The Crystal Ball 2011 The Wildcards

Wait a minute, last week was the end of the regular season? Good gravy where did it all go? Just like every season the end comes all too soon. For the lazy couch potato fan it comes too soon, for teams that have had horrible seasons and injured, battered players, it could not have come soon enough. But we’re not done here; oh no we’re just getting started. And with the playoffs starting and the season ending, this week it’s packed full so strap in because the ride is about to get really good.

Opening Kickoff

Last weekend I did experience what it's like to be a Bengal fan; go into the game with high expectations only to have them predictably dashed against the rocks of failure. The triumph of hope over experience is the cornerstone of being a Bungle fan. No wonder they didn't want to come out to the stadium all season, they didn't want to pay to watch the other shoe drop.

The Way It Was

Considering that the NFL will now promptly ignore the 20 teams not involved in the playoffs, this segment is almost inconsequential. But hey, who likes to follow the lead the NFL demands?

I think the job of quarterback of the Houston Texans has surpassed crab fisherman as the most dangerous job in the world. Schaub, Leinart and Yates all nod solemnly in unison.

Drew Brees extended his single season yardage record and set a new record for 13 games of 300+ yardage a season while Darren Sproles set the NFL single season record for all purpose yardage. Yeesh, does this team just pick out unattainable records before each season and gun to break them?

Woof, the Patriots really piled it on poor Buffalo. The Bills raced out to a 21 point lead early, but like a microcosm of their season, couldn’t sustain that pace and ultimately succumbed to an overwhelming onslaught. What a shame. Maybe next year Bills fans, maybe.

Drew Brees piled it on two with five touchdowns. Not sure why he was in the game, perhaps he just wanted to make a point when it comes to MVP voting.

Wow, look at Matt Flynn! Who would have thought he has the Rodgers touch? Well congratulations Mr. Flynn, you’re about to get paid by some crappy quarterback needy team this offseason!

How long before some chucklehead starts saying Rodgers is not that good and it’s just the Packers system? What? It already started? Figures.

Is it just me, or did it seem like Cincinnati and Denver both went, eh, we don’t have to try, we’re pretty sure Oakland will screw up and we’ll make the playoffs anyway? While that is was a reasonable, and correct, assumption it was still horrid performances by teams who only had to win a football game to make the playoffs.

So much for Tebow Time which failed miserably in the jilted quarterback revenge bowl. Has Tebow Time been retired for the season? Well, it has been now, as far as I’m concerned.

Kyle Orton will have his revenge, in this season or the next. Turns out, it was this season. Now where does Kyle go? You think he’ll be a happy backup to Matt Cassel? Perhaps it’s time to try the NFC again; I hear Arizona is nice this time of year.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Eli is the best Manning in football.

What a great season for San Francisco. But let’s not forget one important point. In their playoff warm up, they came 2 seconds and an eyelash from losing to the Rams. So, how strong do you feel about them in two weeks if they have to play catch up against a more powerful offense?

Cardinals’ receiver Larry Fitzgerald was coughing up blood on the sidelines and may have been playing with a punctured lung. And to think he was putting out such effort for the going nowhere Cardinals. That man needs a better team.

The Steel Pit

Steelers 13 – Browns 9

Why is it that every time Pittsburgh plays Cleveland, they win the game but lose the war of attrition? Yet another win over the Browns, but another grocery list of injuries, and this time the injuries may impact Pittsburgh’s playoff chances. Attention league schedulers, can we have a less damaging division game next year to end the season? Such a thing doesn’t exist in the AFC North? Well it was worth a shot.

The Browns took their pound of flesh out on the Steelers, and the results were not pretty. Roethlisberger aggravated his high ankle sprain, but will play against Denver. However something tells me he’ll be as mobile as C-3PO caught in quicksand. Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL and is out for the season. Cortez Allen separated his shoulder and is out for at least this week, most likely longer. Brett Keisel strained his groin and barely practiced this week, although he is slated to play. Couple those injuries with a still hobbled LaMarr Woodley and Doug Legursky and his questionable shoulder, and suddenly the playoffs look far more daunting than they did a month ago.

Plus, then there’s Ryan Clark, who will sit out the game due to the Sickle Cell Trait he carries that has previously caused a life threatening situation for Clark the last time he played in Denver. Head coach Mike Tomlin decided to err on the side of caution and told Clark early in the week he will not play. I agree with Tomlin, it’s the correct call. It is an important game and all hands are needed on deck, but at what cost should players play? I am in Tomlin’s camp that Clark takes a break and we let Ryan Mundy show what he can do. While playoffs are important, a life far outweighs a few tackles.

