the Packers in control of their own destiny. On the other end, are the Packers bitter rival the Chicago Bears. Sure the Bears are terrible, they are definitely not making the playoffs at 5-7 and Jay Cutler is throwing interceptions like they are going out of style. However, this being a Packers-Bears game, the Bears are probably going to bring whatever passes for their A game. Still, I expect Cutler to throw for 3 touchdowns, 1 for the Bears and 2 for the Packers.

Packers 27 Bears 20

Tier II: Best Games of the Week

Bengals vs. Vikings

A interesting match-up of contrasts. On one end, the surprise Bengals who have gritted their way to several close wins. On the other end, a Vikings team that has been carried by the arm of Brett Favre. It was awesome to see my prediction of a Vikings loss actually come true Sunday against the Cards as Favre threw a couple of picks, expect an encore performance Sunday.

Bengals 17 Vikings 14 (OT)

Chargers vs. Cowboys

This one is a bit better on paper than reality. The Chargers haven't lost in two months and could do good enough to get a first-round bye (despite having Norv Turner as a head coach. The Cowboys are tied for the Eagles for first in a crowded NFC East but it's that time of the year where Tony Romo stops being good and the Cowboys promising season turns into failed hope.

Chargers 35 Cowboys 21

Eagles vs. Giants

Lots of wild card and NFC East implications with this one. Outcome of this game will go a long way to determine what these races look like. The Eagles win and they could be in first place (assuming the Cowboys lose), the Eagles lose we could have a 3-way tie for first and a very muddled wild card situation. The Giants lose and they are on the outside looking in, the Giants win they could force a tie for 1st. Pretty even game but Eagles get the edge as they've been playing better in the last few weeks.

Eagles 21 Giants 17

Tier III: Also Worth Checking Out

Broncos vs. Colts

Hard to see where the Broncos go from here. Are they the 6-0 team that proved everyone wrong or the teem that has struggled in the last six weeks. We probably won't know for sure regardless of what happens here. The Colts have yet to lose this year and I don't see them letting up until they clinch home-field for the playoffs.

Colts 35 Broncos 24

Dolphins vs. Jaguars

Based on playoff implications, this game should be ranked higher but it's difficult to get excited about a game involving the Jaguars. The Dolphins are coming off a good win against New England and have a prime opportunity to force their way into the playoff picture. The Jaguars have somehow won 7 games this year but still strike me as inferior to many of the 6-6 teams that are right behind them. Bad news for them, the Miami happens to be one of those teams.

Dolphins 28 Jaguars 14

Cardinals vs. 49ers

The Cardinals will be looking to put the nail in the 49ers coffin and win their second straight NFC West title. The 49ers are not going to go away quietly into the night and make it easy. Look for Alex Smith to have a big game and keep the Niners alive for another week.

49ers 42 Cardinals 35

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Bills vs. Chiefs

If there was an award for the atrocious game of the week, this would be the runaway winner.

Bills 10 Chiefs 0

Jets vs. Buccaneers

Jets are worse than their 6-6 record as they finally realized Mark Sanchez is not the answer (at least in '09). A prime opportunity for Josh Freeman to get his team a second victory.

Buccaneers 24 Jets 21

Seahawks vs. Texans

Seahawks, its a must win for them. The Texans have failed at their umpteenth attempt of having their break out year and make the playoffs. Texans are the better team but the Seahawks have more to play for (albeit barely)

Seahawks 20 Texans 13

Redskins vs. Raiders

The Redskins blew their one opportunity of doing something great this year. The Raiders, while still terrible have shown some signs of life and improved from being atrocious to just being bad.

Raiders 24 Redskins 14

Tier V: The Blowouts

Panthers vs. Patriots

This Super Bowl rematch (from six years ago) is going to be a lot less interesting. The Panthers are riding out the string from a season derailed by Jake Delhomme throwing interceptions left and right. The Patriots haven't been the same since losing to the Saints a few weeks ago. The Patriots are clinging on to the AFC East as the Dolphins are suddenly a game behind. The Patriots may be struggling but they have more incentive to win and too much talent to lose to Carolina.

Patriots 31 Panthers 10

Lions vs. Ravens

The battle of the Packers last two opponents. The Lions , well they're the Lions. They won't make history again but they ain't going anywhere either. The Ravens have had a weak follow up to a strong 2008 but could still redeem themselves with a strong finish.

Ravens 28 Lions 10

Rams 1-11 vs. Titans 5-7

The Rams are playing for.......umm not sure what they're playing for. The Titans had a set back in their mad dash back from 0-6 and need to win out and catch more than a few breaks to make it. Expect a game considerably less exciting than their Super Bowl rematch from 10 years ago.

Titans 42 Rams 3

The Tiger-Less Week 13 Preview

Well....it's almost Thursday which means its time to preview another slate of games. In the background for me.....it's seeing if Wisconsin can hold on to beat the Duke Vitales in the Big 11/ACC Challenge....but enough about basketball.....time for some football

Tier I: Cheese Head Tier

Ravens 6-5 vs. Packers 7-4

Good to see the Packers make another appearance on Monday Night. On the bright side there is no way it could go worse than the last time they played in 2005.....i'll give you a few moments to gasp in shock.

