Best Job in the NFL?

Has to be new Lions head coach Jim Schwartz. Think about it:

- He cannot do worse than Rod Marinelli did in 2008.
- The Lions have a slew of draft picks in the first 3 rounds (5 I think?).
- He has a virtual carte blanche to do whatever he wants with whoever he wants.
- No Matt Millen.
- Calvin Johnson is a dominant wide receiver no matter who the Lions draft at quarterback.
- They play in a weak division.
- Expectations are low after 50 years of being in the NFL's basement. A winning season would be just as good as a Super Bowl victory for Detroit.
- Starting cap space of somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 million depending on who they release/retain.

So yeah, having Tom Brady....err, Matt Cassel would be better, but realistically it's a pretty good situation. We'll see if it's still a good situation in late December.

NFC Wildcard: Cardinals-Falcons (Live)

Miles and I will be bringing live updates and opinions on the Cardinals-Falcons game. Everyone seems to have counted the Cardinals out, but as long as they can throw the ball they've got a good shot. They're in a dome, so why can't they beat the Falcons?

4:38: Pretty pitiful start for the Cardinals, who follow a sloppy kickoff return with a 3 and out.
4:42: Matt Ryan makes a terrible pass which is intercepted. We have yet to see a first down in two drives. Weren't we expecting at least 10 points by now?
4:47: After three straight rushes by Edgerrin James (um, is this 2004?), the Cardinals just bombed it 42 yards on a flea flicker to Larry Fitzgerald who out-leaped two Falcons' defenders. If the Falcons can't stop Edge and let Kurt Warner set up play action, this is going to be a blowout.
4:54: The Falcons finally got their first first down, and an interesting matchup will be Pro Bowl-bound Roddy White against rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. In other news, Michael Turner is getting stuffed so far.
5:03: A surprisingly balanced attack from the Cardinals so far, with 5 rushes and 5 passes.
5:09: The Falcons offensive line is looking just awful. Michael Turner has no running lanes, and Matt Ryan has been sacked twice so far in the first quarter.
5:11: Warner throws 2 straight passes that probably should've been intercepted. Both team's offensive lines have been terrible. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the NFC!
5:26: Falcons are finally on the board with a field goal after a good-looking drive.
5:31: Just as the commentators were talking about how Anquan Boldin was averaging around 6 yards after the catch, he turns an 8-yard Kurt Warner check down into a 71-yard touchdown. Lawyer Milloy had a chance to tackle Boldin near the sideline, but pulled a Roy Williams (safety) and whiffed. Rackers drills the extra point and the Cardinals are up 14-3.
5:37: Roddy White drops a wide-open pass. I thought the Falcons' receiver woes left with Michael Vick. Apparently not.
5:45: Finally the Falcons offense shows signs of life, as Ryan methodically leads the offense down the field and Turner caps off the drive with a 7-yard TD run. Cardinals' lead is down to 4.
6:00: Halftime. Why is Matt Millen on NBC? Sigh. The game break actually helps the Cardinals more at this point, as the Falcons had built up some nice momentum and currently have a 3-point lead on a 2-yard pass to Justin Peele.
6:16: Halftime ends with a Jerious Norwood 26-yard kickoff return. On the first play, Michael Turner had the ball stripped by Darnell Dockett and it landed right into Antrelle Rolle's hands, who took it to the end zone. Cardinals lead again 21-17 after an exciting Neil Rackers point after.
6:26: The Falcons' drive after the turnover has been a disaster; a run for a short loss, a first-down pass negated by a holding penalty, a false start, and a deep pass incomplete. On the resulting punt, Steve Breaston was hit after calling for a fair catch to give the Cardinals' another 15 yards in field position.
6:32: Pathetic looking drive from the Cardinals, who ran once for 5 yards and then threw two incompletions (both to Larry Fitzgerald), one of which should have been a defensive holding penalty. Neil Rackers then missed a 51-yard field goal.
6:46: After trading possessions, the Cardinals just dominated the Falcons on a methodical 14-play, 76-yard drive finished off by a Tim Hightower run that resembled Michael Turner's walk into the end zone in the second quarter. The Cardinals converted four third downs and extend their lead 28-17.
6:50: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie just made a great pick over Roddy White. The Falcons tried an up-and-out and Matt Ryan held it for about a half-second too long. Considering the ease at which the Cardinals are moving the ball, one more score by them could put this game away.
6:55: End of the 3rd quarter, Falcons ball.
7:06: After a confusing holding penalty against the Falcons on a Cardinals punt, Matt Ryan held the ball way too long in his own end zone and the Cardinals capitalized with a safety. Cardinals 30, Falcons 17.
7:20: The Falcons have the ball with about 7 minutes left and Matt Ryan just played with fire and almost threw a pick to Roderick Hood. On 4th and 6 Jerious Norwood took a little dump off in the flat for 30 yards.
7:24: Roddy White just scored a touchdown on a short pass to the right. Cardinals 30, Atlanta 24.
7:30: Huge catches by Larry Fitzgerald (15 yards) and Steve Breaston (25 yards) have put the Falcons' playoff hopes in severe jeopardy.
7:32: And right after Breaston's big game, John Abraham blew up a stupid reverse and tackled him for a loss of 8. A 22-yard completion to tight end Stephen Spach takes us to the 2-minute warning.
7:37: Since the Falcons burned all their time outs before the two minute warning the Cardinals will kneel it to advance in the NFC.

The Expectations Power Rankings, 2007-2008 32-17

Every year teams go into the season with baggage- a Super Bowl victory or defeat, major offseason acquisitions or releases, a history of being horrible, or perennial underachievers. While it's true that win differential doesn't tell the whole story- the Patriots couldn't be expected to repeat their perfect regular season, nor could anyone have reasonably expected the Lions to lose every game in 2008 (or could they?)- it provides a unique look at the league's booms and busts. Context means everything for teams like the Chargers and the Cowboys, while the same weaknesses that plagued the Bills and the Texans in 2007 helped them to a repeat performance in 2008. Here's the list with commentary starting with the largest negative differential to the largest positive differential. In cases of ties, the team that had more wins in 2007 got the lower ranking on the negative side while the team that had less wins in 2007 got the lower ranking on the positive side.

32. [-7] Green Bay Packers (2007: 13-3, 2008: 6-10) - It is genuinely difficult to pin down the root causes of the 2008 Packers' ineptitude. Some people might point to the Brett Favre saga/trade installing Aaron Rodgers as the franchise quarterback. That doesn't fly very far when you look at Rodgers' numbers (4038 yards, 28 TDs, 13 interceptions) compared to Favre's (3472 yards, 22 TDs, 22 interceptions). Ryan Grant's slow start might have played a part, but the Packers were doing well in the first half of the season. The defense certainly played a part, but outside of a couple games (New Orleans, Carolina) they were averaging around 18-20 points per game which isn't terrible. So I guess the only thing we can say is that it was a team effort.

