Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers for earning a trip to Super Bowl XLV!
At the end, we have two "NFL Flavor of the Week" teams in the Super Bowl. So the Super Bowl winner will be a team that at one point of the season, was considered to be the best in the league. As much as parity seems to be evident in the NFL, two of the league's strongest teams still made it to Dallas. I'm sure there were a lot of people who picked either the Steelers or the Packers (or both) to make it to the Super Bowl before the season started. The NFL must be happy with this matchup; two powerhouse teams with rich winning histories and incredible fan bases. Dallas is about to be FLOODED with a ton of fans from both sides. It should be an awesome atmosphere down there and a great game. Also, I predict that when it comes to folks making predictions on the Super Bowl, there will be a near even amount of nods for both teams.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
NFL's Final 4 - Road to Super Bowl XLV - The Conference Championships
So how did you like the games from the NFL Divisional Round? Your answer probably depends on who you were rooting for. Last weekend was not good for the birds of the NFL, as the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks were all shot down. And the biggest "shot" of the weekend, didn't come from the antique barrels of the New England Patriots; instead they were the biggest victims from "missles" fired out of the New York Jets. The elimination of four teams, including the two number 1 seeds, leaves us with the NFL's version of the Final Four. In the NFC Championship, the Green Bay Packers visit the Chicago Bears; in the AFC Championship, the Jets travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers. The winners from these two games will meet in Dallas to play for all of the marbles...and oh yea, the Lomardi trophy. Let's take a peek at the NFC and AFC Championship games.
First game up on Sunday is the NFC Championship game. The Packers (-3.5) and the Bears have been rivals for decades and amazingly, have only met in the playoffs once. In 2010, these teams split their matchups, each team winning on their home field. The Packers win came just a couple of weeks ago. It was the regular season finale and the Packers needed to win to make it to the post season. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has come back from his second concussion of the season on fire. He has led the Pack to four straight victories including a "Hall of Fame" performance last weekend against the Falcons. I'm a big fan of Aaron Rodgers (aside from the fact he has helped me win fantasy football championships) and I think he has the potential of being a really great Super Bowl winning quarterback. But not just yet; his season will end this Sunday. The Packers offense schooled the Falcons defense last week with great quarterback and wide receiver play. The friendly confines of the Georgia Dome helped facilitate that incredible offensive display. But come Sunday, the Packers offense will be slowed by colder weather and what is widely regarded as the "worst turf in the NFL" at Soldier Field. The Bears stout defense will also contribute to the Packers troubles. Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers and company will be looking to get a hold of Rodgers and his receivers. I don't expect to see Rodgers elusiveness against the Monsters of the Midway like we saw last week against the Falcons defense. The Bears are great tacklers which is needed when playing against the Packers. On offense, the Bears must execute and stay away from turnovers (obvious, right?). Everyone knows that Bears QB Jay Cutler has it in him to throw bad picks. He will have to avoid that tendency on Sunday against the Packers opportunistic defense. The Bears need to emphasize their run game and ball control; the least amount of touches for Rodgers, the better for Chicago. That means Bears running backs Matt Forte and Chester Taylor should see plenty of action. But the Bears cannot completely abandon the passing game. It would be a good idea for them to try and stretch Green Bay's defense with their speed (i.e. Johnny Knox) and also get TE Greg Olsen involved. That will help with the run game. I would not be surprised if the Packers won this game (especially if Cutler has a turnover meltdown) but I'm picking the hometown underdog, underappreciated Bears. Take Chicago and the 3.5 points.