48-3???? Kyle Boller dominant? No wonder they went 4-12 that year. Anyways it's 2009 the Ravens have a better QB (Flacco) but the Packers have a better defense than in '05 and a better team overall. The Ravens are fighting for their playoff lives, the Packers currently control their wild-card destiny and a talented QB (Rodgers) looking for his first shot at playoff action.....the Packers have rebounded nicely since losing in Tampa. Win streak extends to 4.

Packers 28 Ravens 21

Tier II: Best Games of the Week:

Vikings 10-1 vs. Cardinals 7-4

Brett Favre has come back strong from his second career retirement. Both him and the Vikings find ways to not make the Super Bowl. The Cardinals are coming off a tough loss to the Titans and have their division lead down to 2 games. In other words, the Cardinals actually have some motivation to win this game.

Cardinals 38 Vikings 35

Cowboys 8-3 vs. Giants 6-5

Bitter NFC rivals facing off here. The Cowboys are looking to extend their NFC East lead. The Giants are fighting to keep their heads above water. The Cowboys look ready and willing to strike another blow to the Giants playoff hopes.

Cowboys 21 Giants 10

Titans 5-6 vs. Colts 11-0

The Titans coming off a thrilling win over the Cardinals.....looking to become the greatest 0-6 starting team ever. The Colts looking to get one win closer to running the table. Peyton Manning has a big game to get my fantasy team in the playoffs......Titans see their winning streak end.

Colts 35 Titans 21

Tier III: Worth Checking Out

Eagles 7-4 vs. Falcons 6-5

An early battle for Wild Card positioning. Eagles currently control their destiny as they have the other NFC Wild Card spot. A Falcons win would guarantee a two way tie for the last spot (possibly more depending on the outcome of other games). Needing Turner to step up (assuming he's healthy......or Jason Snelling.....) This game could go either way and I have no Eagles on my team.

Falcons 17 Eagles 10

Patriots 7-4 vs. Dolphins 5-6

This one will be a battle for who bounces back the best after a bad loss. The Patriots failed to make the most of their second chance to upset an undefeated team as Drew Brees had their way with the Patriots D. The Dolphins lost to the Bills....nuff said. The motivation/anger factor is cancelled out so it comes down to matter of talent. Pats take this one.

Patriots 31 Dolphins 14

Broncos 7-4 vs. Chiefs 3-8

Bitter rivalry game. I'm not dumb enough to think the Chiefs will pull the upset but I have a gut feeling this game will be closer than it should be.

Broncos 21 Chiefs 13

Texans 5-6 vs. Jaguars 6-5

A match-up between two teams in NFL limbo. These teams haven't seemed to get too hot or too cold this season. Texans win this one to get back to .500 for like the 200th time this year.

Texans 28 Jaguars 24

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Jets 5-6 vs. Bills 4-7

Good News Toronto! You get to host a real-life NFL Game. Bad News Toronto! That game is between the Jets and the Bills. I probably wouldn't watch this game even if I had NFL network.

Bills 10 Jets 3

Buccaneers 1-10 vs. Panthers 4-7

The Buccaneers surprised more than a few folks by picking Josh Freeman in the First Round. It turns out they knew what they were doing (in this case). Unfortunately for them, just about everything else has gone wrong. The Panthers are a train wreck, look to be going nowhere fast and going through the motions.

Buccaneers 21 Panthers 10

Rams 1-10 vs. Bears 4-7

Oh my! Two 1-10/4-7 match-ups in the same week.....I can barely contain my excitement......look for Jay Cutler to throw for a couple of touchdowns on Sunday.......to the Rams

Rams 24 Bears 13

Tier V: The Blowouts

Lions 2-9 vs. Bengals 8-3

I'd like to thank the Lions for losing to the Packers by 22 on Thanksgiving........I'm not sure what was worse for them......the game or Frank Caliendo picking them to win.......The Bengals don't have the best track record against terrible teams losing to the Raiders and they didn't exactly dominate Cleveland......still this is the Lions we are talking about

Bengals 28 Lions 7

Raiders 3-8 vs. Steelers 6-5

There was a time and place where this would of been the best game of the week....that time and place was the 1970s.......The Raiders are their usual horrible selves.....the Steelers haven't exactly had the best follow-up to their Super Bowl title.......not too high on the Steelers but c'mon they are playing the Raiders

Steelers 31 Raiders 10

Saints 11-0 vs. Redskins 3-8

One side of me says that after the Saints disposed of the Patriots that they would put up video game numbers against the Redskins. The other side of me says this team plays down to its competition so much that they almost lost to the Rams. Still, New Orleans has too much talent and the Redskins have nothing to play for.

Saints 42 Redskins 10

Chargers 8-3 vs. Browns 1-10

Chargers are the hottest team in the NFL right now........the Browns have Eric Mangini as a head coach.....nuff said

Chargers 35 Browns 14

49ers 5-6 vs. Seahawks 4-7

On paper this is more of a Tier IV match-up but the 49ers look like they might have something good going with Alex Smith. That's more than what I can say about the Hawks.

