The 10 Best Fantasy PPR Running Backs for 2010

The 2009 Fantasy Football season has come, or is about to come, to an unfortunate end. Fantasy owners everywhere will soon come to the grim realization that the next fantasy football season is 6-8 months away. I too have encountered this unwelcoming truth and am attempting to remedy the situation.
There is no better way to say goodbye to the 2009 season than by looking forward to the promising 2010 season, however far away it may be.
I am an avid supporter of PPR (point per receptions) leagues and have compiled a list of my top ten PPR running backs for the 2010 fantasy football season. Enjoy.

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New York Giants’ Game Plan For The 2010 NFL Draft

This season did not end well for the New York Giants. After a hot 5-0 start against mediocre teams, the Giants have won just three of their last ten games, are eliminated from playoff contention, and are entering a meaningless game with Minnesota on Sunday.

This may be a bit preemptive since the season has not officially ended for Big Blue, but it’s all we have right now.

The following is my take on the top three needs General Manager Jerry Reese should address this coming April in the NFL draft. Of course, these needs may also be met in the off season, but I don’t think any one player would make the difference, unless it is someone like Champ Bailey (like that’ll ever happen).

Which leads me into the first priority for the New York Giants’ staff: find a legitimate cover corner to compliment Corey Webster.

I know most of you will disagree with me because of the talent the Giants have drafted at that position the last couple years, but Aaron Ross’ hamstring injury and the poor late play of Terrell Thomas in the passing game (he is a pretty good tackler and great in run support) have made me think this is still a need.

Bruce Johnson started the season off overachieving, but played horrible down the stretch. With Ross and Webster out against Carolina, the backups made first year QB Matt Moore look like Peyton Manning.

Since they already have some talent at the CB position and are just looking to solidify the depth in the secondary, I can’t justify taking one in the first round. Second round would be ideal, since you can almost always get a steal if you play your cards right.

Crezdon Butler out of Clemson comes to mind. He saw significant playing time all four years at Clemson, and started in every game since he was a sophomore.

The biggest issue with the Giants’ secondary this year was nothing they could control, however. When Kenny Philips went down, the Giants were doomed. If you need any indication of what a play-making safety does for a team, just look at the Denver Broncos.

Brian Dawkins came in and transformed that defense from embarrassing to dominant.

Which is my next point. If Kenny Philips cannot come back from his patella femoral arthritis 100 percent, the Giants need to have a backup plan.

Guys like Tennessee’s Eric Berry and USC’s Taylor Mays look nice, but are not realistic options, since they are most likely first round picks.

Someone who just played very well today in the Rose Bowl for Ohio State is Safety Anderson Russell . He is a big body and is great in run defense, and would be a better backup option than C.C. Brown (who are we kidding, he’s gone next year).

Something I would not be surprised to see at all is Jerry Reese going after the guys in the trenches hard this draft. Both lines are getting old in football years and both suffered injuries to some capacity.

I feel like the first round selection is almost certainly going to be an offensive or defensive lineman, and seeing as how the defensive line played so poorly of late, Reese will probably lean in that direction.

How awesome would it be to see Alabama’s Terrence Cody dominate Texas in the National Championship game, then end up suiting up in Blue come September.

Cody is the 3rd rated defensive tackle by most respected draft experts, and will almost certainly give the Giants a leg up in the NFC East next year. He is 6’4″, 365 lbs (supposedly, most think he’s closer to 380)….’nuff said.

If he were to go in another direction and draft an offensive lineman, a guard is the likely pick. Since they took Will Beatty in last year’s draft and he seems to be the replacement for Kareem Mackenzie, the Giants will need to solidify the inside with a better guard than Kevin Boothe.

Mike Iupati from Idaho is someone who really impressed me in the Humanitarian bowl against Bowling Green. That is the beauty of Bowl season in College Football; you get to see NFL prospects that you never get to see on a day-to-day basis.

Iupati allowed only five quarterback pressures and 0 sacks as a Senior in 807 snaps. He is the No. 1 OG according to… well… everyone.

Obviously there are other needs that should be addressed come April, but these were fresh on my mind. Jerry Reese has proven himself to be one of the premier drafting GM’s—expect nothing less this year.

The 2010 New York Giants have no reason to expect anything less than to win the NFC East, which was the goal coming into this season. As long as everyone comes back healthy, that goal will not change.

P.S. For those of you who read me, I apologize for my recent absence.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week 17 Predictions

There was no wrap-up this week, so here are recaps of Week 16’s most important games:

Where were the Dolphins during the first half of their game against Houston? How can you come out as flat as they did, at home, in an elimination game? Going down 27-0 as early as they did is almost impossible to come back from and as a result, they’ll be reduced to the spoiler role this week against the Steelers.

The Patriots finally looked like themselves last week in their dismantling of the overachieving Jags. Tom Brady was just about perfect and the defense shut Jacksonville down. This is the New England team most thought they would see earlier on in the season.

One loss to the Cowboys is nothing to worry about. However, losing a 17-point lead to the Bucs at home is. Regardless of how things go this week, the Saints have a lot to work on before their first playoff game. Blowing such a big lead to a bad team is inexcusable.

Before the season, most thought that if the Giants didn’t make the playoffs, it would be due to their lack of a No. 1 receiver. What those people didn’t expect was how bad Big Blue’s defense has been. Matt Moore & Co. made the Giants look foolish all game long.

The Ravens let a golden opportunity slip through their hands. They had two or three chances to knock the Steelers out of the playoffs, but they couldn’t do it. Going to Oakland and winning shouldn’t be that difficult, but the Eagles and Bengals thought the same thing.

The Steelers are probably the most dangerous 8-7 team in the AFC, but they need help. Their fate lies in how much New England and Cincinnati value the three seed.

I have never liked the philosophy of resting all of your players with nothing to play for with more than a week left. The Colts did that in 2005 and lost their first playoff game, partly due to their timing-based offense finding its rhythm too late.

Jim Caldwell pulling his starters in the second half will probably end up giving his team two-and-a-half weeks without playing a meaningful game. How does that help? Yes, it ensures that no one gets injured, but the only guy that truly matters is Peyton Manning and he’s started over 100 straight games. It was just ridiculous and put poor Curtis Painter in one of the most horrible positions I can remember watching.

Caldwell’s decision really helped the Jets, though. The Jets were not going to win if the Colts’ starters had stayed in, so they caught a huge break.