The "headliner" game is the Jets against the Steelers (-3.5) for the AFC Championship. The Jets are coming off a big win in New England that Jet fans have to hope was not the pinnacle of their season. There was a lot of emotion poured into that game by New York, but they need two more wins to reach their ultimate goal. A lot has been made of the Jets handling and knocking out Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in consecutive weeks. Next up for them is Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger has something in his weaponry that Manning and Brady did not have against the Jets: a legit speedy deep threat (I guess the Patriots actually could have used Randy Moss after all; did Brandon Tate even have a catch?). Steelers wide receivers Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown will be able to stretch the Jets defense. But the Steelers offensive line is banged up and I think that will hurt Pittsburgh big time. I think Roethlisberger will see a lot of pressure and the Jets know that when they get to him, they must bring him down. The Steelers would benefit by establishing the run but I think they will have trouble doing that. The Jets offense should try to establish the run as well but they will be up against the toughest team to run against in the league. The Steelers defense is nasty! They have players on that defense that will knock opposing players into next week. Steelers LB James Harrison may be the best linebacker on a defense that has the best group of linebackers in the NFL. And what can you say about his teammate S Troy Polamalu? He's a beast on the field! Polamalu is nursing some injuries but is expected to play. His effectiveness, or lack thereof, will be key to the success of the Jets offensive attack. Gang Green will have a tougher time running the ball but they can ease that burden if they get their passing game going. Jets QB Mark Sanchez will have to be more accurate than he has been the last two playoff games (though he did connect on some big passes in both games). Jets TE Dustin Keller has been somewhat quiet this post season. I see him having a huge impact on this game. The Jets defeated the Steelers at Heinz Field in Week 15, can they possibly do it again? I say that they can and they will!! Take the Jets and the 3.5 points.
My predictions have the Jets and the Bears meeting in Super Bowl XLV on February 6. These two teams battled each other in Week 16 at Soldier Field, with the Bears winning the close, high scoring game. I'm sure a lot of folks don't envision this matchup. What teams are you picking?
First game up on Sunday is the NFC Championship game. The Packers (-3.5) and the Bears have been rivals for decades and amazingly, have only met in the playoffs once. In 2010, these teams split their matchups, each team winning on their home field. The Packers win came just a couple of weeks ago. It was the regular season finale and the Packers needed to win to make it to the post season. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has come back from his second concussion of the season on fire. He has led the Pack to four straight victories including a "Hall of Fame" performance last weekend against the Falcons. I'm a big fan of Aaron Rodgers (aside from the fact he has helped me win fantasy football championships) and I think he has the potential of being a really great Super Bowl winning quarterback. But not just yet; his season will end this Sunday. The Packers offense schooled the Falcons defense last week with great quarterback and wide receiver play. The friendly confines of the Georgia Dome helped facilitate that incredible offensive display. But come Sunday, the Packers offense will be slowed by colder weather and what is widely regarded as the "worst turf in the NFL" at Soldier Field. The Bears stout defense will also contribute to the Packers troubles. Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers and company will be looking to get a hold of Rodgers and his receivers. I don't expect to see Rodgers elusiveness against the Monsters of the Midway like we saw last week against the Falcons defense. The Bears are great tacklers which is needed when playing against the Packers. On offense, the Bears must execute and stay away from turnovers (obvious, right?). Everyone knows that Bears QB Jay Cutler has it in him to throw bad picks. He will have to avoid that tendency on Sunday against the Packers opportunistic defense. The Bears need to emphasize their run game and ball control; the least amount of touches for Rodgers, the better for Chicago. That means Bears running backs Matt Forte and Chester Taylor should see plenty of action. But the Bears cannot completely abandon the passing game. It would be a good idea for them to try and stretch Green Bay's defense with their speed (i.e. Johnny Knox) and also get TE Greg Olsen involved. That will help with the run game. I would not be surprised if the Packers won this game (especially if Cutler has a turnover meltdown) but I'm picking the hometown underdog, underappreciated Bears. Take Chicago and the 3.5 points.