49ers 28 Seahawks 0

Week 12 Preview

Well....Turkey Day for most of us is upon us (It's Steak and Football day for me)....and since Thursday is right around the corner....its time for the Week 12 Preview:

Tier I: Cheese Head Tier

Packers 6-4 vs. Lions 2-8

Yeah, the Packers did win against the 49ers on Sunday but did so in the least inspiring fashion possible. They looked poised to blow out the Niners at halftime only to come close to losing the game all together. Worse yet, Aaron Kampman and Al Harris were lost for the season. This places their D at a disadvantage but they do have a week to work out the kinks since they are playing the Lions.

The Lions managed to pull out a win mostly on the arm of Stafford with some assistance from Eric Mangini's inept coaching and the fact that they were playing an even more atrocious team in the Browns. Stafford is battling injury and is unlikely to play. The Lions look to fulfill the yearly tradition by getting blown out on Thanksgiving.

Packers 42 Lions 14

Tier II: Best Games of the Week

Giants 6-4 vs. Broncos 6-4

What looked to be a possible Super Bowl preview a few weeks ago has turned into a battle between two teams fighting for their playoff lives. The Giants managed to slow the bleeding by getting past Atlanta.

The Broncos have gone from elite to free-falling in four short weeks. The Broncos are coming off being straight out embarrassed by the Chargers. Both teams need this win...the Broncos need it worse but the Giants want it more.

Giants 28 Falcons 24

Steelers 6-4 vs. Ravens 5-5

Another game between two teams fighting for their playoff lives. The Steelers are coming off an embarrassing loss to Kansas City and Ben Roethlisberger is dealing with concussion issues. The Ravens are in an even more urgent situation but I still think they have a playoff run in them. The Steelers have too many issues surrounding them right now and Flacco is due for a big game.

Ravens 21 Steelers 14

Patriots 7-3 vs. Saints 10-0

One of the better Monday Night match-ups this year. The Patriots nearly knocked off the leagues other undefeated team a couple weeks ago but lost after a questionable 4th down play call. The Saints have been an elite team this year but they have a tendency to play down to their level of competition. The Saints too close for comfort game against St. Louis has me thinking the Saints will lose their first game sooner not later and the Patriots are likely to make the most out of a second chance to take down an undefeated team.

Patriots 35 Saints 24

Tier III

Colts 10-0 vs. Texans 5-5

The Colts are rolling towards another playoff run. The Texans are an interesting team. They are equally capable of pulling the upset or pulling a no-show. The Texans will keep it interesting but theres too many holes in their running game and this will be enough for them to not beat Indy.

Colts 28 Texans 17

Cardinals 7-3 vs. Titans 4-6

The Cardinals look like they are going to coast to another NFC West title. The Titans are a team on a mission to give hope to future NFL teams that start 0-6. Although this was from 2008, this sums up this game for Arizona in the context of this season.

Titans 20 Cardinals 10

Bears 4-6 vs. Vikings 9-1

While the Bears are pretty much done for the season, when any mix of Minnesota, Chicago and Green Bay is involved....all conventional bets are off. In other words, this is my upset special of the week.

Bears 35 Vikings 28

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Seahawks 3-7 vs. Rams 1-9

This takes the cake for the clunker game of the week. Last week's clunker game (Cleveland/Detroit actually turned out to be one of the better games of the week)......i'm attributing more to random chance more than a new trend. Expect this game to be unwatchable.

Seahawks 10 Rams 3

Panthers 4-6 vs. Jets 4-6

Anytime a failing New York team is involved it's at least worth checking out to see the train wreck.

Panthers 17 Jets 10

Jaguars 6-4 vs. 49ers 4-6

The Jaguars are coming off a last-second win against a bad Buffalo team. The 49ers playoff hopes are on life support (mainly due to the Niners habit of playing conservative until they fall behind by 3 touchdowns). While letting Alex Smith air it out give the Niners their best chance, i'm not quite sure that Mike Singletary feels the same way. The Niners lose due to too much early conservative play calling.

Jaguars 21 49ers 13

Tier V: Avoid these games (Unless you are a fan of these teams or there are fantasy implications and even then its a questionable decision to watch these games)

Raiders 3-7 vs. Cowboys 7-3

The Raiders are coming off a fluke win and have at least figured out that JaMarcus Russell is not the answer. The Cowboys have scored a whopping 14 points the last couple weeks but luckily for them one of those games was against the Redskins. Still, the Cowboys are too talented offensively to be this bad for more than a couple weeks.

Cowboys 31 Raiders 10

Buccaneers 1-9 vs. Falcons 5-5

Buccaneers are going nowhere, the Falcons are on the outside looking in on the playoff picture and have more talent.

Falcons 28 Buccaneers 0

Dolphins 5-5 vs. Bills 3-7

The Dolphins have been decimated by injuries to Chad Pennington and Ronnie Brown but still look to have a pulse. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ricky Williams carry this team to the playoffs. The Bills...well they're the same old Bills.