Top 12 Teams (Last week’s ranking)

1. San Diego Chargers (2)
2. Indianapolis Colts (1)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (4)
4. Dallas Cowboys (6)
5. New Orleans Saints (3)
6. Arizona Cardinals (7)
7. Minnesota Vikings (5)
8. New England Patriots (8)
9. Green Bay Packers (10)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (9)
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (NR)
12. Tennessee Titans (11)

Week 17 Picks

Last week’s record: 10-6

Overall record: 159-81

Lock of the Week: 12-for-16

Indianapolis (14-1) @ Buffalo (5-10): Indy will rest its starters simply because if they don’t, Caldwell and Bill Polian look like complete idiots. This game means nothing right now, but this week off will haunt the Colts.

Buffalo wins, 19-13

Jacksonville (7-8) @ Cleveland (4-11): This game may decide Eric Mangini’s future. If it were up to me, he’d be gone regardless of the outcome of this game, but the Browns have had a great December. However, the Jags know that they still have a very slim chance to get into the playoffs with a win.

Jacksonville wins, 23-18

Philadelphia (11-4) @ Dallas (10-5): The Cowboys’ defense has been great the last two weeks. They will need to play at that same level to beat Philly again. Although, the Eagles almost blew it last week, they’ve been on fire for a while and the Cowboys will not be able to stop what they’re doing. Expect the close battle these two teams usually provide.

Philly wins, 30-27

Kansas City (3-12) @ Denver (8-7): Brandon Marshall’s benching changes the entire complexion of this game. Eddie Royal missed last week’s game, so what is Denver (particularly Kyle Orton) going to do to get points. The Chiefs have played well against Dallas and Pittsburgh, so they can beat a depleted Denver squad.

Kansas City wins, 19-17

Chicago (6-9) @ Detroit (2-13): Detroit’s season started off pretty well considering their expectations, but everything has fallen apart. The starting quarterback has been a revolving door and as a result, the team is playing bad football. The Bears aren’t the best team, but they’re definitely better than their counterparts.

Chicago wins, 26-10

Baltimore (8-7) @ Oakland (5-10): This season, the Raiders have beaten Cincinnati, Philly, Pittsburgh, and Denver. Can they do it again? Maybe, but I would bet against it. The Ravens let one slip through their hands last week and they won’t let that happen again.

Baltimore wins, 30-20

San Francisco (7-8) @ St. Louis (1-14): In terms of what this means on a league-wide basis, this is only important for the draft: Niners win and Rams have the first pick. However, for the Niners, this may go a long way in letting them know if Alex Smith will be their quarterback next year.

San Francisco wins, 26-12 (Lock of the Week)

Pittsburgh (8-7) @ Miami (7-8): If the Dolphins play like they did last week, the Steelers will make quick work of them. If not, this will come down to which team makes more plays in the fourth quarter. That basically translates to Ben Roethlisberger vs. Chad Henne, which is a pretty easy choice.

Pittsburgh wins, 30-17

New York Giants (8-7) @ Minnesota (11-4): The Vikings are this close to letting a first round bye slip from their grasp. The first step to regaining it is beating the Giants. Doesn’t sound very difficult, but the Vikes were very inconsistent in December. Regardless, they should still be able to push the Giants around a little bit.

Minnesota wins, 28-14

Green Bay (10-5) @ Arizona (10-5): This will probably be a weird game because it will probably happen again in the wild card round, which would mean that neither team wants to let the other see everything in their playbook. This will end up being a battle of JV squads, so I’ll go with the home team.

Arizona wins, 22-14

Washington (4-11) @ San Diego (12-3): I have no idea how San Diego is approaching this game, but if the ‘Skins play how they’ve been playing the last couple of weeks, it won’t matter.

San Diego wins, 19-10

Tennessee (7-8) @ Seattle (5-10): This one is all about Chris Johnson. He should get to 2,000 yards without a problem, as he needs only 128 yards in this game, but he unless he goes crazy—which isn’t out of the realm of possibility against Seattle—he won’t catch Eric Dickerson. Nonetheless, he and the Titans have had a great season.

Tennessee wins, 33-13

Atlanta (8-7) @ Tampa Bay (3-12): The Falcons are out of the playoffs, but this game means a lot because if they win, the Falcons will finally have back-to-back winning seasons. They will finally get it in a competitive game.

Atlanta wins, 23-16

New Orleans (13-2) @ Carolina (7-8): Believe it or not, the Panthers will be the hottest team in this game. New Orleans has a lot to sort out before their first playoff game in two weeks and Carolina will not make it easy for them. However, I don’t see the Saints going into the postseason on a three-game skid.

New Orleans wins, 26-20

New England (10-5) @ Houston (8-7): According to Tom Brady, he will play, but for how long? If he plays for at least three quarters, the Pats win. If not, Houston has a chance, but they are such an inconsistent team, that you never really know with them.

New England wins, 30-24

Cincinnati (10-5) @ New York Jets (8-7): This game falls into the same category as the New England-Houston game. Chad Ochocinco wants to play, but the decision is ultimately Marvin Lewis’. The Bengals are the superior team, but it all depends on who the Bengals put on the field. Nonetheless, I don’t have confidence that Mark Sanchez can get the job done.

Cincinnati wins, 21-16

Playoff Picture

First, let me give you the playoff picture the way I saw it just before the season started, beginning with the AFC:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. New England Patriots
3. San Diego Chargers
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Tennessee Titans

Here is how the AFC will look if the games go the way I think they will:

1. Indianapolis Colts
2. San Diego Chargers
3. New England Patriots
4. Cincinnati Bengals
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Here is the NFC at the beginning of the year:

1. Minnesota Vikings
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. New York Giants
6. Green Bay Packers

Here’s how I think it’ll look after Week 17:

1. New Orleans Saints
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Green Bay Packers
6. Dallas Cowboys

This either shows that I have no idea what I’m talking about or that parity is alive and well in the NFL. I’ll go with the latter.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders And The Blame Game: Cable, Davis or Russell?

When looking around the media these last few weeks, there has been a lot of blaming going on. A lot of what ifs, if onlys, and a share of maybes, that do nobody any good.

If only we pulled JaMarcus Russell. If only we have Gruden back. If only Al Davis fell off the planet. The list goes on.

Some blame it on previous events, such as the constant switching of coaches, for limiting the development of players. How do they want to remedy this situation? Of course! Replace the coaches again!

The history, or at least the ugly part of it has the Raiders struggling through the last six and a half years. The Raiders would put out a good effort that would fall short, win a random game here or there, and get blown out in other games.