The "headliner" game is the Jets against the Steelers (-3.5) for the AFC Championship. The Jets are coming off a big win in New England that Jet fans have to hope was not the pinnacle of their season. There was a lot of emotion poured into that game by New York, but they need two more wins to reach their ultimate goal. A lot has been made of the Jets handling and knocking out Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in consecutive weeks. Next up for them is Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger has something in his weaponry that Manning and Brady did not have against the Jets: a legit speedy deep threat (I guess the Patriots actually could have used Randy Moss after all; did Brandon Tate even have a catch?). Steelers wide receivers Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown will be able to stretch the Jets defense. But the Steelers offensive line is banged up and I think that will hurt Pittsburgh big time. I think Roethlisberger will see a lot of pressure and the Jets know that when they get to him, they must bring him down. The Steelers would benefit by establishing the run but I think they will have trouble doing that. The Jets offense should try to establish the run as well but they will be up against the toughest team to run against in the league. The Steelers defense is nasty! They have players on that defense that will knock opposing players into next week. Steelers LB James Harrison may be the best linebacker on a defense that has the best group of linebackers in the NFL. And what can you say about his teammate S Troy Polamalu? He's a beast on the field! Polamalu is nursing some injuries but is expected to play. His effectiveness, or lack thereof, will be key to the success of the Jets offensive attack. Gang Green will have a tougher time running the ball but they can ease that burden if they get their passing game going. Jets QB Mark Sanchez will have to be more accurate than he has been the last two playoff games (though he did connect on some big passes in both games). Jets TE Dustin Keller has been somewhat quiet this post season. I see him having a huge impact on this game. The Jets defeated the Steelers at Heinz Field in Week 15, can they possibly do it again? I say that they can and they will!! Take the Jets and the 3.5 points.
My predictions have the Jets and the Bears meeting in Super Bowl XLV on February 6. These two teams battled each other in Week 16 at Soldier Field, with the Bears winning the close, high scoring game. I'm sure a lot of folks don't envision this matchup. What teams are you picking?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Conference Championships - NFL Flavor of the Week Update
We are down to four teams now in the NFL 2010 season and as anticipated, some of the "NFL Flavor of the Week" (see http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2011/01/nfl-flavor-of-week-end-of-regular.html) teams have been eliminated. First and foremost, gone is the biggest and most celebrated "Flavor", the New England Patriots. The Patriots were favored by most to win the whole thing, especially after handily beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets and Chicago Bears in the second half of the season (they beat the Green Bay Packers in the second half as well but it was a close game with Aaron Rodgers sidelined with a concussion). Ironically, all of those teams have moved on to the conference championship games, while the 14 - 2 Patriots season was abruptly ended (by the Jets). Two other former "Flavors" were sent packing this past weekend. The Baltimore Ravens, an early season "Flavor" was dumped by the Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons, "Flavorites" because of their #1 seed in the NFC and dominance at home, was incinerated by the Packers. There were also two "Flavors" left behind on Wild Card Weekend: the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints.
There are three "Flavor" teams left in the final four. The Packers, Jets and Steelers still have a chance to make some Super Bowl predictors look like geniuses. After their performance against the Falcons, the Packers seem to be the up to the minute "Flavor". But beware of the Bears; overlooked and underappreciated most of the season (see http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2011/01/theyre-not-who-we-thought-they-were.html), they still have a solid chance of making everyone look silly.
There are three "Flavor" teams left in the final four. The Packers, Jets and Steelers still have a chance to make some Super Bowl predictors look like geniuses. After their performance against the Falcons, the Packers seem to be the up to the minute "Flavor". But beware of the Bears; overlooked and underappreciated most of the season (see http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2011/01/theyre-not-who-we-thought-they-were.html), they still have a solid chance of making everyone look silly.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Road to Super Bowl XLV - The Elite Eight: NFL Divisional Playoffs
Alright!!! Did you enjoy Wild Card Weekend? Three wild card teams advanced and the only division winner to move on was the 7 - 9 Seattle Seahawks. Yep, that's the same team who a lot of folks thought had no business in the post season. And what do you know? They beat the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints! The Saints loss, coupled with the Indianapolis Colts losing to the New York Jets, will guarantee that two new teams will be represented in Super Bowl XLV. Wild Card Weekend also saw the Green Bay Packers defeat the Philadelphia Eagles to end Michael Vick's magical season and the Baltimore Ravens club the Kansas City Chiefs. Now let's look at this weekend's NFL Divisional Playoff matchups!
The first game up will be the hardest to predict. This game could truly go either way. The Baltimore Ravens travel to Heinz Field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers (-3). There is nothing about this matchup that probably hasn't already been expressed. These old AFC North rivals know each other very well. I like to think of them as twin brothers because they are (and look) so much alike. If someone mentions a team from a cold blue-collar city, that plays strong defense, relies on their running game and is tough as nails, they could very well be talking about either the Steelers or the Ravens. They both won a game against each other by 3 points in the regular season. I think the difference in this game will be the quarterbacks. I have to give the edge to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Ravens QB Joe Flacco has been impressive in his short career in the playoffs but I trust Roethlisberger to make more plays in this game. It will be the first time the home team wins in this matchup this year. Steelers win and give the three points - it will probably be a push!