31. [-7] Detroit Lions (2007: 7-9, 2008: 0-16) - You'd think that teams with more to lose might stand a better chance to make #31 on this list, but the 2008 Detroit Lions' season was epic. Starting the season with Jon Kitna before placing him on IR in week 5 under suspect circumstances, Dan Orlovsky's casual romp out of the back of the end zone against the Vikings in week 6 (final score: 12-10), firing General Manager Matt Millen, and bringing in Daunte Culpepper back to the NFC North, the Lions managed to finish in the bottom 5 in almost every meaningful statistical category. The silver lining? Calvin Johnson is living up to his draft status, finishing the season with an exceptional 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns, tied for the league lead with Larry Fitzgerald. Head coach Rod Marinelli has been fired as the Lions begin the rebuilding process.

30. [-6] Jacksonville Jaguars (2007: 11-5, 2008: 5-11) - While most of the Jaguars' woes can be attributed to an incredible number of significant injuries on their offensive line, their problems went much deeper as the season went on. Their starting middle linebacker was benched for disagreeing with Jack Del Rio in a team meeting. Newly resigned David Garrard threw 15 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 2008 compared with 18 touchdowns and 3 interceptions last year. The defense couldn't muster a pass rush despite drafting Derrick Harvey 8th overall and Quentin Groves in the second round. Fred Taylor started complaining before getting hurt and placed on IR, possibly (and probably) ending his career. The playoff victory over the Steelers in 2007 is just a fond memory, and the Jaguars have some major issues to address in the offseason.

29. [-6] Cleveland Browns (2007: 10-6, 2008: 4-12) - The Browns' dismal 2008 showing has already drawn blood with the firing of GM Phil Savage and the firing of former head coach Romeo Crennel. Honestly I'm not sold on putting the blame on Savage- it's hard to win when the first three quarterbacks on the depth chart go on IR- but not scoring a touchdown in 6 straight games is amazing and goes straight back to the playcalling. Also in fairness to Savage, Brady Quinn did look like he could be successful before his injury. The Browns' easy 2007 Cinderella season came back to haunt them with a much more difficult schedule and the re-emergence of the Baltimore Ravens as a force in the NFC North. They have the talent to be successful, but key stars such as Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow are malcontents and it might leave the Browns better off if they found trade partners.

28. [-6] Seattle Seahawks (2007: 10-6, 2008: 4-12) - The main reason the Seahawks' were so pitiful on offense stems mainly from injury. Franchise quarterback Matt Hasselbeck missed the majority of the season with a back injury, and before that Seattle wide receivers were dropping like flies. When you end the season with your starting wide receivers being Koren Robinson and Courtney Taylor, you know you've hit rock bottom. Offseason acquisition Julius Jones predictably wasn't stellar, starting only 10 games and finishing the season with just under 700 yards and 2 touchdowns. Since the offense couldn't do anything, the defense spent the entire game on the field and as a result finished 25th in scoring and 30th yards allowed. Mike Holmgren's parting gift was, apparently, a top-5 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

27. [-5] New England Patriots (2007: 16-0, 2008: 11-5) - Losing Tom Brady in week 1 (further proof that he sold his soul to the Devil last year) put a serious damper on the Patriots' plans to continue their domination of the AFC. Backup Matt Cassel had a slow start, but developed into a viable NFL starter and only just missed taking the Patriots into the playoffs. Since Cassel is in the final year of his contract and with all signs pointing to him earning a monster contract in the offseason, recent news of complications with Tom Brady's knee surgery make the situation that much more interesting. Other significant injuries- Adalius Thomas, Rodney Harrison, Teddy Bruschi, Lawrence Maroney, among others- also contributed to their fall from grace. The Super Bowl Curse is real.

26. [-4] Dallas Cowboys (2007: 13-3, 2008: 9-7) - The Dallas Cowboys soap opera reached new heights this year. Tony Romo's finger injury cost him 3 games in which the Cowboys went 1-2. A host of chemistry issues with (surprise) canonical loudmouth Terrell Owens and apprentice Roy Williams about the offensive playcalling along with Jerry Jones' repeated refusal to admit anything was wrong with things like the defense (after giving up 34 points to the Rams and 35 to the Giants two weeks later) only fueled the fire. Losing in spectacular fashion to the Ravens in the Texas Stadium finale on 80-yard runs by Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee followed by a 44-6 thrashing in Philadelphia exposed the Cowboys for what they really are; a team with lots of talent that simply can't win big games. Wade Phillips has to be on the hot seat, while offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has seen his stock fall from speculation that he would be named the Cowboys' next coach to whether or not he will keep his job in the offseason as well.

25. [-3] San Diego Chargers (2007: 11-5, 2008: 8-8) - Things didn't go right for the Chargers from the start of the season when Jake Delhomme rifled a pass in between three Chargers defenders to hit Dante Rosario in the end zone for a last-second victory in Carolina. Shawn Merriman's knee injury cost him the remainder of the season, while star running back LaDainian Tomlinson was slowed for much of the year with a toe injury. Lack of a pass rush exposed a ball-hawking secondary that all of the sudden wasn't able to stay in man coverage long enough for the defensive line to get to the quarterback. While their final record should really read something along the lines of 8-7-0-1, with the fourth column denoting Ed Hochuli's contribution to the season, the Chargers did not play up to their opponents and as a result were beaten by all of the 2008 teams that made the playoffs.

24. [-3] Cincinnati Bengals (2007: 7-9, 2008: 4-12) - Why Marvin Lewis gets to keep his job while Romeo Crennel loses his is beyond me; at least Crennel has had a winning season as head coach in the last 5 years. Chad Johnson's ridiculous offseason demand to be traded fizzled before he shutup and went through the motions of masquerading as an NFL starting wide receiver. He certainly didn't up his stock any with his 540 yards and 4 touchdowns. For once it was not the Bengals' defense that shoulders the majority of the blame, as the offense finished 32nd in points and total yards per game. When Cedric Benson is signed off the street and represents an upgrade to your starting running back corps, you know you're in trouble. The good news? They've earned a high draft pick that they can spend on another linebacker to put on IR.