Sometimes it was due to the defense falling apart against the run. Sometimes the team would simply give up, leading to ugly scores. Other times, players would be brought in, former Pro-Bowlers, who struggled to regain their form. Other times, those players would only play when they felt like they wanted to, truly ripping off the fans.

But this last season, we had to endure a quarterback who regressed, a former first round pick go down injured in running back Darren McFadden and a joke of a first round pick in Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Tom Cable’s own circus with the media, first with the incident at Napa and then ESPN’s own slime-a-thon airing, had to be a distraction. Sure he tried to show a solid front, concentrating on the game, but if your former loves for the last 20 years were paraded by the media, do you think you could ignore the world and go about working?

As it was, the Raiders had some games that had the Raider Nation licking their lips, wanting more. A close game against the Chargers, lost due to a prevent defense, gave us hope. A win, when everyone thought we were lost, against the Chiefs gave us what we hoped would be a breakout by Russell.

Then the wheels fell off, with three straight losses, scoring only 16 points total.

Oakland’s defense, irked by a comment from a Giants player, would catch the Eagles flat-footed, as Oakland would rout the Eagles 13-9 in Oakland…then the Raiders would get shut out the next week in front of Raider Nation, 38-0 against the Jets.

It turned into a normal pattern, as the Raiders would find games to win against good opponents, like the Bengals and Broncos, but lose to teams like the Chiefs, Browns and Redskins.

It now leaves Oakland, at 5-10, facing a good opponent on Sunday; facing the Ravens who want a playoff berth at home.

So, who shoulders the blame for this season going so badly?

Does Davis, with his record of bad picks. He failed to land a good defensive project, instead settling on Darrius Heyward-Bey? For that matter, was it his mistake in signing Cable, when someone else may have been more qualified for the job?

Was it Cable’s fault, for opening a can of worms in training camp, knocking a coach out of his chair, then allowing his dirty laundry to be thrown around the league, distracting the team? Did he fail to properly adjust Russell to the league, make poor choices in coaching and poor selections in filling out his coaching roster?

Are the players to blame, for not performing to standards? Russell’s own failures are not to be denied, as some like to link him to Ryan Leaf’s history of goof ups. Others would blame the likes of McFadden for not becoming the breakaway back we thought he would be.

Or blaming Heyward-Bey, since his own actions took away a major option for passing, for any quarterback. Questions remain; what would the Raiders have looked like, if Chaz Schilens had played more this year, or had Louis Murphy been used as the go-to option, instead of the butterfingered Bey?

What if Robert Gallery hadn’t had gotten hurt twice? What if Cornell Green actually blocked on the line, instead of holding people?

Most importantly, even if blame is placed, will it produce what is truly needed for this team: change?

Getting rid of Cable, simply reverts the team back to square one. Someone coming in, would need time to get the team situated to his coaching style. He would want to bring in his own coaches, people he is comfortable with. So again, there is another wasted season of development.

Getting rid of some deadweight players, does stand some scrutiny, as some contracts are laughable. Javon Walker for example, is being paid to be a cheerleader, instead of being on the turf running patterns. Russell, for his draft status still generates money, be it from the bench or being sacked. Some shakeups could happen that would help the team. But for this to happen, a key situation has to be resolved.

That situation is Al Davis….he needs to let this team evolve. He needs to let the players who are no longer functioning go and get the help Cable needs for next year to be better.

Getting rid of Tom Cable….would destroy any progress made. If anything, send him a skilled playcaller to work with him…and help the Raiders move forward into this new decade.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

New York Giants All-Decade Team

The New York Giant franchise saw a lot of ups and down between 2000 and 2009. The Giants compiled a record of 80 – 64, excluding this year. They started off the decade with an embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl 35. New York had losing seasons in 3 out of its next 4 years before turning it around. That included a win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 42. Here is my take on who were the best players at each position for the Giants over the past 10 years.

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Nipplegate: Seven Years Later, Who Knew?

It’s been seven years now since Justin Timberlake unknowingly (wink, wink) exposed Janet Jackson’s left breast during the half time performance of Super Bowl 38. Who knew that one wardrobe malfunction and an exposed mammary gland, would have such an everlasting effect.

The actual halftime show that year was produced by MTV and intended to help promote MTV’s Rock the Vote campaign to encourage younger people to get out and vote. Unfortunately that message was lost in the ensuing controversy, the loose connection between all the acts of the halftime show and the actions that ensued throughout the show.

Besides Jackson’s “exposure,” the show’s other performances included gestures by the rapper Nelly toward his crotch and musician Kid Rock appearing in a poncho made from a slitted American flag, which he later tossed into the crowd.  Following the incident, the NFL announced that MTV would never be involved in another halftime show.

Which brings me to the situation at hand. Since Nipplegate, we have been subject to such halftime acts as 67-year-old former Beatle Paul McCartney and 66-year-old Mick Jagger and his aging Rolling Stones band mates.

Super Bowl 42 offered us 59-year-old Tom Petty. Bruce Springsteen (60 years old) and his E Street Band rocked us in Super Bowl 43, and now comes news that 65-year-old Roger

Daltry and the Who will Dazzle us with a little Pin Ball Wizardry this year in Miami.

My calculator indicates those five acts are a combined 317 years old—yikes! Don’t get me wrong, I dig a little Dancing in the Dark every now and then and think I’ve even had a 19th Nervous Breakdown once or twice, But come on, can’t we get more current with our choices for halftime entertainment?  

Yes, you are right, I did fail to mention that musician Prince shared the halftime time show with the Florida A&M Marching 100 for the Super Bowl 41 half time, but his royal purpleness was on his best behavior that day.

Mr. Daltry, if you are reading this please take no offense, your music has stood the test of time much like the music of most of your British invasion counterparts, but when I told my teenage son that you and your group were performing at this years Super Bowl halftime, his reply was, WHO?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week 17: Picks From New England Patriots Fans’ Perspective

Happy New Year, all.

Week 17 has arrived with a bang, but for some teams, it will end with a whimper. After four months of often futile efforts to predict who will do what, where, and to whom, we finally have arrived at perhaps the least predictable week of all.

Some of the possibilities in the AFC were straightened out last week, but this last round of regular season play comes with plenty of balls left in the air. Feel free to interpret that statement any way you like.

The NFC playoff seeds are almost as uncertain as in the AFC.