On top of this, Maurkice Pouncey also re-aggravated his high ankle sprain and will not play against Denver. But for this I have a solution. Pouncey has an identical twin brother, let me repeat that, identical twin brother, who plays center in the NFL. This brother, Mike, currently plays for a team that has concluded their season and he has a lot of time on his hands and better health. I think Mike and Maurkice need to play a game of The Parent Trap on the NFL. There, problem at center is solved. Hey it could work! It worked for Hayley Mills and Lindsay Lohan.

As a side note, our best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to running back coach Kirby Wilson. Wilson was burned badly in a fire at his home early Friday morning, and remains hospitalized with burns over a significant portion of his body. Mercifully, the reports are that the burns, while bad, are not life threatening and all of us in Steeler Nation couldn’t be happier to hear that news in the face of such a horrible accident. We here echo the sentiments of the Steeler organization that our prayers are with Wilson in his difficult time.

Ward Watch - He did it! 1000 receptions! Yes the final one came on a catch for a 3 yard loss, and it took all 16 games to make it happen, but who cares! The team showed how much Hines matters them by making sure he got that record. Hines Ward is now only the 8^th receiver in NFL history with 1000 catches. Couple that with 12,000 + yards receiving; a Super Bowl MVP and two (so far) Super Bowl rings, try to tell me that’s not a Hall of Famer! Who knows what may happen after this season, but right now, I’m celebrating a monumental accomplishment in a tremendous career. For those who would like to indulge more, here’s a great article about Hines and this milestone.

Only In Faux NFL Reality…

SI.com’s Peter King went out of his way to give historical evidence that teams do not purposely lose just to get a better draft position. Oh Peter, you’re so naïve and innocent, it’s sweet. Apparently, Mr. King has never watched the NBA.

And speaking of the NFL draft, here’s the initial draft order for 2012. Looks like the Rams are in the sweetest spot, sitting at number 2 and not in need of a quarterback. Hello massive bargaining chip!

For those of you with no more 2011 season, as the saying goes there’s always next year. The NFL has released the matchups for 2012. I’m thinking that Steeler game at Cowboys Stadium is looking mighty exciting.

Look, Bill Maher found a way to keep his name in the press! I wonder how famous he’d be if he actually contributed to society or entertainment in a meaningful way, or even did anything interesting other than complaining. I find it fascinating how someone who cannot stand Tebow is so obsessed with him. Bill, if you really hated Tebow, you’d just ignore him until he goes away. Wait, why am I sticking up for Tebow less than two days before he takes on Pittsburgh? Yikes I need a smack upside the head!

Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs also does not like him some Tim Tebow, as he inexplicably blasted the Broncos quarterback. How strange, since you would think he would be rooting for Tebow this weekend to possibly upset Pittsburgh, and eliminate the chance Pittsburgh would face the Ravens in the playoffs, again, and beat them, again, and end Baltimore’s season in abject failure……again.

Bills receiver Stevie Johnson caught a touchdown, flashed his undershirt on which he had a Happy New Year message scrawled, drew a celebration flag and was promptly benched for the remainder of the game. What a lovely diva receiver he’s becoming.

Packers’ linebacker Brad Jones tackled a fan trying to get onto the field during the Packers home finale. That reminded me of when James Harrison body slammed a Browns fan trying to get onto the field. Oddly enough, Roger Goodell did not fine Harrison for that hit.

During one of his paternity suit trials, yikes what a loaded statement that is, Terrell Owens had to hear the judge suggest his NFL career was over. Was anyone surprised by this statement other than T.O.?

Former Bears receiver Sam Hurd has been indicted on federal drug charges for attempting to purchase and distribute marijuana and cocaine. It would seem Hurd made a tactical error in planning for his post career vocation.

Ok, let’s get to it, the colossal disintegration and subsequent implosion of the 2011 New York Jets.

After their 3-game collapse eliminated them from the playoffs, which was capped by a regular season finale loss to lowly Miami, players started turning on each other and jumping ship faster than rats off a sinking barge. First came news that Santonio Holmes, the “captain” for the final game against Miami, quit on the team and was benched at the end of the game after fighting with teammates in the huddle, which was a culmination of his fighting with Sanchez during the week.