Dolphins 35 Bills 17

Browns 1-9 vs. Bengals 7-3

The Browns blew their best chance to win a game on Sunday. At this point they are counting down 6 games to the draft and the possible start to the Mike Holmgren era. The Bengals are coming off an embarrassing loss to an inferior Raiders team. The Bengals are going to take the frustration out on someone...it might as well be their bitter 1-9 cross state rivals.

Bengals 45 Browns 10

Redskins 3-7 vs. Eagles 6-4

At this point the Redskins are going in neutral until the inevitable end of the Jim Zorn era. The Eagles are in the thick of the playoff race. The Redskins aren't even close to having enough in them to play spoiler.

Eagles 31 Redskins 6

Chiefs 3-7 vs. Chargers 7-3

If nothing else the Chiefs managed to improve on last year's win total. On the other hand they went 2-14 last year so improvement doesn't say much. They pulled a win over Pittsburgh out of nowhere. San Diego is in high gear right now and have destroyed everything in their path for the last month and a half.

Chargers 42 Chiefs 10

Week 10 Preview

The NFL Preview gets pushed back a day earlier this week with the start of NFL Networks Thursday night slate of football games.......Now off to the games

Tier I: Packers Game

Packers 4-4 vs. Cowboys 6-2

Wow.........still shocked, disgusted, etc. that the Packers couldn't finish against Tampa. In a related note, it may be time for Mike McCarthy to update his resume. The Packers are facing a red-hot Cowboys team that has only been getting better the last few weeks. I don't have a good feeling about this game...Cowboys are going to have their way with the O-Line.

Cowboys 42 Packers 24

Tier II: Best Games of the week

Patriots 6-2 vs. Colts 8-0

Definitely the best game of the week. I see this being an epic Sunday night match-up. The Patriots have been re-adjusting to having Tom Brady behind center and the Colts have been destroying everything in their path. I'm picking the Colts because a) They haven't lost in the post-Dungy era yet and b) Peyton Manning has been carrying my fantasy team all year long and picking against him would probably be bad karma.

Colts 35 Patriots 31

Bengals 6-2 vs. Steelers 6-2

The Bengals are definitely the feel-good story of the NFL this year. It looked like it was going to be another bad year for them after their heartbreaking loss in week 1 and just about everything thats happened since 1990.

The Steelers have bounced back strong since a slow start as they look to repeat as Super Bowl Champs. They are coming off a good win against Denver. This game is going to be close but the Steelers have more experience in clutch situations and that will be the difference here.

Steelers 17 Bengals 14 (OT)

Tier III: Worth At Least Checking Out

Bears 4-4 vs. 49ers 3-5

Not the most enticing way to start the Thursday night schedule available to about 15% of the nation. Still there are some interesting sub-plots. With the Bears playoff hopes on the rope, do they get a must-win and bounce back from a blowout loss to Arizona.

For the 49ers can they get themselves back on the winning track and contend in a weak NFC West. Can they get their first win since switching over to Alex Smith? I say not.

Bears 28 49ers 21

Eagles 5-3 vs. Chargers 5-3

The Eagles have been on and off for the last month. The Chargers have gotten into their mid-season groove and have the closed the gap in a suddenly winnable AFC West. The Chargers notch themselves another win against the NFC East.

Chargers 31 Eagles 20

Seahawks 3-5 vs. Cardinals 5-3

This is probably the Seahawks last chance to get in contention for a weak NFC West. The Cardinals have been inconsistent all year and coming off a good win against the Bears. Not sure which Cardinals team shows up....but they win either way.

Cardinals 35 Seahawks 17

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Bills 3-5 vs. Titans 2-6

The Bills are going nowhere.....which makes this year indistinguishable from the rest of this decade. The Titans have a winning streak going and are attempting to salvage whats left of a lost season. The Titans wont salvage much but they'll at least get the winning streak up to 3 first.

Titans 21 Bills 10

Jaguars 4-4 vs. Jets 4-4

Right now on ESPN Classic they are showing a replay of the 2001 GMAC Bowl back when David Garrard was the QB at East Carolina team that blew a 30-point lead and lost to Marshall 64-61. Both the Jaguars and Sundays game against the Jets will be about 1 gazillion teams less interesting.....on the bright side at least they don't have to go to Alabama to play.

The Jets season looks to be headed nowhere after their quick start. Mark Sanchez has seen his share of rookie struggles and I see his struggles continue on Sunday.

Jaguars 14 Jets 10

Chiefs 1-7 vs. Raiders 2-6

The worst game of the week. These teams aren't as bad as the Lions and Rams but they're not that much better than them.

Raiders 3 Chiefs 0

Tier V: The Blowouts (A.K.A Avoid unless you have a rooting interest and/or fantasy football implications tied to these games...and even then watching these games is questionable)

Broncos 6-2 vs. Redskins 2-6

The Broncos have hit their first rough patch in the last couple of years. In other words, they are playing the Redskins at the perfect time.

Broncos 31 Redskins 7

Saints 8-0 vs. Rams 1-7

Drew Brees and the Saints are definitely putting up video game numbers against the Rams. This game will pretty much be over midway through the 1st quarter. For Rams fans, there is no silver lining in this game.

Saints 70 Rams 0

Lions 1-7 vs. Vikings 7-1

Similar scenario, different teams.