Here in Patriot Nation, we know our team is in, so we are sitting back to enjoy a good Sunday of football. Most of the regular crew is here to offer their insights into what shapes up to be one crazy day in the NFL: Doug Baker, Glenn Card, EA, and yours truly. We are only missing Steve Frith, who would be here if he could.

We will continue to post our selections throughout the playoffs, but I want to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have been kind enough to follow this series through the regular season.

As for the rest of the posse, it has been a pleasure collaborating with you, and I look forward to the postseason.

Now, let’s get to it.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Indianapolis @ Buffalo

DB: The Colts realized that they weren’t going to go 19-0 so they gave up a game in hopes they don’t choke like they usually do in the playoffs. They obviously are not going to be play their starters this week, or hard, so even though Buffalo is awful, I think the Colts lay down for them. And hopefully they lay down in the playoffs too. Buffalo. 

EA: I don’t care who the Colts decide to play in this one, I have a hard time believing they’ll lose.

GC: Unbelievable as it was to see the Colts sit starters and give up on the possibility of an undefeated regular season, I wonder if this tactic really does them any good in the postseason. We’ve seen the Colts do this year in and year out, as great as the team has been this decade this strategy has not served them well.

TR: Sitting starters doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but then, I’m a Patriots fan, stubborn by nature and always looking for the best possible outcome in any game. It’s a dubious tactic anyway, but Caldwell will undoubtedly do it again. He’ll play the starters until they get a good lead, which should take about five minutes. Buffalo just wants to get this mess over with, so those five minutes should be good enough for a Colts win.

New York Giants @ Minnesota

DB: Good bye Eli! And good riddance Giants. Take Minnesota to win at home. 

EA: The Giants are done for the year, while the Vikings are going to the playoffs. Their seed could be anywhere, still, so aside from playing in front of a home crowd there will be some motivation for the Vikes to play their ‘A game’ for this one.

GC: The Giants are done for the year and they can’t even play spoiler against the Vikings. The only thing that might happen is if the Giants win they could possibly help knock the Vikings down to the fourth seed and take away their bye week. Vikings win this home game. 

TR: What happened to the G-Men this year? Whatever it was, it’s still happening, and the Vikes want that coveted second seed, so Minnesota will win this one. Even if Favre sucks.

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay

DB: Wow, Atlanta sure ain’t what they were last year but they should beat Tampa Bay. Falcons will come out on top. 

EA: Both of these teams have been done for awhile, and despite pulling out a ‘W’ against the Saints last week, don’t think the Buccos will fare too well against Atlanta.

GC: The Buccaneers had some surprising wins this year against some of the NFL’s best, but the Falcons are going to be gunning for the winning season to make it back-to-back for the first time in franchise history. The Falcons will put on a show with a commanding win. 

TR: The Falcons are a more talented team than the Bucs, so even though there is nothing on the line here, I have to think Atlanta will take this one.

San Francisco @ St. Louis

DB: The 49ers are an up-and-coming team and it sounds like Steven Jackson isn’t playing this week. The 49ers have pride and are playing a really bad team. San Francisco wins the finale. 

EA: I’ll take the Niners, easy.

GC: The 49ers did a lot to help them get back to their winning ways this year, and I really liked the way they played with heart. The Rams, on the other hand, are going to need that first-round pick next year, as they can use all the help they can get. The 49ers end their season on an up note with a win. 

TR: San Francisco has come a long way toward renewed respectability, and they will just get better next season. As for St. Louis, well…I hope the draft is kind to them.

Pittsburgh @ Miami

DB: Pittsburgh still has something to play for, maybe, long shot, but still…Pittsburgh. 

EA: LaMarr Woodley just came out this week saying to reporters that he thinks the Bengals and Patriots will “lay down” against their opponents this week because they don’t want the Steelers going to the playoffs. Maybe if the Steelers wanted to go so damn bad, they would take care to beat loser teams like the Bears, Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns. They would have secured their spot by now. Hopefully the Dolphins give ’em hell in Miami and send the defending champs home without a chance to repeat.

GC: The defending champions, the Steelers, have been brought low this year, but they could still make the playoffs. Miami wins this home game convincingly, but it’s not going to do them any good either except for prides sake and to avoid a losing season. 

TR: As inconsistent as the Steelers have been this season, it’s reasonable to believe that they will end the season uninspired and on a low note, even when their hopes for a postseason gig depend on it. Miami is full of surprises, and they are playing at home with a slim chance of making the playoffs, so I’m looking for a Dolphins win. Yes, there is one unlikely scenario that would put them at the sixth seed. Can you believe it?

New Orleans @ Carolina

DB: Who knows what to make of this game? It really depends on what the Saints do with their starters. They squeak out a close one against the Panthers to end their season on a high note.  New Orleans. 

EA: This is a pretty meaningless game, although Matt Moore will probably continue showing why he deserves to be starting QB over Jake Delhomme. The surprising thing is, the Panthers, as bad as they have looked at times this year, could still end up 8-8 with a win over their division rival. They almost did it earlier this year, so I’ll take the Panthers in a home-field upset.

GC: The Saints are perfect team on the road in 2009 with a 7-0 record away from the Superdome. They will nail the Panthers to the wall and go into the playoffs on a good note. 

TR: The Saints have nothing to gain by winning at this point, and the Cats did give New Orleans a bit of a fight earlier in the season. Sean Payton will be looking to rest some starters, but if I were in his place, I would be more concerned about regaining some momentum. If Carolina has any pride left at all, and if Julius Peppers wants another fat contract somewhere next season, the Panthers will give the home crowd something to remember them by until next season.

Chicago @ Detroit

DB: Who cares? Chicago. 

EA: Pheeeeeeeeeeyew! This matchup stinks so bad I can smell it all the way over here in the Twin Cities! Jay Cutler did the unthinkable and threw more touchdowns than interceptions against a pretty stout Minnesota defense last week, so he should have a pretty easy (SHOULD being the keyword) time having his way with the Lions.

GC: These two teams are done for the year; they can’t even compete for higher draft choices. Since they are done, I’ll pick the home team. The Lions show the home crowd what they might have to look forward, too. 

TR: The coin is in the air, here it comes, tails it is. Detroit. Well, they are at home, anyway.

New England @ Houston

DB: I have no idea what Bill B will do with the starters. But I think regardless of what happens, we find a way to beat Houston. Take New England. 

EA: Bill wouldn’t give anything away on a conference call this week, but he did give a hint that the regular starters will at least be playing. For how long is the key, however. If the first-stringers stay on the field for the first two and a half quarters or so, it may be enough to win, despite going on the road to play a motivated Texans team seeking its first playoff berth in team history.