23. [-2] Kansas City Chiefs (2007: 4-12, 2008: 2-14) - The Chiefs traded Jared Allen to the Vikings in the offseason and subsequently finished the regular season with 10 team sacks. Allen finished with 14.5. The Kansas City defense was like a sieve finishing 30th in rush defense and 28th in pass defense (and they only finished that high because teams could run as much as they wanted to). 20-year GM Carl Peterson announced his resignation effective immediately after the season, although Head Coach Herm Edwards says he doesn't plan to step down. The Chiefs' quest for the number one pick in the 2009 Draft was foiled by sneaky Detroit, and Larry Johnson has recently started asking for his way off the team (blessing in disguise?). Future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez will probably either retire or be traded in the offseason as well.

22. [-1] Indianapolis Colts (2007: 13-3, 2008: 12-4) - The Colts started the season 3-4 before things started to fall into place for them and finished the season with a 9-game winning streak. As seems to be a trend with the Colts, injuries to running back Joseph Addai, left tackle Tony Ugoh, center Jeff Saturday, safety Bob Sanders, middle linebacker Gary Brackett, and cornerback Marlin Jackson as well as two preseason surgeries on Peyton Manning's knee contributed to the early ineptitude. The Colts lost the AFC South title for the first time in 6 years to the first-seeded Tennessee Titans. Questions remain about the future of aging Saturday and wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who clearly lost a step after last season's knee injury, but as long as three-time MVP Peyton Manning is still healthy the Colts will be contenders.

21. [-1] Washington Redskins (2007: 9-7, 2008: 8-8) - The Redskins started the season with a loss on opening day to the Giants before ripping off four straight wins including two impressive road victories at Dallas and at Philadelphia. At the bye they were 6-3 with all of their remaining division games at home; the Redskins seemed like contenders for the NFC East title. Clinton Portis was leading the league in rushing while the media was singing the praises of rookie head coach jim Zorn. However, losses to Dallas, the Giants, Baltimore, and Cincinnati put them firmly out of the playoff picture, leading Zorn to proclaim he felt like "the worst coach in America" an also starting speculation that Redskins owner Dan Snyder might be looking to replace him. That probably won't happen, but the Redskins really need to take a look at what happened in their Dallas Cowboys-esque late season collapse.

20. [-1] St. Louis Rams (2007: 3-13, 2008: 2-14) - The Rams started the season 0-4, allowing an average of 36.8 points. In their week 5 bye, head coach Scott Linehan was fired and defensive coordinator (!) Jim Haslett was promoted to take his place. Despite the dangers of promoting a defensive coordinator whose schemes were allowing 36 points per game, Haslett managed to pull out two wins before losing every single game after week 7. To Haslett's credit, he did lower the Rams' defensive points per game to 26.5 after the bye (which still would have been 6th-worst in the league). It remains to be seen what will happen with the Rams' staffing- the record begs replacement, but the players recently petitioned to keep Haslett on board.

19. [0] Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2007: 9-7, 2008: 9-7) - The Bucs didn't count on having a difficult time in the doldrumic NFC South, but the re-emergence of the Panthers and the surprise of rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and Michael Turner in Atlanta conspired to keep the Bucs out of the playoffs. Early in the season the offense struggled to put points on the board and Jon Gruden & company leaned heavily on Monte Kiffin and the defense. Going into week 16 the Bucs were 9-5 with the languishing Chargers and the perennial whipping boys the Raiders left on the schedule. Everything seemed to be going fine until news broke that Kiffin was leaving the Bucs after the season to join his son Lane as defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Volunteers. The result? Epic collapse; allowing 41 points to the Chargers and 31 to the Raiders- both losses at home. Without Kiffin the Bucs are in for an interesting 2009.

18. [0] Houston Texans (2007: 8-8, 2008: 8-8) - The Texans had a roller coaster season but things aren't looking so bad. For the second straight season they didn't finish with a losing record, while Andre Johnson solidified his status as the most dangerous wide receiver in the game. Rookie third-round pick Steve Slaton exploded onto the scene after replacing washed out Ahman Green as the starter and finished with 1282 yards and 9 touchdowns. The defense is still the weak link, but Mario Williams finished with 12 sacks and the defense as a whole is young. Gary Kubiak is borderline hot seat if he doesn't at least get the Texans to 9-7 next season, but if Matt Schaub can stay on his feet the Texans offense should be able to carry them to 9 wins.

17. [0] Buffalo Bills (2007: 7-9, 2008: 7-9) - The Bills' excuse last season was a starting lineup with 10 starters on injured reserve. This season there's not such an easy explanation. The Bills and second-year quarterback Trent Edwards made some noise early on, starting 5-1 before getting into division play. That's where things took a turn for the worst as the Bills finished 0-6 against AFC East opponents. Head coach Dick Jauron, rumored to have signed a 3-year extension during the Bills' week 6 bye, somehow managed to keep his job as head coach after being shut out in Buffalo against the Patriots (and, in fairness, against the wind) in week 17. The Bills list of needs is long, and includes fundamentals like a halfway decent tight end, a pass rush, and a possession receiver to draw some coverage away from Lee Evans. With the future of the franchise in flux due to the economics of running any sort of major business in Western New York, the Bills are going to need a major spark to sell their seats.

The Expectations Power Rankings, 2007-2008 1-16

16. [+1] Oakland Raiders (2007: 4-12, 2008: 5-11) - Al Davis missed his second game in more than four decades and the Raiders won their week 17 matchup 31-24 against the Bucs in Tampa, knocking them out of the playoffs. Coincidence? It's the same old story with the Raiders; the trickle-down effect from the top has the franchise in a total mess. The Raiders have a personnel-based roster lacking the scheme to exploit their talents, and like the Jets they found out the hard way that throwing money at the situation (Tommy Kelly, Javon Walker) won't buy you success. On the bright side, 2007 first-overall pick JaMarcus Russell showed flashes of talent and 2008 fourth-overall pick Darren McFadden mostly lived up to the hype before he got injured. The future of the franchise hinges on how well these two turn out.

15. [+1] New Orleans Saints (2007: 7-9, 2008: 8-8) - I'm not sure a bad team has ever been so entertaining to watch. On offense, Drew Brees came up just 16 yards shy of Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record- and he would have had it if the last throw of the season had connected instead of landing at the feet of two Carolina Panthers. The Saints led the league in offensive points per game, and they needed it since they were in the bottom quarter in defensive points allowed. The amazing thing about the 2008 Saints is that they managed to get to 8-8; Brees turned crappy receivers into stars while dealing with a trip to London as well as a re-emergence of division rivals. During the upcoming draft, the Saints should pick up where they left off last season and continue to get some young talent in the secondary.