The late game on Saturday features the Green Bay Packers vs. the Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons will be coming off the bye that they earned by being the #1 seed in the NFC. They have gained the reputation of being (somewhat) unbeatable at home. The "Dirty Birds" were 7 - 1 in the Dome this season; one of those 7 wins was against the Packers. The Packers almost came out of Atlanta with a win, losing in the last seconds on a field goal. This game will probably be close again. The Falcons will rely on their solid running game and play action passing on offense. The Packers defense, who must feel relieved that Falcons QB Matt Ryan doesn't have Michael Vick's elusiveness,should be up to challenge. On offense, the Packers passing game has been slightly off the last couple of weeks, but last week they rediscovered their running game. RB James Starks was carrying the rock against the Eagles like he was Ryan Grant. If the Pack can get their running game going like that again, they should win. If they become too one dimensional and have to pass all game, that will open the door for the Falcons. The Falcons defense can get after the quarterback and if there is no run threat, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers could be forced into making a lot of mistakes. On the other hand, the Pack's passing game can be lethal and I'm not sure if the Falcons secondary will be able to keep up all of their wide outs. I expect to see a lot of points scored in this game and I think Green Bay will prevail. Take the Packers and the 2.5 points.
Sunday kicks off with the Seahawks visiting the Chicago Bears (-10). Here we go again with the Seahawks; they are a double digit underdog again but I think they have a little more respect this week. Again, they are in a position of having nothing to lose, so their level of pressure should not be through the roof. They come into Chicago with a lot of confidence after their big win last week and their three point defeat of the Bears at Soldier Field in Week 6. The Bears are coming off of a bye and are not getting a lot love from the experts as a possible Super Bowl contender (see http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2011/01/theyre-not-who-we-thought-they-were.html ). The Bears defense will not allow all of the yardage and points that the Saints did last week. If their offensive line allow their skilled players to make plays, this could be a long afternoon for the Seahawks. If the Bears offensive line crumbles, that will be Seattle's window of opportunity (sacks & turnovers). I think the Bears will win but I don't feel comfortable giving 10 points.
Last matchup of the weekend is the New York Jets returning to Foxboro, the scene of their worst beat down of the year, to face the New England Patriots (-9). The #1 AFC seed Patriots have looked fantastic for most of the season. Head coach Bill Belichick is the master of the game plan and he has had two weeks to prepare for his division rival. The last time these two teams met, the Jets were thoroughly embarrassed 45 - 3. Patriots QB Tom Brady picked their defense apart and conversely, Jets QB Mark Sanchez couldn't get any type of rhythm on offense. There are a lot of justifiable reasons why most people are picking the Patriots to win this game. It looks like a slam dunk on paper. But my gut tells me Gang Green is going to go into Gillette Stadium and shock the world. Their defense will play better and their offense will be more consistent. They will knock out Peyton Manning and Brady in consecutive weeks. Rex Ryan gets to brag for another week. I'm taking the Jets in a big upset and the 9 points.
So if my predictions are right, we will see the Packers travel to Chicago to play the Bears in the NFC Championship and the Steelers host the Jets in the AFC Championship. Who are your picks to move on to the conference championships?
The first game up will be the hardest to predict. This game could truly go either way. The Baltimore Ravens travel to Heinz Field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers (-3). There is nothing about this matchup that probably hasn't already been expressed. These old AFC North rivals know each other very well. I like to think of them as twin brothers because they are (and look) so much alike. If someone mentions a team from a cold blue-collar city, that plays strong defense, relies on their running game and is tough as nails, they could very well be talking about either the Steelers or the Ravens. They both won a game against each other by 3 points in the regular season. I think the difference in this game will be the quarterbacks. I have to give the edge to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Ravens QB Joe Flacco has been impressive in his short career in the playoffs but I trust Roethlisberger to make more plays in this game. It will be the first time the home team wins in this matchup this year. Steelers win and give the three points - it will probably be a push!