GC: The Patriots are in the playoffs either way, but I’m betting they’ll try to put this one away early before they pull any starters. Besides, the Texans have been the bane of my picks all year and I promised myself I wouldn’t pick them to win anymore. 

TR: Houston has picked up the consistency level this year, and they have a good shot at winning this one. Belichick, on the other hand, isn’t going to pull a Caldwell. He will play his starters until he figures the game is put away. He will go for it on fourth-and-two if the situation arises. He is Bill.

Jacksonville @ Cleveland

DB: Browns continue to be pretty awful. Jaguars still have a faint heartbeat left. Pick Jacksonville. 

EA: At 7-8, the Jaguars are still theoretically in the hunt, so expect them to be motivated for that win, just in case many of the other teams in the wild card hunt lose their games this week. Despite their routing at the hands of the Patriots last week, the Jags should pull out a win against a suddenly warm Cleveland Browns team.

GC: The Jaguars have a chance to make it into the playoffs with some help. The only thing they can do to help themselves is win this game. They’re not going to let the Browns get in the way. 

TR: I can’t imagine Jax letting this one get away, even if they are on the road.

Philadelphia @ Dallas

DB: This is going to be the game of the week: A showdown in Dallas for the NFC East.  These two teams have at times, over the past few years, put on a very entertaining game. I find this one hard to call because I think the Eagles are playing well, and Dallas usually goes into a swoon at this point in the season. But I just have a gut feeling that Dallas is going to pull this one out at home. Take the Cowboys. 

EA: I’ll take the Eagles, but this should be a heck of a game.

GC: It’s possible that these two teams could play each other two weeks in a row. If all the stars align Dallas could end up with a bye week. I think the Cowboys help their cause with a home win. 

TR: The Eagles could wind up with any seed from two through six, and unless my vision (and math) is worse than I thought, so could the Cowboys. Every time I predict a “great game,” it isn’t, but this sure looks like a good one to me. The Eagles are playing like winners, so I see a close win for them on the road.

Tennessee @ Seattle

DB: It’s funny how many times this year that I’ve picked the Seahawks to win only because it’s a ho-hum game with no significance. That’s true again this week, and I’ll take the Seahawks again only because they are playing at home. 

EA: Tennessee’s season is all but over after a heartbreaker in San Diego last week, and Seattle didn’t have much of a chance this year to begin with. I’ll take the Titans, though, as they are a far better team than the Seahawks.

GC: It’s funny how many times this year that I’ve picked the Seahawks to win only because it’s a ho-hum game with no significance. That’s true again this week. The Seahawks only because they are playing at home. 

TR: It doesn’t matter who wins this game, but I believe Vince Young still has something to prove. And then there is Chris Johnson, who should run all over the Seahawks, winding up at the top of the Space Needle. I have to go with the Titans.

Washington @ San Diego

DB: The Chargers could start their cheerleaders in this game and still win. Take San Diego. 

EA: The Chargers secured the No. 2 seed with a win over the Titans, so don’t expect their starters to come out for more than a little over a half in this one. If they don’t open a big enough lead before yanking.  

GC: The Redskins have nothing to play for except pride. It’s not going to be enough against this Charger team at home. 

TR: With that two seed firmly in their grasp, the Bolts won’t play their starters for much more than the time it takes the Skins to realize that they are hopelessly overmatched. Oh, wait, they already know.

Baltimore @ Oakland

DB: Will the Ravens finally stick the gun in their mouth and end their misery? Will they find another stupid way to lose a football game? They have a lot to play for but they are playing the Raiders. I think Baltimore pulls this one out and heads to the playoffs.  Baltimore. 

EA: The Ravens are still in the playoffs, but they have a lot of competition. On paper, this looks like an easy win for the Ravens, but the Raiders have done such a good job at playing spoiler this year, I won’t rule anything out.

GC: The Ravens’ only possible way into the playoffs is through the Raiders with a lot of help from other teams. Baltimore keeps its playoff hopes alive with a win. 

TR: Anything can happen in Oakland, but the Ravens will be playing with a lot of heart and praying for a playoff shot. I can’t pick against them, and I don’t want to.

Kansas City @ Denver

DB: The Chiefs would love nothing more than to knock off their rival Broncos, but it won’t happen this week in the Mile High city. Take Denver. 

EA: The Broncos are still in the playoffs after a tough loss to the Eagles, but they could use another win here for extra measure. Should be an easy one at home against Kansas City.

GC:  The Chiefs could play spoiler in this game against the Broncos and knock them right out of the playoffs. Because they are playing in mile high I’ll give this win to the Broncos and keeping their playoff picture clear. 

TR: I don’t see how the Chiefs will put up much of a fight, not at Denver.

Green Bay @ Arizona

DB: What a weird feeling for teams to be playing each other going into the playoffs and really only seeding might be at issue. I like Green Bay in this one, just because I never know what Arizona team is going to show up. Take the Packers. 

EA: As the standings are right now, these two teams are scheduled to play each other  on Wild Card Weekend. With the entire NFC playoff picture in place, do not be surprised if we see the starters play about a quarter or so before getting yanked so as to avoid giving away too much intel to the team they’ll face a week later. The Cards are deadly at home, so I’ll take them, even matched up against a white-hot Packers team.

GC:  This should be a good game and it is possible that these two teams will also be playing each other again next as well depending on the results of the rest of the NFL games. I’m giving the Cardinals the home win in this one. 

TR: The Cardinals could still snatch that second seed in the NFC if they win here and both Minnesota and Philadelphia lose. I don’t see all that happening, but the Cardinals should come to play. Green Bay is looking at a the fifth or sixth seed and have less to lose. Arizona shows up.

Cincinnati @ New York Jets

DB: This will be a close game and it will depend on what the Bengals do with their starters. I just don’t see Cincinnati starting everyone the entire game. Like last week, the Jets will be given the game, and given a playoff berth. That’s not how it’s supposed to be in the NFL, but that’s how it is for the Jets. Take New York. 

EA: As a Patriots fan, my eyes are on this game. As it stands right now, the Pats and Jets are matched up for Wild Card Weekend. If the Jets win, it will stay that way. If the Bengals win, our foe would probably become the Ravens. Despite having a very tough defense, I am more comfortable hosting Mark Sanchez and the Jets for the playoffs than Joe Flacco and the Ravens. So, unfortunately, I find myself having to cheer for the Jets for the second straight week. Yippie.