14. [+1] Denver Broncos (2007: 7-9, 2008: 8-8) - The Broncos' 2008 season will go down as one of the biggest collapses of all time. They held a 3-game lead on the second-place Chargers with three weeks to play for the division title and a home playoff game, yet somehow they managed to lose both games before meeting San Diego in the season finale and getting embarrassed 52-21. In a move that surprised nearly everyone, owner Pat Bowlen fired 14-year head coach Mike Shanahan. Once again, the Broncos' Achilles Heal was the defense, which despite having several high-profile names (DeWayne Robertson, Champ Bailey, Dre' Bly) managed to finish 26th in pass defense and 27th in rush defense. To make matters worse, in every game where the defense was giving them a chance to catch up the offense sputtered. Part of this could have been due to 6 Denver running backs put on IR throughout the season, but come on- 10 points against the Raiders in week 12? The Broncos are going to be a team to watch in the offseason, as they've got so many holes it's hard to even know where they'll begin to clean up the mess.

13. [+1] Philadelphia Eagles (2007: 8-8, 2008: 9-6-1) - Despite tying the lowly Bengals and losing a couple really weird games in bad ways, the Eagles snuck into the playoffs and knocked the Cowboys out in week 17. As usual, fans have been calling for Donovan McNabb's head despite the shortage of quality quarterbacks and the team's success with him under center. Andy Reid- "The Bloated One"- continues to take Philadelphia fans on the playcalling roller coaster- running the ball 10 times one week and 30 times the next. What part of "Brian Westbrook needs 20+ touches per game" is so hard to understand?

12. [+1] Arizona Cardinals (2007: 8-8, 2008: 9-7) - Matt Leinart losing the quarterback competition in the preseason paved the way for Kurt Warner to resurrect his career, putting up an MVP performance through 12 weeks and leading the Cardinals to the NFC West division title. Even though nobody thinks they'll actually win a playoff game outside of Arizona, the Cardinals and Ken Whisenhunt certainly have the weapons to make things interesting. However with star receiver Anquan Boldin upset about his contract, virtually no running game to speak of, and an immature defense that was one of the most penalized in the league this season, the Cardinals have lots of things they need to fix in order to remain on top in the west. Warner also isn't getting any younger, so they need to decide whether or not Matt Leinart will remain in a Cardinals' uniform and start scouting to draft his replacement.

11. [+2] San Francisco 49ers (2007: 5-12, 2008: 7-9) - Head coach Mike Nolan was fired early in the season and replaced by Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary, who finished the season 5-4 and was rewarded with the reins for 2009. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz was fired along with quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner and running backs coach Tony Nathan. Singletary seems to be just the breathe of fresh air that the stagnant 49ers franchise needs, and has told the press that they need a new quarterback, offensive lineman, and help in the secondary. Even if they can get to 8 or 9 wins next season, Singletary will be considered a success.

10. [+2] Chicago Bears (2007: 7-9, 2008: 9-7) - The Bears started out strong and even won some games behind their offense with Kyle Orton winning the starting job in training camp. A bad loss to Houston in week 17 ended their season as the Vikings clinched the NFC North and the Eagles took the last wildcard spot. With an aging defense and little to no offensive firepower outside of rookie running back Matt Forte, the financially stingy Bears will be looking to inject some youth through the draft. Lovie Smith could be on the hot seat in 2009 if he fails to take the Bears back to the postseason.

9. [+2] Minnesota Vikings (2007: 8-8, 2008: 10-6) - Adrian Peterson carried the Vikings into the playoffs. Along with the Williams Wall, a renaissance from aging cornerback Antoine Winfield, and the offseason acquisition of marquee defensive end Jared Allen, the Vikings defense finished first against the rush and 18th against the pass. Issues that need to be sorted out at quarterback could take place this January, and while head coach Brad Childress probably saved his job with the management by winning the division the fans certainly aren't going to give him a break unless he comes home with the Lombardi trophy.

8. [+2] New York Giants (2007: 10-6, 2008: 12-4) - The defending champions let everyone know that they were intent on repeating, earning the first seed in the NFC and the requisite first-round bye. First in rushing offense and 5th in scoring defense, the Giants have a proven winning formula. In what could be defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's last year with the team, he could earn himself quite the payday with a second ring. Despite the numerous distractions from Plaxico Burress, the Giants haven't given anyone a reason to believe they shouldn't be favored in all of their playoff games.

7. [+2] Pittsburgh Steelers (2007: 10-6, 2008: 12-4) - What really makes the Steelers' 12-4 record impressive is that they had one of the most difficult schedules in recent memory, facing the brutal NFC East and the AFC South. Plagued by injuries across the offensive line and at running back didn't slow them down as free-agent acquisition Mewelde Moore proved more than able to meet the challenge. As usual, Dick LeBeau's squad led the league in scoring defense, yards per game, and passing yards per game, while outside linebacker James Harrison had a legitimate shot at the AP MVP award with 101 tackles, 16 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and an interception. Offensive line should be a priority in the offseason, but the Steelers should remain on top of the NFC North for the immediate future.

6. [+3] Tennessee Titans (2007: 10-6, 2008: 13-3) - The Titans finally moved out of Peyton Manning's shadow behind a stellar defense and rookie running back Chris Johnson. Albert Haynesworth was nearly unstoppable in the middle, playing for a new contract and making the Pro Bowl. Kerry Collins replaced Vince Young at quarterback and led the Titans to a 10-0 record before losing to Brett Favre's Jets. While they've managed to do well enough so far, this team would benefit greatly from a legitimate threat at wide receiver. Like the Cardinals, the current starter isn't getting any younger. If Vince Young can get over his depression, the Titans are going to have to decide how to handle that situation in order to play at the same level in 2009.

5. [+5] New York Jets (2007: 4-12, 2008: 9-7) - Acquiring Brett Favre seemed like a good idea at the beginning of the season and even made it look like a good idea for the first half. Then Jets fans were reminded that he was Brett Favre after all as he threw just two touchdowns against nine interceptions (including 3 against the Dolphins, handing them the division title) in the final five games of the season. For some reason Favre's failures were put on Eric Mangini, who was fired ending his three-year tenure with the Jets. To make things more interesting, recent comments by several Jets players have revealed chemistry problems created by Favre's poor performance and general presence in the locker room. 6th-overall pick Vernon Gholston managed to flirt with the bust tag after just one season, notching only five solo tackles and starting zero games. You can almost hear Bill Belichick snickering during the Jets recent press conferences regarding the search for a new head coach featuring reporters asking pointed questions at Mike Tannenbaum and Woody Johnson about how they were actually the ones who brought in Favre and released Chad Pennington, who coincidentally had a career year. Even if Favre returns, it's hard to imagine them being this high on next year's list.