The late game on Saturday features the Green Bay Packers vs. the Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons will be coming off the bye that they earned by being the #1 seed in the NFC. They have gained the reputation of being (somewhat) unbeatable at home. The "Dirty Birds" were 7 - 1 in the Dome this season; one of those 7 wins was against the Packers. The Packers almost came out of Atlanta with a win, losing in the last seconds on a field goal. This game will probably be close again. The Falcons will rely on their solid running game and play action passing on offense. The Packers defense, who must feel relieved that Falcons QB Matt Ryan doesn't have Michael Vick's elusiveness,should be up to challenge. On offense, the Packers passing game has been slightly off the last couple of weeks, but last week they rediscovered their running game. RB James Starks was carrying the rock against the Eagles like he was Ryan Grant. If the Pack can get their running game going like that again, they should win. If they become too one dimensional and have to pass all game, that will open the door for the Falcons. The Falcons defense can get after the quarterback and if there is no run threat, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers could be forced into making a lot of mistakes. On the other hand, the Pack's passing game can be lethal and I'm not sure if the Falcons secondary will be able to keep up all of their wide outs. I expect to see a lot of points scored in this game and I think Green Bay will prevail. Take the Packers and the 2.5 points.
Sunday kicks off with the Seahawks visiting the Chicago Bears (-10). Here we go again with the Seahawks; they are a double digit underdog again but I think they have a little more respect this week. Again, they are in a position of having nothing to lose, so their level of pressure should not be through the roof. They come into Chicago with a lot of confidence after their big win last week and their three point defeat of the Bears at Soldier Field in Week 6. The Bears are coming off of a bye and are not getting a lot love from the experts as a possible Super Bowl contender (see http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2011/01/theyre-not-who-we-thought-they-were.html ). The Bears defense will not allow all of the yardage and points that the Saints did last week. If their offensive line allow their skilled players to make plays, this could be a long afternoon for the Seahawks. If the Bears offensive line crumbles, that will be Seattle's window of opportunity (sacks & turnovers). I think the Bears will win but I don't feel comfortable giving 10 points.
Last matchup of the weekend is the New York Jets returning to Foxboro, the scene of their worst beat down of the year, to face the New England Patriots (-9). The #1 AFC seed Patriots have looked fantastic for most of the season. Head coach Bill Belichick is the master of the game plan and he has had two weeks to prepare for his division rival. The last time these two teams met, the Jets were thoroughly embarrassed 45 - 3. Patriots QB Tom Brady picked their defense apart and conversely, Jets QB Mark Sanchez couldn't get any type of rhythm on offense. There are a lot of justifiable reasons why most people are picking the Patriots to win this game. It looks like a slam dunk on paper. But my gut tells me Gang Green is going to go into Gillette Stadium and shock the world. Their defense will play better and their offense will be more consistent. They will knock out Peyton Manning and Brady in consecutive weeks. Rex Ryan gets to brag for another week. I'm taking the Jets in a big upset and the 9 points.
So if my predictions are right, we will see the Packers travel to Chicago to play the Bears in the NFC Championship and the Steelers host the Jets in the AFC Championship. Who are your picks to move on to the conference championships?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
They're Not Who We Thought They Were, the 2010 Chicago Bears
It was October 16th, 2006. The Chicago Bears had just beaten the Arizona Cardinals in a nationally televised Monday night game. The Cardinals had blown a 23 - 3 lead in the 3rd quarter by giving up three unanswered touchdowns, two of them to the Bears defense and the last one on a 83 yard Devin Hester punt return special. The win pushed the Bears to a 6 - 0 record and the Cardinals fell to 1 - 5. This loss made Cardinals head coach (at that time) Denny Green livid and he delivered one of the most memorable post press conference speeches of all time. That night, Green's most recognized line may have been "they are who we thought they were!" inferring that the undefeated Bears were more hype than bite and not superior to his struggling team. Well the Bears did live up to their hype by finishing the 2006 season 13 - 3 and making it to the Super Bowl.