GC: The Bengals are in but the Jets have to win this one to go to the show. I believe the Jets have enough gas in their tank to make it to the playoffs, but we’ll see where they go from there. 

TR: The Jets need this game to have a shot at the playoffs, and the Bengals don’t. Unfortunately for a couple of other teams, including the Patriots, the outcome of this game has potentially important ramifications in the postseason scenario. The short story is that the Jets must win to stay alive, and the worst that could happen to Cincy is a drop from three seed to four. A motivated Jets should defeat cruise-controlled Bengals.

And that, my friends, is the view from New England.

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Don’t Expect Romo To Choke Versus Eagles

The bullcrap meter needs to go off in every Eagles fan’s head when he hears “Dallas always folds in big games.”

Well, that December swoon didn’t follow the usual script, now did it?

First of all, the past is the past. I never understood the value of certain statistics such as the all-time record of the Eagles versus Dallas, or away versus the spread, yada yada yada. Those are utterly meaningless today. The result of the final regular season game last year is only slightly more relevant.

Eagles fans should run when they hear that Dallas is going to fold. That thought will give them agita by the ‘Boys’ third possession, if not their first, as Romo starts hitting his receivers with lasers and the Eagles’ blitzes fail to get to him in time.

Brace for a long hard struggle, and it might be easier on the stomach. The Eagles will need the ball to bounce their way on Sunday—there’s zero margin for error. That means you, Donovan, and you, Macho, and you, Moses Fokou, and, oh yeah, it means tackling, Asante. Thank you. Macho can show you how.

If the Eagles have momentum, so do the Cowboys, or at least Romo—the key to their team. In December, including their two losses (one to an excellent Chargers team), Tony Romo posted low McNabb-esque (actually Staubach-esque) interception numbers and eye-popping yardage. For the month, he is averaging 310 yards a game. He has thrown one pick and nine touchdowns going back five games (including the last in November), while McNabb is throwing more picks than usual.

Since Romo has been the reason for Cowboy collapses in the past, that suggests these ‘Boys won’t cry like last year. He’ll look like Eli Manning on a good day, not like Manning Junior on an off day. The game could be a shootout like the second Giants game, but Dallas’ secondary is stronger. The Eagles have feasted on quarterback weakness in these two rivalries the past two years, but they’ll be fighting for every morsel on Sunday.

Dallas is a strong all-around team—the Eagles can only hope to get better receiving yards this time than last time. Until it happens, you can’t assume it can or will. The ‘Aints couldn’t score on this Dallas D—of course, neither could they score on the ‘Bucs. Any given Sunday.

The last matchup between these two teams was very close. There’s no question the Eagles can beat the ‘Boys, but they’ll need a break since they lost Jamaal Jackson. How many snaps can you fumble and still win at this level? The linebacking is suspect, if improving (Fokou has real potential). Trot matches well with the ‘Boys’ power running game. But definitely not with Dallas’ standout tight end Jason Witten. (Hat tip to commenter Will Holt.)

The Birds need no bonehead mistakes—that means you, Macho. And Moses—you helped cost your team the first Cowboy game with some slight infraction. What was it? Oh yeah, you nullified an Ellis Hobbs kick return FOR A TOUCHDOWN!! Another penalty called back a 54-yard interception run by Sheldown Brown

In a four. point. game. (Imagine Howard Cosell or John Facenda saying that.)

Basically, Moses against Dallas was like Macho against Denver.

Memo to Moses and Macho: Each point costs more dearly the closer you get to a Super Bowl.

Macho is better in coverage and tackling than Sean Jones’ recent outings. Macho is a baller, a punisher, and he’s fast. That is why McDermott and Reid will put him right back out there. He needs to learn to make better decisions soon, because he’s potentially good enough to help this team win playoff games—take the secondary to the next level, as Fokou could do for the linebackers.

Sean McDermott probably figures, with good reason, he needs Harris to help cover Miles (Steve) Austin, as well as the Saints, Vikings, Colts, Cardinals, Packers, and/or Bolts receivers. He can’t learn on the bench; he has to take his chances now. This year’s depleted Eagle defense can’t beat high-powered offenses with Sean Jones in coverage.

Macho could be the surprise factor in the ‘Birds playoff hopes. Scary for a guy who doesn’t know which hand to carry a ball in, or when to let up from headhunting receivers. He’s all adrenaline but that can be useful. I think he’d have fit in well with the old Gang Green of the Buddy Ryan era. Buddy might have kept him on the field despite mistakes, too. 

Maybe Macho and Fokou can have breakout games, and Akeem Jordan will be better acclimated to the MIKE (middle linebacker) spot. This is the good fortune the Birds will badly need. It will be interesting to see Jordan’s snaps versus Jeremiah Trotter’s. Trot is usually sidelined when the Eagles are keying on tight end coverage.

With past sudden injuries on the O-line, the Eagles have really struggled. (See the Raiders game when Jason Peters went down). Jason Peters also missed some action against the Cowboys the first time. With all the injuries and problems on the O-line going back to Shawn Andrews, the Eagles might be too thin there to win a championship. Stacy Andrews certainly couldn’t handle Jay Ratliffe last time.

However, the Eagles have had a week and a half a game to iron out the snaps between Nick Cole and McNabb. The bigger problem will be Max Jean-Gilles, who gets the start against Ratliffe, and there the Eagles will need fortune to shine on them rather than that huge Cowboys Stadium monitor. O-line coach Juan Castillo has had time make the best of it he can. 

Can offensive coordinator Marty Morninwheg scheme away an overwhelming inside rush with QB rollouts to the left (Peters’ side)? Can you run up the middle behind Cole and Jean-Gilles?

Doubtful. Though I will say I think Donovan needs to turn on the wheels a few times this game even at risk of injury. That can foil an aggressive pass rush, tire the D-line, and take advantage of the maximum coverage down field on our skill players. You have to take what the defense is giving you, and Dallas may give Donovan room to run. He has to take it.

The Eagles offensive skill players can beat anybody, but Donovan has bad games just like Romo sometimes. He will need four or five flawless games from here out to get the Lombardi trophy. Can he hit DeSean Jackson on the double move deep like the Eagles have done so many times before? Will he have time? Can he fire missiles at a diving Jeremy Maclin on the sidelines to beat tight coverage and a fast pass rush?

Yes, maybe. It’s show-me territory. Donovan under a rush isn’t always pretty. The Eagles can score 42 or they could score 10.