4. [+5] Carolina Panthers (2007: 7-9, 2008: 12-4) - Jake Delhomme bounced back from Tommy John surgery rather nicely, and coupled with a monster season from running back DeAngelo Williams the Panthers earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Steve "sucker punch" Smith finished with 1421 yards (3rd in the league) and averaged over 100 yards per game. Julius Peppers returned to dominance and finished the season tied for 5th in the league with 14.5 sacks. While the defense as a whole has been inconsistent, the Panthers force their opponents to choose between stacking the box against Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart or double covering Steve Smith. It's not a situation defensive coordinators want to be in.

3. [+6] Baltimore Ravens (2007: 5-11, 2008: 11-5) - The Ravens managed to turn the fortunes of their franchise around in a matter of months. Firing longtime coach Brian Billick and hiring little-known John Harbaugh raised eyebrows. Drafting quarterback Joe Flacco out of Delaware raised further doubts. People forgot that the Ravens defense has three of the best players at their positions- middle linebacker Ray Lewis, free safety Ed Reed, and outside linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs- and a proven scheme under coordinator Rex Ryan that gives opposing offenses fits. Pair a dominant defense with a strong rushing attack (the Cowboys found that out the hard way) in Willis McGahee and fullback Le'Ron McClain and you've got a team that strongly resembles the top teams in the league.

2. [+7] Atlanta Falcons (2007: 4-12, 2008: 11-5) - Finally making a break with the ugly Michael Vick/Bobby Petrino/DeAngelo Hall past, the Falcons cleaned house in the offseason. Free Agent Michael Turner finished the season second in the league in rushing. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan played like a seasoned veteran, and wide receiver Roddy White had a breakout year. On the other side of the ball John Abraham returned to relevance with an incredible 16.5 sacks. However like the Ravens, one can't help but wonder if this year's success was more due to the easier schedule than to the beginnings of a dynasty. The Falcons still need help on defense and a No. 2 receiver could turn a good offense into a great offense.

1. [+10] Miami Dolphins (2007: 1-15, 2008: 11-5) - The 2008 Dolphins completed a historical turnaround beating the Jets in the final week of the regular season, snatching the division title from the Tom Brady-less New England Patriots. To make it even sweeter, the winning quarterback was Chad Pennington- the former Jets quarterback traded to the Dolphins as an afterthought. Head coach Tony Sparano and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells brought an entirely different culture to the franchise and made the Dolphins watchable again. Longtime Dolphins fixture Jason Taylor was traded to the Redskins where he spent most of the season in anonymity. Joey Porter led the conference with 17.5 sacks. The wildcat offense spread throughout the entire league and, although its effectiveness generally decreased as the season went on, made things interesting. While the impending sale of the team to mogul Steven Gross has left Parcells' future with the team in doubt, the Dolphins have some great building blocks in place and have dragged themselves out of the AFC East's gutter. At least until next season, they've exceeded all expectations.

2008 Wild Card Weekend Predictions

No. 5 Atlanta Falcons 27 at No. 4 Arizona Cardinals 31- I honestly don't understand the hype surrounding the Falcons. Sure, they had a good record this year but looking at their schedule they had two wins that were actually impressive (on the road against the Vikings in week 16 and at home against the Panthers in week 12) while the rest were mostly vanilla. Not that the Cardinals have been particularly impressive this season either, but at least Kurt Warner has playoff experience, good receivers, and an offense that demands he throw to them on 65% of the snaps. No matter how you swing it, Atlanta's secondary just isn't that good, and while Matt Ryan probably has a bright future I wouldn't expect a road win.

No. 5 Indianapolis 20 at No. 4 San Diego 23- Now three-time MVP Peyton Manning has carried, dragged, and willed the Colts to 9 straight victories after a rocky 3-4 start. Despite finishing 8-8 the Chargers have the momentum after taking the division from Denver in a brutal 52-21 rout in the regular season finale. While the Colts have only allowed 6 passing touchdowns all season, the run defense is still the same porous unit we saw in 2006. If the Colts can manage to slow down LT (who finally looked like himself again in week 17) and the up-and-coming Darren Sproles, Philip Rivers will probably make some turnovers and give the Colts a chance. The simple fact is that the Chargers are a dangerous team again.

No. 6 Baltimore 14 at No. 3 Miami 17- Again, experience should trump the hype surrounding Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh's renewed Ravens squad. Chad Pennington posted a career year in yards and threw 19 touchdowns to only 7 picks, and was a deserving candidate for MVP. After getting the Dolphins into the playoffs over Brett Favre and the Jets, look for Pennington to keep rubbing salt in Mike Tannenbaum's open wounds with playoff victory.

No. 6 Philadelphia 24 at No. 3 Minnesota 31- Somehow the Eagles managed to sneak their way into the postseason with losses by Tampa Bay, Chicago, and their resounding victory over division rival Dallas in the final week of the regular season. However, the Eagles have been a spotty team all year and it's hard to believe that any quarterback (yes, even Tarvaris Jackson) could have trouble finding open receivers when they've got Adrian Peterson in the backfield waiting to break a 70-yard touchdown.

Week 17 Results

St. Louis 27, Atlanta 31 (predicted: St. Louis 17, Atlanta 41) - Atlanta earned the #5 seed in the NFC by beating the hapless Rams in the week 17 finale. The Falcons get to play the Cardinals, who have recently lost 3 out of 4.

Chicago 24, Houston 31 (predicted: Chicago 20, Houston 27) - Chicago's loss to the Texans ended up not mattering as the Vikings managed to edge the Giants on a Ryan Longwell field goal as time expired. The Bears are going to have to address some significant age and skill issues in the offseason, especially on defense and at wide receiver.

Minnesota 20, NYG 19 (predicted: NYG 20, Minnesota 31) - The Vikings claim the NFC North title, while the Giants played their backups for three quarters and still put up a fight. By the way, other than Adrian Peterson's 67-yard touchdown run, he had 36 yards on 20 carries. By the way, 9 fumbles on the season for Peterson? That has to stop.

Carolina 33, New Orleans 31 (predicted: Carolina 24, New Orleans 34) - Drew Brees needed 16 yards to tie Dan Marino and would have had it if his final throw hadn't been so low. The Saints lost their chance to knock the Panthers out of the #2 seed despite having a 21-point fourth quarter.