Vikings 49 Lions 3

Falcons 5-3 vs. Panthers 3-5

Falcons are sitting on the playoff bubble and need to make a statement. The Panthers...well its definitely not their year.

Falcons 42 Panthers 10

Buccaneers 1-7 vs. Dolphins 3-5

The Bucs are coming off their gift-wrapped victory last week. The Dolphins are coming off another tough loss to an elite team. The Dolphins have been the good bad team this year and they take care of business (unlike some other teams) against Tampa.

Dolphins 35 Bucs 13

Week 9 Preview

Well, another Thursday is here. Sadly, the Yankees won the World Series, Baseball Season Is Over, according to Baseball Reference we have 151 Days until opening Day........or about 120 days longer than the George Lopez late night show is going to last......but that's neither here nor there........time to see whats on tap for football

Tier I: Cheesehead Tier

Packers 4-3 vs. Buccaneers 0-7

The Packers are coming off another tough loss at the hands of some old guy who used to play for them. The Packers have a couple things going for them this week. They take care of business against terrible teams and they play Tampa Bay this week.

Even with how quickly things change in the NFL Tampa Bay's fall from respectability to atrocity is fairly shocking plus they throw Josh Freeman to the wolves on Sunday.

Packers 31 Buccaneers 0

Tier II:

Steelers 5-2 vs. Broncos 6-1

The Steelers are rolling along after a slow start to the season. The Broncos have been playing it close all year and finally lost a game last week. The Steelers are the better team on paper but these games aren't played on paper. The Broncos are playing this one extra motivated after being blown out by Baltimore.

Broncos 27 Steelers 24 (OT)

Cowboys 5-2 vs. Eagles 5-2

Epic NFC East match-up between a couple of teams playing pretty well. The Cowboys seem to be hitting their peak right now and the Eagles are coming off a good win against the Giants. These teams are a push but Dallas seems to be playing better recently.

Cowboys 31 Eagles 24

Ravens 4-3 vs. Bengals 5-2

Another interesting match-up. Baltimore removed Denver from the ranks of the unbeaten and have a 4-3 record that doesn't do them justice. The Bengals have been a poor-mans Broncos. Outside of their win against the Bears they've flirted with losing most of the season. Considering the Ravens took care of business against Denver, they'll most likely do the same against Cinci.

Ravens 28 Bengals 14

Tier III: Worth at least checking out

Chargers 4-3 vs. Giants 5-3

A battle of a couple teams going in different directions. The Chargers had their yearly slow start and thanks to a couple weeks of inept opposition, they have their season back on track. The Giants looked to be an elite team earlier this year but they haven't been the same since being demoralized by the Saints. I see both trends continuing on Sunday.

Chargers 31 Giants 20

Cardinals 4-3 vs. Bears 4-3

Both teams need this game to keep pace in the wild-card race. I'm still on the fence with both teams on whether they are contenders or pretenders. I'm arbitrarily picking Arizona because they're not the Bears.

Cardinals 28 Bears 17

Texans 5-3 vs. Colts 7-0

The Texans have played better the last few weeks but I don't see them winning for a few reasons. A) Unless proven otherwise...they're an average to slightly above average team B) Steve Slaton is having issues holding on to the ball and i'm not sure one good game from Ryan Moats is enough to say their running game issues are resolved C) They're playing the colts

Colts 35 Texans 27

Dolphins 3-4 vs. Patriots 5-2

Upset special of the week. Dolphins have been playing better since a rough start, they have shown an ability to stay competitive against the two best teams in the league...they just haven't been able to close it out...they get their breakthrough win here.

Dolphins 35 Patriots 31

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Chiefs 1-6 vs. Jaguars 3-4

The Chiefs have been uninspiring to say the least. The Jaguars leave the same empty feeling. The Jags lost to a terrible Titans team last week......I don't see them losing to a terrible team two weeks in a row...they may be terrible ....but they're not the Redskins.

Jaguars 21 Chiefs 14

Lions 1-6 vs. Seahawks 2-5

The Lions-Rams game may have been atrocious, but this game isn't going to be much better. Both teams are a wreck.......gut instinct says the Lions find a way to not lose.

Lions 5 Seahawks 3

Titans 1-6 vs. 49ers 3-4

If nothing else the Titans at least took them selves out of the running of being the second 0-16 team. The 49ers still have a shot to salvage their season but they need to get things in order like now. Not too much shame in losing to the Colts.....all you can hope for is to not get embarrassed and the niners at least pulled that off. The Alex Smith redemption tour has a good Sunday.

49ers 21 Titans 13

Tier V: The Blowouts

Redskins 2-5 vs. Falcons 4-3

Luckily only a couple laughers this week. The Redskins have been surrounded in controversy much of the season. The controversy flavor of the week is the terribleness of Dan Snyder as a person. We all know hes inept as a team owner....should be (irrelevant) interesting how this turns out. The Falcons are coming off a couple tough losses and a couple weeks worth of frustration to take out on a hapless Redskins team.