Spin the clock ahead to 2010 and the current Bears team came into this season with a lot of question marks. Since their Super Bowl run in 2006, the Bears have not made it back to playoffs. Last season the team finished 7 - 9; they lost linebacker and defensive leader Brian Urlacher to a season ending wrist injury in their season opener and newly acquired quarterback Jay Cutler disappointed the Bears faithful all year by his inconsistent play. After the 2009 campaign, they signed free agent DE Julius Peppers, undeniably the best acquisition made in the NFL during the off-season. Even with the addition of Peppers, many experts didn't warm up to the Bears. The Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers were supposed to be the elite teams of the NFC North. Those teams were expected to battle it out for division supremacy while the Bears would be relegated to trying to keep the Detroit Lions off of their heels. Even NFL Hall of Famer and Bears legend Gale Sayers publicly doubted how well the team would play in 2010, which infamously caused Urlacher take shots back at Sayers. Head coach Lovie Smith was also squarely on the hot seat, as it was universally believed that another mediocre Bears season would cost him his job. The team opened the 2010 season at home with a controversial win over the Lions. Lions WR Calvin Johnson seemingly scored the game winning touchdown with seconds to play but because he dropped the ball pushing himself up off the ground, the "catch" was ruled an incomplete pass. Most people thought that the Bears got away with one and should have been 0 - 1. Their next contest was a win against the Dallas Cowboys. Even though the Bears played a solid game on offense and defense, people blamed the Cowboys for playing poorly and "losing" the game. Game 3 was a division matchup on Monday Night Football against the Packers; the Bears won and finally started to get a little respect for being undefeated. That respect was short lived though because the very next week the Bears was beaten literally and figuratively by the New York Giants. Cutler, who had been getting sacked a lot despite the wins, was absolutely abused by the Giants. They sacked him nine times in the first half and knocked him out of the game with a concussion.
The Bears reputation took a beating after that Giants loss. Despite a 3 -1 record, many did not take them seriously. A lot of folks thought that the Vikings, who were off to a very slow start, would turn it around and surpass the Bears. Critics felt it was only a matter of time before the Bears would self-destruct and finish the season the way that most had predicted. That implosion never occurred. Chicago finished the season 11 - 5 and was crowned the champions of the NFC North. The Bears did have bad home losses to the Washington Redskins, the Seattle Seahawks and they were annihilated by the New England Patriots 36 - 7 (in the middle of a blizzard). If the they would have beat the Patriots, I think they would have received the respect that had escaped them the whole season, but the butt-whipping they took only gave the doubters ammunition. Despite the Bears success, they were never given "Flavor of the Week" status in the NFL (see NFL "Flavor of the Week" http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2010/11/nfl-flavor-of-week.html and NFL Flavor of the Week - End of the Regular Season Edition http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2011/01/nfl-flavor-of-week-end-of-regular.html ).
The disrespect of the Bears has crept into the post season as well. I have yet to hear the Bears mentioned as a team that will make it to Dallas in February. I'm even hearing folks predicting that the Bears will lose again to the upstart Seahawks at home this weekend. I think the Bears deserve more respect for what they have done this year and for who they are as a team. They have an excellent defense, playmakers at skilled positions on offense, and the ever-dangerous Hester (and reliable PK Robbie Gould) on special teams. They only need to win two games to get to Dallas and three to take the Lombardi trophy home. If their offensive line can hold up and maybe even play above their heads, they could possibly win their first Super Bowl since the 1985 season. Folks, the Chicago Bears are for real; they're not who we thought they were.