Fortunately, I’m not sure any D-line the team might face with New Orleans or Minnesota (or Indianapolis) poses the threat to the Eagles depleted O-line that the ‘Boys do. All other potential playoff opponents have been underwhelming in recent weeks, with even the Vikes’ Jared Allen struggling and Pat Williams missing a game with an elbow injury.

This Cowboys game could be a Super Bowl for these Eagles—or a Super Bowl Part One of Three—if you count a Dallas playoff rematch and the Super Bowl itself.

Against the Cowboys, the Eagles have to get some breaks and inspired coaching. That means an off day for Ratliffe, a career game for Jean-Gilles, or both, a confusing offensive scheme, special teams scores, defensive turnovers (pick sixes are nice), screens and QB scrambles to take care of Dallas’ pass rush and exploit what could be a soft underbelly in Dallas’s coverage scheme.

It can be done. The Eagles have the coaching edge with Reid over Philips, and they don’t have Jerry Jones meddling.

But these ‘Boys are for real—possibly the toughest opponent between the Eagles and the Super Bowl championship.

If the Eagles have to play them twice, they better make sure that the next one will be in the NFC championship at the Linc in the dead of January. That will be just like the old days.

Oh ‘Boy.

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NFL Week 17: AFC Picks

Unlike previous weeks,  I’m going to do two separate previews, so that I can properly sort out the key games in each conference and how they effect the playoffs.

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NFL: Liver’s Week 17 Picks

Hard to believe it’s Week 17 and after this weekend there will only be 11 NFL games remaining. After The Liver’s much deserved Roman style Christmas vacation, it’s back to work.

This should be the worst week of the season with no less than EIGHT of the 16 games this week meaning absolutely nothing. Of the remaining eight games, seven feature teams that need to win for either playoff positioning or to keep pretending that they have a shot at getting in. The opponents are either out of the playoffs completely or have already solidified their playoff spots and have nothing to gain by playing their starters.

The only game this week in which BOTH teams have something to gain….that would be the Filthy Eagles coming to The Death Star to face The Liver’s surprisingly playoff-bound Dallas Cowboys.

This week shouldn’t even count, gambling-wise, but it does. The lines are so skewed this week because even Vegas doesn’t know who’s going to play like they care or not.

Six days left until The Liver’s beloved Longhorns play Alabama for the National Championship. Not even going to try and pick that game because there’s no way I can emotionally detach myself to look at it in a black and white way. I will say that Texas MUST play their most complete game of the season in order to win against a nasty Alabama defense.

None of this take the first half off and then come out on fire in the second half crap that they’ve done way too many times this year. If Texas can win the turnover battle and keep Heisman winner Mark Ingram under 100 yards rushing, they can win. This is going to be where Texas fans see what Will Muschamp truly has in his bag. His defense has been underwhelming at times this season and he will need to have them play their best football in order to claim Texas’ second national championship in four years.

HOOK ‘EM HORNS

Of course it goes without saying that the following picks AGAINST THE SPREAD are for RECREATIONAL USE ONLY . Only Rick Pitino, LeGarrette Blount, Donte’ Stallworth, Braylon Edwards, Bob Griese, Miguel Cabrera, Tila Tequila, Bill Belichick, Steve Phillips, Travis Henry, Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, Tony Romo, Elizabeth Lambert, Tiger Woods, Richard Heene (a.k.a. Balloon Boy’s father), the Liver’s biological father (a.k.a. The Most Interesting Man in the World) and all Somali Pirates would be drunk enough to question the Esteemed Liver’s picks.

Last week’s record: 8-7-1

2009 record against the spread: 133-101-6 (.568)

Sunday, January 3

Indianapolis at Buffalo (-7)
Are the Colts a gutless franchise that will tank games to rest players when immortality is within their grasp? Is Charlie Sheen guaranteed a domestic incident involving a soon-to-be ex-wife once every 4-5 years? Kudos to the Colts fans who felt cheated and betrayed by Jim Caldwell’s soon-to-be infamous decision and put so much heat on the team that Colts President Bill Polian’s weekly radio show had to be cancelled. And let’s not even get into how many fantasy teams and gambling picks (LIKE THE LIVER’S ) that were destroyed by that decision. I’m now rooting for the Colts to get knocked out in the playoffs. Oh wait, the Chargers will take care of that in the AFC Championship game. If Buffalo can’t beat the Colts JV team this week, Ralph Wilson Jr. should refund everyone’s game ticket. Pick: Buffalo

New Orleans at Carolina (-3)
The once unbeatable Saints are having some problems right now and despite having home field wrapped up in the NFC might actually need a win here to have some confidence going into the playoffs as opposed to going in on a three-game losing streak. They won’t find it easy against a Carolina team that has looked strong the last few weeks with Matt Moore as QB. Just think where they’d be if John Fox had benched Jake Delhomme earlier and put Moore in. I’m guessing that the Saints will pull the starters in the second half. Pick: Carolina

Jacksonville at Cleveland (-1)
Are the Browns really playing for Eric Mangini right now? Could ANYONE have seen this playing out two months ago? Are the Browns really stupid enough to fire Mangini and in effect be paying TWO former coaches not to coach? Romeo Crennel is still collecting a fat paycheck. No wonder he looks so happy in those Coors Light commercials. Pick: Cleveland

Chicago at Detroit (+3)
Just to show you all how much The Liver hates Brett Favre and the Vikings; I was rooting for Jay Cutler last week like he was Troy Aikman. Pick: Chicago

New England at Houston (-7 ½)
Do the Patriots sit their starters here? Obviously Vegas thinks they will. Brady might play…FOR A QUARTER . Houston’s chances of getting into the playoffs are slim to none, but with the win they would finish at 9-7 which is the best season in the Texans long and storied history. Just think what kind of damage they would do in the playoffs if they could’ve won ONE big game this year. Pick: Houston

Pittsburgh at Miami (+3)
As a Texas Longhorns die-hard, no story was better in the NFL than Ricky Williams returning to form and rushing for over 1,000 yards for the first time in six years. On a depressing side note; Ricky Williams is referred to as the “wise old veteran” in the Miami locker room. Williams’ age is 32. The Liver’s age is 32. If he was playing here I’d take Miami but he’s doubtful for now so… Pick: Pittsburgh

N.Y. Giants at Minnesota (-9)
So NOW who’s the QB who can’t win in December? That would be your starting QB Brett Favre, Vikings fans. The whole Mr. Magoo/Favre controversy was something that ANYONE with a football IQ of 10 or higher could have seen coming. That doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. Can we all agree now that while AP is an incredible running back, he’s got a serious fumbling problem that could make Tiki Barber and Ahman Green wince? If the Giants can win and the Cowboys win then it’s conceivable that the Cowboys could be the No.2 seed in the NFC and get a bye. Pick: N.Y. Giants

San Francisco at St. Louis (+7)
San Francisco should destroy the Rams here and with the No.1 pick in the draft at stake, why would the Rams even try to win? Stephen Jackson is questionable with a back injury that kept him out of last week’s game. I’d like to extend a personal thanks to the Rams coaching staff who didn’t reveal until right before kickoff that Jackson wouldn’t be playing against Arizona.