Falcons 35 Redskins 3

Panthers 3-4 vs. Saints 7-0

The Panthers were the team NOT turning the ball over for once last week. Don't see the same thing happening Sunday. Nothing against them but the Saints have demoralized superior competition.

Saints 49 Panthers 17

Top 10 Clutch QBs --Not Top 10 Moments

Alright, so I didn't get around to a Part II Football Column. It was devolving into incoherent dis-pleasure over the Packers-Vikings game anyways. I was looking for a way to do something football-related and deciding on the following:

Recently, Forbes did a top 10 list listing the top 10 Clutch QBs well, I decided to work with this but with a twist, I decided to talk about : the league's 10 top 10 Clutch QB's and do a semi-serious not top 10 moments for each QB.....most of them aren't serious knocks (well most of them)...anyways the list

10- Kurt Warner

Not digging that thing he did in the off-season. Openly discussing retirement, the rumors about him going to the rival 49ers to leverage a higher contract. Unlike some other QBs he at least decided against jumping to a divisional rival..........not sure where he got ideas like this but he was a 4th string QB when a certain player was starting for Green Bay....just putting it out there

9- Drew Brees

He got placed below 8 QBs on this list......dude is like the best QB in the league this year....the closest I can come to a not top 10 moment is um............he's just been too good

8- Carson Palmer

Hes been stuck on a lot of bad Bengals team.......this year could be different though

7-Brett Favre

Hmm...where to start....his playoff performance after 1997.......his inability to beat the Giants in the 2007 NFC Championship Game......setting an all-time record for retirements......going to the Vikings........throwing away 15+ years of good will......no definitely not bitter about this....not at all.....capitalizing off his retirement waffling to make a Sears commercial.......

6-Donovan McNabb

In that episode of It's Always Sunny where the Gang tries out for the Eagles, there's some dude who says he's "Donovan McNabb" who is clearly an impostor......no appearance from the real McNabb

5- Phillip Rivers

He has to play on a Norv Turner coached team....thats punishment enough

4- Peyton Manning

This one time...I watched a whole quarter of a football game....and Peyton Manning did not appear in a single commercial.......totally not clutch....how else am I supposed to know about how great direct TV is and what to buy

3- Eli Manning

He isn't even the QB with the last name Manning....still has a ways to catch up to his brothers level on the field and in commercial appearances

2- Ben Roethlisberger

Hasn't won a Super Bowl in 9 months......considering a Super Bowl hasn't been played since then I guess going 9 months isn't a bad thing

1-Tom Brady

That one episode of Family Guy where he couldn't deal with Peter Griffin's antics for an entire episode.......

NFL Week 6 Preview

Well....the weekend is here and time to look ahead to Sunday's action. Thankfully we have a better slate of games this week than last week. Anyways, let the games begin......

Tier I: Cheesehead Tier

Packers 2-2 vs. Lions 1-4

The Packers come out of their bye week and face their NFC North rival Lions. The Packers have had a couple weeks to recover from a rough Monday Night Loss against the Vikings. Hopefully, the offensive line bounces back and improves from their early season play. Honestly, I could see anything between a repeat of 6-10 and a NFC North title and a strong playoff run. The Packers have the talent but it comes down to whether or not Aaron Rodgers can be adequately protected.

The Lions while still a bad team, have moved in the right direction this year. I have some concern the Packers may look past this game but even with the Packers struggles, they are too talented of a team to lose to Detroit.

Packers 28 Lions 17

Tier II: Best Games of the Week

Giants 5-0 vs. Saints 4-0

Easily, the best game of the week. In this possible NFC Championship Game Preview, The Giants come in firing on all cylinders after beating the UFL-Caliber Oakland Raiders. The Saints are coming off a bye week and a win over the Jets where their defense stepped up.

This one is a close call but Drew Brees has been his unstoppable self and the Saints have improved enough on defense to beat anyone on any given Sunday.

Saints 35 Giants 28

Ravens 3-2 vs. Vikings 5-0

The Ravens are coming into an unexpectedly difficult part of their schedule as the teams they play in the next three weeks (Vikings, Broncos and Bengals) are a combined 14-1.

The Vikings have played much better as expected due to the quick start to Brett Favre's second un-retirement. Brett Favre is bound to have a clunker game sooner or later and the Ravens will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after being clipped by the Bengals. I think that bad game happens Sunday and the Ravens hand the Vikings their first loss.

Ravens 17 Vikings 10

Tier III: Worth at least checking out

Bears 3-1 vs. Falcons 3-1

A pretty compelling Sunday Night Match-up. Jay Cutler gets a chance to redeem himself from his glorious 4-interception Sunday Night game in Green Bay. He has been red hot since Week 1.

The Falcons have started '09 strong and coming off a complete decimation of a solid 49ers team. These teams are pretty evenly matched but the Falcons are playing at a higher level right now.

Falcons 31 Bears 21

Cardinals 2-2 vs. Seahawks 2-3

Winner of this game grabs second in the NFC West. If the Cards win, they will be tied for 1st, if the Seahawks win, they will be within 1/2 game of first [Niners are in a bye week].

The Cardinals won last week but in a an uninspiring way. They blew a 3-touchdown lead but pulled the game out in the end. The Hawks played over their heads and put on a clinic against the Jags.