Cleveland 0, Pittsburgh 31 (predicted: Cleveland 9, Pittsburgh 23) - Make that 6 games without a touchdown. GM Phil Savage was sent packing, and Romeo Crennel is next to go. Ben Roethlisberger got slammed to the ground and has a concussion, he'll have a week to recover as the Steelers have the #2 seed in the playoffs.

Oakland 31, Tampa Bay 24 (predicted: Oakland 17, Tampa Bay 30) - As soon as Monte Kiffin announced he was leaving to go to the Vols, the Tampa Bay defense fell apart. Michael Bush rushed for 177 yards and 2 carries. When's the last time you read that sentence??

Tennessee 0, Indianapolis 23 (predicted: Tennessee 24, Indianapolis 21) - Peyton Manning has his 9th straight 4,000 yard season, Dallas Clark sets the franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end, and Marvin Harrison moves to second in the all-time receptions list. The Titans don't do much of anything and hand the Colts their 9th straight win.

Detroit 21, Green Bay 31 (predicted: Detroit 13, Green Bay 28) - PERFECTION!!! One can only hope that the Lions manage to draft 21 starters in April.

New England 13, Buffalo 0 (predicted: New England 31, Buffalo 23) - The Patriots managed to blank the Bills in some of the windiest conditions I've seen in a game. The crossbars were slanted a good 5 degrees from the horizontal in opposite directions at either end of the field. The Bills looked good in the first quarter running the ball 100% of the time, but you know that it's not going to work for longer than that. It didn't. It's too bad that the Patriots' and Matt Cassel's efforts ultimately ended up being for nothing due to the Dolphins capturing the AFC East division title.

Kansas City 6, Cincinnati 16 (predicted: Kansas City 16, Cincinnati 21) - A long season ends in a whimper for both of these struggling teams.

Jacksonville 7, Baltimore 27 (predicted: Jacksonville 20, Baltimore 27) - Baltimore clinches the 6th seed in the conference and heads to Miami to the site where they gave the Dolphins their only win last season. The Jags took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter before LeRon Mcclain and Willis McGahee scored in the second to put the game away.

Miami 24, NYJ 17 (predicted: Miami 24, NYJ 23) - Bye bye Brett Favre. After throwing 3 interceptions (one of which panned to a shot of Eric Mangini mouthing "Why throw it??" afterwards), I'd be surprised if the Jets wanted him back. Chad Pennington adds insult to injury by beating his former team for the Dolphins first playoff appearance since 2000. Just goes to show that sometimes not even $140 million dollars in free agency will buy you a playoff berth.

Seattle 21, Arizona 34 (predicted: Seattle 24, Arizona 17) - The Cardinals showed that they won't necessarily roll over and die in their first playoff game in years. They'll have to deal with Michael Turner and Matt Ryan, both of whom are capable of beating nearly anything the lackluster Cardinals defense can throw at them.

Washington 24, San Francisco 27 (predicted: Washington 17, San Francisco 27) - Mike Singletary wins again. He certainly deserves to be the 49ers head coach, finishing with a 5-4 record (1-0 against Vernon Davis).

Dallas 6, Philadelphia 44 (predicted: Dallas 10, Philadelphia 7) - What? Another choke job? My favorite part of this game was the drive summary for the Cowboys in the second half: fumble, fumble, fumble, punt, punt, field goal, punt. Jerry Jones claims he's not going to make changes in the offseason to the coaching staff, but with the Cowboys' performance this season not matching up to the talent they have on the roster it's hard to see him sitting on his hands for another season. TO's not getting any younger, and their time is clearly now.

Denver 21, San Diego 52 (predicted: Denver 31, San Diego 37) - The Chargers absolutely trounced the Broncos and their "defense." Philip Rivers seemingly had all day in the pocket, and several times he went through all 5 of his reads before going back to an earlier option and launching it down the field (usually a completion). Thank you, San Diego, for invalidating Denver and their horrible defense as a playoff team. Not that the Chargers really deserve it either, but the real winners in this situation are probably the Indianapolis Colts who travel to San Diego in wild card weekend.

11/16 this week, 159/254 on the season (62.5%).

Week 17 Predictions

St. Louis 17, Atlanta 41- Atlanta goes up 27-3 in the first half, pulls all their starters, and still scores two more touchdowns. With a Falcons win and a Panthers loss, the Falcons win the NFC South. Who saw that coming? Not Bobby Petrino.

Chicago 20, Houston 27- Must-win for Chicago to keep their hopes alive in the NFC North. The Vikings still have to lose to the Giants second-stringers, but hey... with Tarvaris Jackson, anything's possible (yes, anything- even four touchdown passes). But considering Chicago can't stop the pass and Andre Johnson can't really be covered by anyone, I give the Texans the edge.

NYG 20, Minnesota 31- The Giants won't play their starters for more than a half, even though they have absolutely nothing riding on this game. By contrast, the Vikings and Adrian Peterson can get into the playoffs with a victory over the defending champs.

Carolina 24, New Orleans 34- The Saints are just going to throw the ball 50 times to try and get Drew Brees the record. Hey, it's not as good as a playoff season, but at least it's something.

Cleveland 9, Pittsburgh 23- The Browns haven't scored a touchdown in the past 5 games. Make that 6.

Oakland 17, Tampa Bay 30- The Bucs managed to put themselves in a must-win situation in their final game by losing in spectacular fashion to the Chargers. Even then it probably won't be enough for the wild card.

Tennessee 24, Indianapolis 21- I'm sure everyone is thrilled to see a Jim Sorgi vs. Vince Young matchup. Oh wait, it's exactly like week 17 last year... without the playoff intrigue.

Detroit 13, Green Bay 28- PERFECTION!

New England 31, Buffalo 23- A loss eliminates the Patriots. Don't count on it against the floundering Bills.

Kansas City 16, Cincinnati 21- The 5 people watching this on TV will be sorry they wasted their time. Not to mention the other 5 in Paul Brown Stadium.

Jacksonville 20, Baltimore 27- If the Ravens win they get into the postseason and eliminate the Patriots. Sweet, sweet revenge for Bart "Flag Thrower" Scott after last year's 4th quarter, 4th down debacle.

Miami 24, NYJ 23- Chad Pennington's chance to make the Jets regret trading for a washed-out quarterback with an ego. I love how the Packers managed to structure the deal so they can still cheer for Favre; a playoff appearance means they get a second round pick instead of a third round pick.

Seattle 24, Arizona 17- Arizona has looked awful since winning the NFC West a few weeks ago, while Seattle is looking to go out with a bang after beating the Jets in Seattle and putting a serious damper on their playoff hopes.

Washington 17, San Francisco 27- Don't expect Washington to care too much about this one, as they're eliminated from contention. Clinton Portis probably won't play, while Mike Singletary reportedly will sign a multi-year deal to become the 49ers head coach. I like it.