I’m sure none of the people like THE LIVER who picked the Rams to cover the 14 point spread would have changed their pick in a heartbeat had we known that Jackson wouldn’t be playing. It’s polite considerations like that that make me want to pull a Walter Sobchak and smash Steve Spagnuola’s car with a crow bar while yelling “This is what happens when you f**k a stranger in the ass.” Of course “we’re talking about unchecked aggression here Dude.”  Pick: San Francisco

Atlanta at Tampa Bay (+2)
If there was an award for Worst Coach of the Year do you think Raheem Morris would accept it? Pick: Atlanta

Philadelphia at Dallas (-3)
The Liver is never one to hide when he’s wrong so here it comes…I didn’t think the Cowboys would be in the position that they’re in. NO realistic Cowboys fan saw this two weeks ago coming off of losses to the Giants and the Chargers. But that win in New Orleans could go down as a defining moment in Cowboys history. A win here would erase the still nauseating 2008 season finale in Filthy Philly that resulted in the infamous 44-6 debacle.

Tony Romo might be playing the best football of his brief career and the defense looks like a pack of rabid dogs right now. However, that secondary CANNOT contain DeSean Jackson who scares me the way Mike Leach scares Adam James. Also, the offense still doesn’t look right. Shutting out the Redskins 17-0 was nice but 14 of those points came off of a Campbell interception early and Jason Witten’s 69-yard reception that put the Cowboys in the red zone.

They left at least 14 more points on the field and Shaun Suisham doesn’t make me feel much better then Nick Folk. Sooner or later, he’s going to be needed to hit a clutch kick and he just can’t do it. Having no faith in your kicker affects an offense in countless ways because it’s going to make offensive coordinator Jason Garrett have to take unnecessary gambles since he doesn’t know if his kicker can hit a 35 or 40 yarder.

This game is far more significant for the Cowboys because a win means the NFC East crown and at least the No.3 spot in the NFC which means one home playoff game possibly against the Eagles for the second time in a week. A win here becomes the biggest win for this franchise in the Wade Phillips era and would give them real confidence that they could beat Filthy again should they meet up in the wild card. A loss means most likely a trip to Minnesota but I’m not too afraid of them right now for some reason. Still, it would be extremely difficult for the Cowboys to win in the Metrodome where the Vikings have been dominant.

I think the Cowboys can win here but Filthy might be the best team in the NFC right now. The Death Star and the Dallas fans need to provide the home field advantage that Jerry and the city of Arlington shelled out $1.2 billion for. I rarely do this, but I’m going to take an emotional chance on this team that I haven’t done all season. Congratulations to Miles Austin on a well earned Pro Bowl selection. Here’s hoping he won’t be playing in that crap due to a more important game he’ll be playing in South Florida the following week. He deserves all the Playboy Bunnies he can get. Pick: Dallas

Green Bay at Arizona (-3)
A position game for Arizona here and Green Bay has nothing to gain by playing all out since they are locked into the No.5 seed and there is a strong possibility that these two teams will be meeting again later this week. Then again, Arizona would be wise to give Warner some rest considering that he’s one concussion away from retiring. Pick: Arizona

Kansas City at Denver (-13 ½)
Looks like Brandon Marshall is returning to his “Teammate of the Year” territory and at the perfect time. Josh McDaniels is benching him for the biggest game of the year because Marshall is supposedly pretending his right hamstring is more of an issue than acting like a sissy. Prosperity for Marshall is like prosperity for Lindsay Lohan; neither know what it is or what to do with it. Kudos to McDaniels for the brave move BUT you’re benching your best offensive weapon for a game that you have to win in order to avoid a 2-8 collapse after a 6-0 start and a second consecutive year of pissing away the AFC West title.  Pick: Kansas City

Baltimore at Oakland (+10 ½)
Baltimore has to win to get in but Oakland has made a habit this year of screwing up other teams’ seasons. I don’t think I’ve seen a team more undisciplined in my life when it comes to penalties than the Ravens, and remember I’m a Cowboys fan. Pick: Oakland

Washington at San Diego (-3 ½)
San Diego truly has nothing to play for here but even with their second stringers in there the Redskins have been on vacation for two weeks now so why can’t San Diego beat this dog? Bad time for Washington sports fans with Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittendon drawing down in the locker room Christmas Eve over a gambling debt. Please dear god let it have been a debt over NBA games. PLEASE .

As a David Stern hater, I couldn’t be happier. Let’s see him slide THIS under the carpet. Tim Donaghy might turn out to be the Jose Canseco of the NBA as far as blowing the whistle (no pun intended) on crooked refs and fixed games. Pick: San Diego

Tennessee at Seattle (+4)
The Titans may not be going to the playoffs but Chris Johnson is still running and the Seahawks went golfing weeks ago. Pick: Tennessee

Cincinnati at N.Y. Jets (-10)
The Jets and their fans should be thanking the sports gods that they got to play the gutless Colts last week and basically get handed a playoff spot. It’s still an insult to the other AFC teams (Broncos, Ravens, Texans, Steelers, and Dolphins) that were fighting for that spot. Nevertheless, The Sanchize can take his first real step in becoming a New York sports icon if he and the top ranked Jets defense can win here and get into the playoffs.

Then again, the Jets have made it a habit of stomping all over their fans’ hopes at the most crucial of times. And there’s the factor that if the Patriots lose and the Bengals win, then the Bengals would be the No.3 seed in the AFC. Can you imagine the fury of the NBC executives when they realized that they couldn’t flex Dallas/Filthy to the night game because of the Cowboys already having appeared the league max three times on Sunday night? You don’t think there was an anonymous NBC exec. that made a desperate call to Roger Goodell pleading “Can’t you just let it slide this one time?. No one will notice.” Pick: Cincinnati

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