That was just the beginning of the reality show drama, as Bart Scott lashed at reporters as he left the locker room when they asked him about his questionable future with the team. Rex Ryan stated the offensive coaching staff would be revamped, a rookie quarterback blasted his own teammates despite the fact he has no guaranteed job and Ryan cried at the final team meeting, which I imagine was to squeeze the last bit of media attention out of this lost season. And finally, someone stated what I’ve said for three seasons now; Mark Sanchez is not a good quarterback. I never thought that would happen! Now, to all head coach desperate teams out there, how good do you feel about Rex’s identical twin Rob today, considering how fast his brother’s turned the Jets into a steaming pile?

Upon Further Review

Penn State hired their first head coach in almost 50 years. There's a sentence many never thought they would hear. Penn State decided to go outside the Nittany Lion family and get a fresh start to separate them from the horrific scandal embroiling the team and university. A wise move I would say. The university needed a clean break from the Joe Paterno era, and from any connection to the Sandusky scandal if they ever hope to recover and heal. A new coach from outside the program that will bring in all new blood will provide the fresh start the program and the university desperately needs right now, whether people want to face up to that reality or not.

New Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien has a daunting task for his first head coaching job. He must now be prepared to handle the criticism of alumni, donors, former team members, the general public, college football talking heads and everyone else while convincing recruits Penn State is still a national power, rebuild a battered program, change the culture inside a damaged program while steering the football team of a Big Ten school, which is one of the most famous and renowned universities in America. It is nothing short of the job of a Fortune 500 chief executive officer. And considering how some former players have been behaving, it will be a tough road to hoe right from the start.

I had hoped Penn State would find a coach with some head coaching experience, which would help with the transition and help the coach himself keep on task doing the typical coaching work while dealing with the distractions that will swirl around the team for a long time. But the Penn State search committee felt strongly about O'Brien and he will now get an opportunity that no one has had since the 1960s, be the head football coach at Penn State.

Perhaps Bill O'Brien has what it takes to turn things around, only time will tell and I personally wish him luck. The program and university needed fresh blood and a new perspective, even before the scandal hit. So far, it would seem that O'Brien is doing and saying the right things, and hey, sometimes just starting a new venture on the right foot is enough to get the ball of success rolling.

In the mean time, how about everyone who's all fired up about O'Brien's appointment just relax for the time being and give the man a chance? His job is going to be hard enough without having a bunch of PSU loyalists blasting him because he's not Joe Paterno and not a Penn State guy. Joe is no longer an active part of Penn State, and it's time to let him go. If we welcome O'Brien in, he will be a Penn State guy and a member of the Penn State family. Remember everyone, it goes WE are Penn State. There's always room for more people in that We.

Saddle Up!

Strap on your spurs kiddies, It’s time once again to pick your playoff horse. Sad your team did not make the playoffs? Lost about whom to root for over the next few weeks? Wondering who you can get behind in the big games when your team is sitting at home eating Fritos? Then you’ve come to the right place as we will help you pick your playoff horse.

I know, those new to The Crystal Ball are asking yourself what the deuce is a playoff horse? A playoff horse is merely your temporary team for whom to root during the playoffs if your boys are sitting home in January. Unsure how to pick a playoff horse? Then rest easy, since your friends here at The Crystal Ball have you covered. Here is all you need to know as you go forth into the NFL post season with a temporary rooting interest.