Dallas 10, Philadelphia 7- Knowing the 2008 Eagles they'll suck again in what will probably be a weather game. Seriously, I wish both teams could lose so I will stop having to listen to announcers say the phrase "pre-season Super Bowl favorites" over and over again.

Denver 31, San Diego 37- The only good thing about this game is that both teams usually don't play defense, so it should be a shootout. Since it's in San Diego it probably won't be a weather game. Otherwise I question the flexing of the most anti-climactic division title game since we saw the Cardinals "clinch" the NFC West. That Denver can even be in a position to not win the division says a lot about their team. By the way, someone needs to remind all of the Chargers that you *can* tie in the NFL- a tie gives the division to the Broncos.

Week 16 Results

Indianapolis 31, Jacksonville 24 (predicted: Indianapolis 27, Jacksonville 21) - Indianapolis secured the #5 seed in the playoffs with Keiwan Ratliff's TAINT late in the fourth quarter. At the half the Colts were down 17-7 before outscoring the Jags 17-7 tying at 24 with around 6 minutes to play. The game ended with a Dwight Freeney sack in the Colts red zone. Peyton Manning had a stellar performance; 29/34 for 364 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. He's a late bloomer in the MVP race, and the way early-season favorites Brett Favre, Drew Brees, and Kurt Warner have been playing (or not playing, by the looks of it) lately he's got a strong case.

Baltimore 33, Dallas 24 (predicted: Baltimore 13, Dallas 24) - This game was hilarious. The Cowboys kept things under control in the first half, going into halftime down only 9-7. The fireworks really started in the fourth quarter when the Cowboys took a 19-17 lead and then let Willis McGahee break of a 77 yard run. The Cowboys answered with a Jason Witten touchdown reception before Le'Ron Mcclain scored on an 82 yard run. 82 yards for a fullback. The funniest part was that nearly the entire Cowboys team had a chance to tackle him, but were either stiff-armed, blocked by their own teammates, or owned by Mark Clayton. The Cowboys go into their week 17 game against Philadelphia with everything on the line for both teams. Oh, and to make it even better: Jerry Jones asked the NFL to schedule the Cowboys' Texas Stadium finale against the Ravens because it "looked like a winnable game."

Cincinnati 14, Cleveland 0 (predicted: Cincinnati 20, Cleveland 17) - Posting a donut at home is pretty pathetic, but it's the Browns. Romeo Crennel says that if he's given a chance he can turn things around- but I would argue that he's already done that this season. 10-6 in 2007 to 4-12 in 2008 is quite a turnaround. They're the AFC North version of the Jacksonville Jaguars- playoff teasers that actually suck.

Pittsburgh 14, Tennessee 31 (predicted: Pittsburgh 13, Tennessee 10) - Just when everyone was singing Pittsburgh's praises, they commit 4 turnovers to Tennessee's zero. How Pittsburgh has managed to win 11 games with an "offensive line" I have no idea. Oh wait... usually their defense makes up for it. It didn't in Tennessee.

San Diego 41, Tampa Bay 24 (predicted: San Diego 17, Tampa Bay 27) - With the Charger victory on the road and the Broncos' loss against Buffalo in Denver, the AFC West title is still undecided. This is the most uninteresting division race since ... well, I can't even remember when. The Bucs watched their playoff hopes dwindle in the form of Antonio Gates in the back of the end zone and a bloody Jeff Garcia throwing a pick-6 to Antoine Cason.

New Orleans 42, Detroit 7 (predicted: New Orleans 20, Detroit 31) - Well, this prediction is probably one of the worst of the year... but the Saints looked vulnerable before the game at least. Dan Orlovsky earned the starting spot in week 17 going 10/23 for 125 yards and 2 interceptions. Thrilling.

New England 47, Arizona 7 (predicted: Arizona 10, New England 34) - My hatred of FOX is solidified after they made me watch this entire game. There isn't much to tell; Kurt Warner looked old, the Cardinals' defense couldn't tackle, and Wes Welker got a 15-yard penalty for making a snow angel. At the half the Patriots were winning 31-0, yet for some reason both teams kept playing their starters until well into the fourth quarter. It's not like I wanted to watch Miami/Kansas City, or San Diego/Tampa Bay, but at least those games were still in doubt at halftime.

Miami 38, Kansas City 31 (predicted: Miami 26, Kansas City 20) - Miami keeps the pace with New England for the division lead going into their final game against New York. Tyler Thigpen needs to stop throwing to the other team and maybe the Chiefs will win a game. Herm Edwards says he isn't stepping down as Chiefs' coach... does he even have a say in the matter? Resign while you've still got some dignity left.

San Francisco 17, St. Louis 16 (predicted: San Francisco 27, St. Louis 16) - Mike Singletary improves to 4-4 even though two of those wins are against the Rams. He should be able to keep his job as head coach. Can't say the same for Jim Haslett.

Buffalo 30, Denver 23 (predicted: Buffalo 7, Denver 24) - The main jist of Western New York's sports pages on Monday morning was "too late" which is certainly true. Denver lost a golden opportunity to seal the division against the basement of the AFC East. Trent Edwards returned to his game-manager ways with a 17/25, 193 yard, 1 touchdown performance that strangely recalled his oh-so-long-ago September and October days.

NYJ 3, Seattle 13 (predicted: NYJ 30, Seattle 10) - Did Favre lose this game on purpose to Mike Holmgren (his former coach) in his send-off from Qwest Field just like he gave Michael Strahan the single-season sack record? The only conclusion that anyone could possibly come to is that Brett Favre is ruining the game of football. He should retire... again.

Houston 16, Oakland 27 (predicted: Houston 33, Oakland 17) - I would berate Houston for losing to the Raiders, but in a game where both teams were long-eliminated from contention improving your draft spot is the way to go.

Atlanta 24, Minnesota 17 (predicted: Atlanta 20, Minnesota 28) - Uh yeah the Vikings, as well as the Broncos, lost a chance to put the division away and guarantee a playoff spot. Now the Bears are still alive and get to play Houston, while the Vikings have to beat the Giants. Needless to say, I think this loss will come back to haunt them.

Philadelphia 3, Washington 10 (predicted: Philadelphia 30, Washington 21) - Just when Eagles fans were starting to celebrate, Andy Reid and co. put up this stinker against a very mediocre Redskins team that had been floundering for the better part of two months. Leave it to Reggie Brown to come up just short of the touchdown on the Eagles' last possession- a microcosm of both his career and the 2007/2008 Eagles if I ever saw one.