This game could easily go either way. I'm not quite sold on the Cardinals as a playoff-caliber team and the Seahawks haven't been that great either. The Seahawks carry just enough momentum from last week to pull this game out.

Seahawks 28 Cardinals 24

Texans 2-3 vs. Bengals 4-1

Both of these teams were in close games last week but had varying results. As mentioned, the Texans comeback bad fell short against the Cardinals. The Bengals, found another way to win a game. Its crazy to think that the Bengals are one tipped pass away from being 5-0. On a talent basis, i'm not sold on the Bengals because well, they're the Bengals. On a team-oriented standpoint, i'm starting to come around a little bit as they've shown an ability to get points on the board when it matters the most. This trend continues next week.

Bengals 17 Texans 14 (OT)

Tier IV: Two Mediocre/Bad Teams = Close Games By Default

Panthers 1-3 vs. Buccaneers 0-5

The Panthers became the second bottom-dweller team to get their first win over the Redskins last week. The Buccaneers have played themselves further into irrelevancy by the week. Both of these teams are terrible but the Panthers are at a lower level of atrociousness.

Panthers 9 Buccaneers 3

Chiefs 0-5 vs. Redskins 2-3

The Chiefs have yet to win a game in the Matt Cassel era. The Chiefs have been so terrible that they lost to the Raiders......they're not even good enough to win in the UFL but I digress. The Redskins should be 4-1 since they have played the NFL equivalent to a cupcake schedule. Seriously, the off-field drama of when Jim Zorn is going to be fired is more interesting than the product that they put on the field. Even though the Redskins are going to play terrible on Sunday, they're playing a team that lost to the Raiders.

Redskins 13 Chiefs 7

Rams 0-5 vs. Jaguars 2-3

The Rams are another team that's done nothing newsworthy on the field but are getting more attention for whats going on off-field. The Jaguars are an inconsistent team with a coach that is probably not gonna last beyond the season. Still, they at least have some talent which is more than what can be said about the rams.

Jaguars 20 Rams 10

Tier V: The Lopsided Games

Browns 1-4 vs. Steelers 3-2

If there ever is a place for asterisks in the sports record book, it should be on the Browns win last week against the Steelers. It looks like another week of Derek Anderson for the Browns. Considering their back-up (but not as atrocious QB Brady Quinn has his house for sale and trade rumors surrounding him) it looks like its gonna be a long year for the Browns.

For Big Ben and the Steelers, this game is pretty much going to be a scrimmage.

Steelers 38 Browns 0

Jets 3-2 Bills 1-4

The Jets have struggled a bit the last couple weeks losing to New Orleans and losing to the Dolphins in the last-second. The Bills were on the losing end of one of THE worst regular season NFL games in recent memory.

The Jets may be struggling but they have one thing going for them, they are not the Bills.

Jets 31 Bills 3

Titans 0-5 vs. Patriots 3-2

Well, the wheels have completely fallen off the wagon for the Titans. When the season started, this looked like it was going to be a really good match-up. Then the '09 season started and the Titans lost games left and right. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Titans bounce back strong next year but for '09 their season is pretty much over.

The Patriots are coming off a tough OT loss to the Broncos. Still, i'm sold on the Pats as a legit play-off contender and they should bounce back strong on Sunday.

Patriots 24 Titans 7

Eagles 3-1 vs. Raiders 1-4

The Eagles are off to a strong start this year. Unlike the Redskins, they have been able to take advantage of the cupcakes in their schedule. The Raiders........well they might be good again....in 2023.

Its too early to tell if Philly is going to make a deep playoff run (they got blown out against their only tough opponent, New Orleans)..but they take care of business against the laughing stocks of the league.

Eagles 52 Raiders 10

NFL Week 5 Preview

Well, another week of Football is upon us and another weekend of exciting match-ups are on tap.

As usual the games are rated on a 5-tier system as follows:

Tier 1: Packers Game

Tier 2: Best Match-Ups of the Week

Tier 3: Worth at least checking out

Tier 4: Close games....but because both teams aren't good

Tier 5: Blowouts....one-sided snoozers

Tier 1: The Packers are on their bye week so off to the next tier

Tier 2:

Patriots 3-1 vs. Broncos 4-0

Hands down the game of the week. You have two teams fighting for AFC Supremacy. One team, New England that is looking to maintain their grip at the top of the AFC food pyramid. The Broncos are 4-0 and fighting for respect. I'm starting to come around on them as at least a playoff team but I still don't think they have the fire power to make a deep run. Still, I didn't expect them to be 4-0 and there still is plenty of time to prove skeptics like me wrong.

Also, this is the first match-up since between the teams since McDaniels left his gig as the Patriots Offensive Coordinator to take the Denver head coaching job. The Broncos will probably come out motivated due to this but probably not enough to win.

Pats 24 Broncos 17

Bengals 3-1 vs. Ravens 3-1

An unexpected battle for AFC North supremacy. The Ravens will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after getting their first loss to the Pats. So far, they look to be one of the better teams in the league.