1. Avoid teams from your division – This has too many incestuous ramifications, and could create bad karma for your team next year. Plus, if they won it all, would you really be able to live with yourself? Avoid division teams at all cost.
2. Avoid traditional rivalry teams – This is paramount, and can create as much bad karma as a division rival, and usually is a divisional rival. If you are a Raiders fan, you do not root for Denver ever. You would never see a Cowboys fans rooting for Philadelphia either. Plus, if you did that, wouldn’t you just feel sleazy, like you slept with your best friend’s girlfriend?
3. Avoid teams that beat up on your team – Sure, your team had a bad year, but why rub their noses in it by rooting for a team who tortured them.
4. Never buy any merchandise of your playoff horse – This is a very short term commitment, no need to invest any money in it. Plus, you could be labeled as a band wagon fan or even bring bad football karma to your team. You never want to split your true loyalties. And, if any of your family or friends who know nothing about football sees this merchandise, it could lead them to believe this is your favorite team and the next thing you know you find Seattle Seahawks Salt and Pepper shakers under your tree next Christmas. Always a bad thing.
5. Look for teams that did not play yours - This makes it easier to cheer for your playoff horse, since you cannot create bad karma or look like a band wagon fan. Plus, you will not be reminded of when they played your team this season, which could be a bad memory.
6. Try to find a positive connection to your favorite team – Does your playoff horse play in the same state as your team? That works. Are their former players from your team on their roster? Probably, so why not root for those guys, you liked them at one point in their careers. Do you have a friend who is a big fan of a team? Go with his or her team.
7. Look for the sleeper – This is a great one, since if you pick the right team, and they go all the way, you look like a genius. And if they lose, well, you have lost nothing. There is always one team lurking and ready to pounce; the only question is if they could go all the way. Maybe they just need some extra cheer.
8. Pick one team from each conference – Always have two, it increases your odds for making it through the playoffs. Plus, if they both happen to make it to the big game, then you look like an uber genius. On the off chance this should happen, switch all support to the team representing your conference. It’s always good for your real team to be in the more powerful, and Super Bowl laden conference. Trust me, the 80’s and 90’s were rough on us AFC folks.
9. You must pick your horses before the playoffs begin – Yes, I know, this only gives you a week to mourn your season’s end and then find someone to root for, even if it’s only half heartedly. But you cannot cheat by peeking at Wild Card weekend and seeing who might really have a shot.
10. If your horses lose before the Super Bowl, you are done – Just like if your own team were eliminated from the playoffs, so too go your temporary allegiances.  After that, you can only pick winners for each game. Well, if you have a few bucks on the game, then cheer away. But if not, then just watch as an objective party. Now, if you want to root still, my advice is to root against the teams you cannot stand. If you are any true fan, I’m sure there will be more than a few of those around, even when there are only two remaining combatants.

Remember, this is only for the short term and just for a little fun. You are just rooting for a team so you can create a little vested interest in the playoffs. After the team is done, or the playoffs end, so does your support for your playoff horse. Any cheering for them after that means you are either gleaming off of their success and that would compromise your own team, or you are a band wagon fan, and that would really hurt your team and your credibility. You never want to do anything that would compromise your true allegiances. With that in mind, go out there and find your playoff horse, have a blast and good luck!

Duck Duck Coach

Buffalo – The Bills canned their defensive coordinator and promoted Dave Wannstedt to the role. Considering how much of a mess the Pitt head coaching job has been since this time last year, something tells me Wannstedt is feeling pretty good today.

Chicago – The Bears parted ways with longtime general manager Jerry Angelo and offensive coordinator Mike Martz resigned. I wonder where Martz will land next for 2-3 seasons before getting into a tiff no one has hired him yet to be a head coach. Be careful Cam Newton, he may be coming to a town near you.

Indianapolis – After failing to draft and train a proper backup for Peyton Manning, the team fired Bill Polian and son, while the job of the coaching staff remains in question. Ok, I get tossing the Polians, especially since Chris was cover your eyes awful at building a team. But how can, at least for the moment, Jim Caldwell escape blame for this disaster?

Jacksonville – No word yet on the replacement for the immortal Jack Del Rio, although I know the world waits with trembling anticipation as to who will take the post.

Kansas City – The team seems to be leaning toward installing Romeo Crennel as the permanent head coach. Cleveland fans are frantically calling anyone they know in KC to warn them of the impending disaster.

Miami – The Dolphins have been heavily courting current big name coaching free agent Jeff Fisher, but they have competition on that front. So most likely, they’ll end up with some scrub and continue on their path to mediocrity.

Oakland – Hue Jackson in his continued effort to spread the blame for another failed season and distract everyone from his horrific trade for Carson Palmer that will hamstring the Raiders and their ability to add talent for years by firing his defensive coordinator. That should buy him another season at the helm, maybe two. But something tells me his absolute power he gained in the wake of Al Davis’ passing will soon come to a drama filled end.

Philadelphia – Despite conjecture otherwise, Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles are sticking with Andy Reid. The dream truly is still alive.

San Diego – Inexplicably, the Chargers are retaining both Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith. Owner Dean Spanos claimed this move was based on stability. And while I am well aware of how well stability can create a successful franchise, (see Steelers, Pittsburgh head coaches 1969-2011), Turner and Smith have not earned that level of commitment. Over the past five years of their stewardship, the franchise has experiences a reduction of wins each season and a lowering of success in the playoffs, culminating in a mediocre 8-8 record and no playoff appearance this season. Next season, I’m predicting a 6-10 record and perhaps that will finally wake Spanos from his lethargy.