Carolina 28, NYG 34 OT (predicted: Carolina 23, NYG 27) - This was a pretty good game which one might expect from two very good teams. The Giants were down 21-13 at the half and scored in the third quarter to bring it to 21-20 before a DeAngelo Williams touchdown followed by a Brandon Jacobs touchdown/2 point conversion tied it at 28. In overtime, three huge Derrick Ward rushes allowed Jacobs to punch it in again. Luckily for both teams they won't see another rushing attack anywhere near the caliber of the display they put on tonight, as neither defense could stop the other.

Green Bay 17, Chicago 20 OT (predicted: Green Bay 24, Chicago 31) - The Packers miss their second-to-last chance to be relevant and impact the Bears' postseason plans after a blocked field goal. Their remaining chance at being remembered in the 2008 season is if they lose to the 0-15 Detroit Lions in week 17.

Bad week at 7/16, 148/238 on the season.

Hilarious tidbit from NFL Network

Jamie Dukes on Dennis Northcutt being the Jaguars' #1 receiver: "There's something fundamentally wrong about this situation."

Wow.

Week 16 Predictions

Indianapolis 27, Jacksonville 21 - With a win in Jacksonville the Colts can clinch a wildcard spot, capping off an impressive 8-game winning streak. The Jaguars are mired in their own problems with team chemistry, injuries, and suspensions. On the bright side, they're looking at a top-10 pick in the 2009 Draft, which may or may not be a good thing after how they handled Derrick Harvey.

Baltimore 13, Dallas 24 - The Cowboys are back and are looking to quell rumors that team chemistry could get in the way of a Super Bowl run. A win over the tough Baltimore defense keeps them a half game ahead of the Eagles and keeps the pace with the Bucs and the Falcons if they both win as well.

Cincinnati 20, Cleveland 17 - Last week's victory over the reeling Redskins showed that the Bengals aren't totally irrelevant. The Browns and the Ken Dorsey era look even worse than usual. Side note: Braylon Edwards wants out of Cleveland... what is he using as a bargaining chip here? Is he going to argue that he didn't drop all of those passes?

Pittsburgh 13, Tennessee 10 - Two of the best defenses square off to decide the first seed in the AFC, a prospect that seemed ridiculous just 3 weeks ago. The Titans, who had gotten to 10-0 on the legs of rookie Chris Johnson and bruiser Lendale White, have been exposed recently with losses to Houston and the Jets. The 2008 Steelers defense ranks among the top 5 in league history, and really have no glaring weaknesses. You can't run against Casey Hampton. You can't pass against Troy Polamalu and Bryant McFadden. Outside linebackers James Harrison (15 sacks) and Lamarr Woodley (11.5 sacks) are dominating. If the Titans can't get the run game going and with the absences of DE Kyle Vanden Bosch and DT Albert Haynesworth, they could be in for a long day.

San Diego 17, Tampa Bay 27 - San Diego pulled a win out of nowhere against the lowly Chiefs to keep their postseason hopes alive. Sadly for them, the Bucs have not lost a game at home and could become the second team in the division to post an 8-0 home record (along with the Panthers). The Bucs need this game to stay in the wild card race.

New Orleans 20, Detroit 31 - Surprisingly the Lions do have two more realistically winnable games in their final two weeks of a dismal 2008 season. The Saints travel to Detroit, out of the playoff race and with Reggie Bush on injured reserve. The Lions played 50 minutes of great football in week 14 before falling apart on defense against the Colts. The Dan Orlovsky/Calvin Johnson duo should have a big game.

Arizona 10, New England 34 - Ever since claiming the division title the Cardinals haven't won a game. On the road across 3 time zones facing a desperate Patriots team, the Cardinals have a realistic shot at an 8-8 playoff appearance. And besides, last week they got ripped apart by Tarvaris Jackson. You read that right.

Miami 26, Kansas City 20 - The Chiefs really have nothing to play for at this point. Their front office is on the verge of a huge makeover with the resignation of longtime GM Carl Peterson. With the regime change will probably come a new starting quarterback and the replacement of many familiar faces among the ranks, including Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson. The Dolphins are amidst a historic turnaround and need to win to stay in the AFC East division race.

San Francisco 27, St. Louis 16 - Despite the obvious disparity in their records, the Rams have easily looked like the worst team in the league in recent weeks. At least the Lions are scoring.

Buffalo 7, Denver 24 - If Trent Edwards winds up starting then I could see Buffalo making a more respectable showing along the lines of 20-24 or so. The Broncos have dropped several games to vastly inferior opponents, and the defense hasn't even been the problem in all of them. Jay Cutler, who was previously annointed as the second coming of John Elway, has just plain sucked against the Panthers, Raiders, and Patriots. If the Broncos win they win the division.

NYJ 30, Seattle 10 - The Jets need to get back on track after the Bills lost to Dick Jauron in week 14 and to the 49ers in week 13. A loss to the Seahawks and a Patriots victory means that everything comes down to the week 17 matchup against Miami.

Houston 33, Oakland 17 - The Texans have been impressive in late November and late December and currently are on a 4-game winning streak (which I believe is a franchise record). The most interesting matchup will be arguably the NFL's best receiver Andre Johnson against arguably the best shutdown cornerback since Deion Sanders in Nnamdi Asomugha.

Atlanta 20, Minnesota 28 - The Vikings can finish where they left off last year by securing the division title and a playoff spot over the Falcons in the Metrodome. To make things interesting, they have to do it without the Kevin half of the Williams wall and are facing one of the best rookie quarterbacks in history who happens to be paired with an elite wide receiver (Roddy White) and a Pro Bowl running back (Michael Turner).

Philadelphia 30, Washington 21 - With the Redskins in disarray, half of the conference has to lose their next two games for them to make the playoffs. The Eagles under Donovan McNabb have returned to 2004 form and have racked up impressive victories since McNabb's benching against the Ravens. A Washington loss eliminates them.

Carolina 23, NYG 27 - The winner of this game takes the first seed in the NFC with one week to play, and like Pittsburgh-Tennessee the teams are of similar composition. Great defense, a game manager quarterback, and a strong running game. The Panthers have the edge on offense due to Steve Smith, while the Giants lack a dominant receiving threat on the outside. If Brandon Jacobs can't play, this will be a really interesting game for both teams.

Green Bay 24, Chicago 31 - The Packers are at 5-9 and are searching more for answers than for victories. The Bears need a win to stay in the wild card race, as the division title is probably out of reach at this point. A series of questionable moves in the depth chart as well as injuries to key defensive starters have taken their toll on the Packers' season.