The Bengals keep finding ways to win games, even if it doesn't look pretty. The 3-1 record looks nice but considering they barely beat an atrocious Cleveland team...I don't see them squeezing their way to another win on Sunday.

Bengals 28 Bengals 17

Tier 3:

Jets 3-1 vs. Dolphins 1-3

Not the best Monday Night match-up. The Jets are coming off their first loss of the season and it should be interesting to see how Mark Sanchez bounces back after his first encounter with adversity.

The Dolphins have struggled this year and stuck with Chad Henne at QB. Still, they played strong against a good Indy team on Monday night already and I have a hunch they'll play over their heads a little bit for the ESPN crowd.

Jets 21 Dolphins 14

Falcons 2-1 vs. 49ers 3-1

A solid battle between former NFC West rivals. The Falcons are coming off their bye week as Matt Ryan looks to follow-up on his solid rookie year.

The 49ers see themselves as legit division contenders for the first time. They have wiped themselves clean of the Mike Nolan era and looked to turn around under Mike Singletary. The defense has looked strong, they had a great game last week in a game that was pretty much a lay-up.

49ers 17 Falcons 3

Jaguars 2-2 vs. Seahawks 1-3

As recently as a couple weeks ago, I thought the Jaguars would be playing for nothing more than a high draft pick. Those wins have come against a mediocre Houston team and an unlucky Titans team. Even though they have a chance to rack up their third straight win, i'm still not sold on them.

The Seahawks look to be going nowhere and are in a deeper hole. Theoretically, they could get back in it since they play in a weak NFC West. It probably won't happen but they'll probably pull out the victory here

Seahawks 27 Jaguars 14

Texans 2-2 vs. Cardinals 1-2

The Texans seem to be stuck in a constant loop where they hover around the .500 mark.

The Cardinals have lost that fire that got them to the Super Bowl. They appear headed to honor the tradition of many recent Super Bowl runner-ups by failing to make the playoffs.

Texans 35 Cardinals 24

Tier 4:

Steelers 2-2 vs. Lions 1-3

The defending champion Steelers have come out not as strong as expected.

The Lions while still terrible, seem to have improved after their first Matt Millen-free offseason. On an unrelated note, Matt Millen's body of work in Detroit makes it impossible for me to take anything he says as an announcer/analyst seriously since his ineptness made this team so terrible I had to force myself to even mildly dislike this NFC North rival.

Steelers 31 Lions 20

Buccaneers 0-4 vs. Eagles 2-1

The Buccaneers have crashed hard this year. They haven't looked this bad since around the early-90s. Firing Jon Gruden doesn't exactly look too smart in hindsight.

The Eagles are a team in flux. Things are in transition and they are still figuring out how (and if) they'll utilize Vick. Still with Tampa Bay in disarray the Eagles win this easily.

Eagles 14 Buccaneers 0

Redskins 2-2 vs. Panthers 0-3

The Redskins are not as good as their mediocre record indicates. They've had one tough game against the Giants and three straight weeks of bottom feeders. They'll likely finish in the bottom of the NFC East but they'll at least get above .500 first.

The Panthers seem to have carried over the negative momentum from last year's NFC Wild Card loss and seem to be headed nowhere. There is a faint hope for them cause c'mon....the Lions beat them and the Rams almost did so as well.....but it looks like they'll be sharing the bottom of the NFC South with Tampa Bay.

Redskins 10 Panthers 7

Cowboys 2-2 vs. Chiefs 0-4

It looks like Tony Romo's failure to come through in the clutch is popping its ugly head a couple months early this year.

The Chiefs seem to have gotten worse since firing Herm "You Play to win the Game" Edwards. So far, the Chiefs have failed to take heed of this advice.

Cowboys 24 Chiefs 10

Tier 5:

Colts 4-0 vs. Titans 0-4

At the beginning of the season, this looked like it was going to be the game of the week. The Colts have done their part cruising to a 4-0 start behind another excellent season from Peyton Manning.

The Titans on the other hand have unraveled very quickly. The first few weeks, it looked like they were just unlucky as they were losing close games. However, with last weeks unraveling against a weak Jacksonville team they are likely to be in a 0-5 hole after this weekend.

Colts 35 Titans 14

Vikings 4-0 vs. Rams 0-4

I've said whats been needed to be said about the Vikings. They're 4-0 and i'm not too crazy about this harsh reality.

The Rams.....well they're the Rams...they've made news more for off-field events (Rush Limbaugh considering buying the team) more than anything they've done on the field (absolutely nothing).

Vikings 38 Rams 7

Raiders 1-3 vs. Giants 4-0

Like the Rams, the main Raiders headlines have been off-field related. It looks like Tom Cable is close to losing his job AND proceeding directly to Napa County Jail without passing go and collecting a couple of bills.

The Giants seem to be rolling to another strong season. The Raiders pose absolutely zero challenge to the Giants.

Giants 49 Raiders 0

Browns 0-4 vs. Bills 1-3

The Browns gained themselves a moral victory last week by coming within second of tying the Bengals.

The Bills acquisition of T.O. to fire up the offense hasn't gone as planned. The Bills are headed to another non-playoff year but they'll walk all over the Browns.

Bills 31 Browns 14