St. Louis – To the surprise of no one, the team fired Steve Spagnuolo, who will now find himself a much in demand defensive coordinator. As for the team, they are also heavily courting Jeff Fisher. I’m actually rooting for this connection, since I think with the resources and building blocks the Rams have, this could be a successful combination.

Tampa Bay – The team relieved Raheem Morris of his head coaching duties, putting a merciful end to the overmatched head coach’s nightmare season.

He Said He Said

"It didn't matter, the minus-three yards. It was the happiest minus catch that I ever had." – Steelers receiver Hines Ward on his 1,000^th career catch

It was the best minus catch I’ve ever seen.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever been around extremely selfish individuals. There were people within our locker room that didn’t care whether we won or lost as long as they ... had good games individually.’’ – Jets rookie quarterback Greg McElroy on the dysfunctional New York Jets

Wow, when the rookie 4^th string quarterback feels comfortable blasting the team in the media, you know that locker room is out of control.

“Do Goodell and money-grubbing owners still want to see an 18-game season and justify it in the name of fan interest? Look around, Roger. Behold the battered bodies. To subject these men to more punishment would not only represent the height of hypocrisy, irresponsibility and greed, it also would be borderline criminal. Give it up.” – Pittsburgh Tribune Review sportswriter Joe Starkey

Memo to Mr. Starkey: I think it’s painfully obvious that Goodell is only interested in player safety and health as far as public opinion of the league, and continued advertising dollars, are concerned. Although it still boggles my mind that we haven’t even put the first post lockout season to bed and already we’re back on this 18 game schedule nonsense. Roger, have you seen the ratings in the Midwest without Peyton Manning this year?

"Now, you've got to understand. I came from North Dakota. Here I am in the Vikings locker room. That was the team. Randy Moss to the left of me, Cris Carter to the right, John Randle across the locker room. I'm like, 'Holy crap! What planet am I on? What am I doing here?' But soon you realize how everyone's got a job to do, and if you do your job, you belong.'' – retiring Vikings offensive lineman Jim Kleinsasser

Here’s to a great second career as Kleinsasser rides off into the NFL sunset. He was meant to be a lineman in the NFL. His name just sounds like one that was meant to be said in the smooth bass voice of John Facenda in NFL Films presentations of days gone by. Read this sentence and imagine Facenda saying it: “When Kleinsasser cleared a path for Peterson, devastation rolled in his wake.” See?

"I'll tell you what. It's tough for guys to follow a captain that kind of behaves in that manner." - Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson, on Santonio Holmes

Look, I think we all realized Ryan’s team was overrated, but who would have guessed they turned to such a hot mess so fast?

"I'm really disappointed. I know these fans are passionate about their Browns, but when you hear fans cheer when a guy goes down, that's disappointing. I don't care who it is or if you really hate that team." – Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Browns fans cheering when Rashard Mendenhall was injured during the game.

You stay classy, Cleveland.

"That boy be praying on the sidelines, boy. I don’t feel comfortable [if] I’ve got to pray every fourth quarter like, ‘Oh my God, please come save me again.’ Let’s just go out there and win the game.” – Terrell Suggs on Tim Tebow

Yeah, something tells me in a week or two, that’s the exact prayer Suggs is going to be saying when once again, the Ravens cannot beat Pittsburgh when it matters most. Or at least I’m hoping so.

"Hey, I'm just trying not to get 'Tebowed’.” – Steelers linebacker James Harrison on the Broncos match up.

How much you wanna bet if the game gets out of hand Harrison ‘Tebows’ after a sack?

Idiot of the Week

Oh my goodness, such a cornucopia of idiots to chose from in the final week of the season. Whom should we honor with this hallowed award?

How about Rex Ryan? He boasted before the season that the Jets would win the Super Bowl this year, and then managed to lose control of the team to such an extent that not only did they not win the Super Bowl, but they missed the playoffs and finished with a non winning record. Yeah, that’s good, but Rex will undoubtedly find a way to win this award in the near future so we’ll wait until he really does something special.

Perhaps we could go with Jets receiver Santonio Holmes? He caused locker room drama and division and managed to quit on his team during the last game of the season when they still had a chance to make the playoffs. Those are pretty strong credentials as well. But if anything, all Santonio really did was make fools of all the sportswriters who openly questioned the wisdom of the Steelers when they traded him for 10 cents on the dollar to the Jets two years ago. Tell me how smart Pittsburgh looks for getting rid of Holmes before he melted down now?

Maybe we can find a winner in Raiders head coach Hue Jackson, who took the time after Oakland’s end of the season collapse to throw his entire coaching staff and his team under the bus for finishing a pedestrian 8-8 and missing the playoffs. Yeah, that sounds like a winner, but that’s not being an idiot. That’s being a jackass who’s using the media to change perceptions regarding responsibility for another lost season in Oakland while trying to save his own job and solidify his questionable powerbase in a franchise that will now have some seismic shifts in the power and authority structure. Nice try, Hue but some of us see through your lame subterfuge.

No, this week, I’ll give the honor to all jagoff Patriot fans. New England went into Week 17 with a 12-3 record and had won their division and locked down at least a first round bye. By any estimation, they had a successful season despite having a defense with more holes than a colander. They had little to play for other than the number one seed, and could be forgiven at this point if they dropped a semi-meaningless game. Yet when they went down 21-0 against division rivals Buffalo, the home crowd booed the Patriots. Yes, the home crowd filled with Mass-holes booed their division winning; playoff bound team for falling behind to a crappy team in a meaningless game. Oh sure, the “fans” cheered when their team scored 49 unanswered points, but before they started such a torrent in scoring, they booed their successful, winning team.

I have commented previously that Boston fans are spoiled and entitled, but this just tops the cake. Your team has won this season despite fielding a defense that should have relegated the team as one of the worst in the league. They have been one of the top teams, and Super Bowl favorites, for a decade now. They have won three Super Bowls in the last 11 years. And yet when your team falls behind to a crappy team in one game that will most likely be forgotten past this season, you boo lustily because they’re not stepping on their throats?

So to all Patriot fans, and especially those in Gillette Stadium on January 1^st 2012, for being a bunch of short sighted, short memoried, entitled, spoiled, enabled, selfish pains in the ass with no appreciation for the bounty of success you have been granted that the rest of us in sports fandom have had to endure for over a decade now with no relief in sight, you are all idiots.

On Tap This Week

We had one more chance to make an impact in the polls, so what happened?

Last week: 13-3

Season to Date: 170-87

Hey not a bad finish. Next week, we’ll stack up our season next to all of the football analyst “experts”. That should be fun!

But now is when the games really count. Precisely, the count is 11; only 11 more games remain in the 2011 season. Well, 12 if you count the Pro Bowl, which only a few do, and 13 if you count the Super Bust, which I most certainly do. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s take it one round of the playoffs at a time.

Sitting at home, still celebrating their regular season Super Bowl wins….

Baltimore

Green Bay

New England

San Francisco

Saturday

Cincinnati (9-7) at Houston (10-6)

This may be the one game with the most question marks around it. Do you go with the home team, who is operating on its third string quarterback and one bad hit away from starting the Jake Delhomme era in Houston? Or do you go with a Bungle team who has only beat one team with a winning record all season, playing on the road with a rookie quarterback who spent a day in the hospital this week due to illness going against a team whose fan base have been craving a playoff game and the post season atmosphere since 1993? Well the Bungles jobbed me this week, so I imagine they’ll be lying in wait to do it again.

Texans over Bengals

Detroit (10-6) at New Orleans (13-3)

Ummm, I will admit I like Detroit and they have a great story. But come on, they’re not winning this game. You gotta lose in the playoffs first; get that bitter taste of defeat before you can succeed in the post season.

Saints over Lions

Sunday

Atlanta (10-6) at New York Giants (9-7)

The dynamic duo of Mike Smith and Matt Ryan despite their tremendous regular season success, have yet to win a playoff game together. Why start now?

Giants over Falcons

Pittsburgh (12-4) at Denver (8-8)

Ok, we covered the injury issue above. And if you want to stack the deck more against Pittsburgh, or in favor of a Denver upset, think of Warren Sapp’s big talk about the defense being old, over and done. Honestly, this game scares me more than it should, because the conditions are perfectly ripe for a Bronco upset which is entirely possible.

But my spirit is buoyed by Myron Cope with a Christmas carol written specifically for beating the Broncos. Yes, this is terribly dated, but it’s Myron at his spastic best. Trust me, this is classic gold. If you don’t get it, don’t worry. You kind of have to be a longtime Steeler fan to truly appreciate the beauty of Myron.

Steelers over Broncos