Spin the clock ahead to 2010 and the current Bears team came into this season with a lot of question marks. Since their Super Bowl run in 2006, the Bears have not made it back to playoffs. Last season the team finished 7 - 9; they lost linebacker and defensive leader Brian Urlacher to a season ending wrist injury in their season opener and newly acquired quarterback Jay Cutler disappointed the Bears faithful all year by his inconsistent play. After the 2009 campaign, they signed free agent DE Julius Peppers, undeniably the best acquisition made in the NFL during the off-season. Even with the addition of Peppers, many experts didn't warm up to the Bears. The Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers were supposed to be the elite teams of the NFC North. Those teams were expected to battle it out for division supremacy while the Bears would be relegated to trying to keep the Detroit Lions off of their heels. Even NFL Hall of Famer and Bears legend Gale Sayers publicly doubted how well the team would play in 2010, which infamously caused Urlacher take shots back at Sayers. Head coach Lovie Smith was also squarely on the hot seat, as it was universally believed that another mediocre Bears season would cost him his job. The team opened the 2010 season at home with a controversial win over the Lions. Lions WR Calvin Johnson seemingly scored the game winning touchdown with seconds to play but because he dropped the ball pushing himself up off the ground, the "catch" was ruled an incomplete pass. Most people thought that the Bears got away with one and should have been 0 - 1. Their next contest was a win against the Dallas Cowboys. Even though the Bears played a solid game on offense and defense, people blamed the Cowboys for playing poorly and "losing" the game. Game 3 was a division matchup on Monday Night Football against the Packers; the Bears won and finally started to get a little respect for being undefeated. That respect was short lived though because the very next week the Bears was beaten literally and figuratively by the New York Giants. Cutler, who had been getting sacked a lot despite the wins, was absolutely abused by the Giants. They sacked him nine times in the first half and knocked him out of the game with a concussion.
The Bears reputation took a beating after that Giants loss. Despite a 3 -1 record, many did not take them seriously. A lot of folks thought that the Vikings, who were off to a very slow start, would turn it around and surpass the Bears. Critics felt it was only a matter of time before the Bears would self-destruct and finish the season the way that most had predicted. That implosion never occurred. Chicago finished the season 11 - 5 and was crowned the champions of the NFC North. The Bears did have bad home losses to the Washington Redskins, the Seattle Seahawks and they were annihilated by the New England Patriots 36 - 7 (in the middle of a blizzard). If the they would have beat the Patriots, I think they would have received the respect that had escaped them the whole season, but the butt-whipping they took only gave the doubters ammunition. Despite the Bears success, they were never given "Flavor of the Week" status in the NFL (see NFL "Flavor of the Week" http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2010/11/nfl-flavor-of-week.html and NFL Flavor of the Week - End of the Regular Season Edition http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2011/01/nfl-flavor-of-week-end-of-regular.html ).
The disrespect of the Bears has crept into the post season as well. I have yet to hear the Bears mentioned as a team that will make it to Dallas in February. I'm even hearing folks predicting that the Bears will lose again to the upstart Seahawks at home this weekend. I think the Bears deserve more respect for what they have done this year and for who they are as a team. They have an excellent defense, playmakers at skilled positions on offense, and the ever-dangerous Hester (and reliable PK Robbie Gould) on special teams. They only need to win two games to get to Dallas and three to take the Lombardi trophy home. If their offensive line can hold up and maybe even play above their heads, they could possibly win their first Super Bowl since the 1985 season. Folks, the Chicago Bears are for real; they're not who we thought they were.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
NFL Wild Card Weekend - Road to Super Bowl XLV Begins
Here we go! It's that time in the NFL season where there are no more "tomorrows" if you lose. It's elimination football where the winners of just one game move on to the next round. Unlike our other major sports, there is no "best of" series in the NFL. It's the time of year where Donovan McNabb is actually right, a game cannot end in a tie. (As a matter of fact, there are new overtime rules in play for this season's playoffs. The team with first possession must score a touchdown in order to end the game; if it kicks a field goal the other team has an opportunity to tie or win the game. See this link to NFL.com for more details http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story/09000d5d81d72298/article/so-long-sudden-death-playoffs-offer-new-overtime-approach . This time of year is bittersweet for me; I'm always excited to watch NFL playoff football but it "depresses" me to think that the season is winding down. I intend, as I do every year to enjoy each of these playoff rounds which will eventually culminate at Cowboys Stadium on February 6th (without the Dallas Cowboys but that's a WHOLE different story - I digress...). Lets take a look at the Wild Card Weekend games.
First playoff game to be played will be the 11 - 5 NFC wild card New Orleans Saints (-10) visiting the 7 - 9 NFC West division champion Seattle Seahawks. This matchup has upset a lot of folks because of the Seahawks participating and playing at home despite their losing record. The Saints are about a 10 point favorite in this game. They are a better football team in all three phases of the game. Many have predicted a Saints blowout. Saints quarterback Drew Brees has the potential to torch any defense. But the Saints offense has been a bit inconsistent this season. Brees has not been playing clean games as well. The team is suffering a lot of key injuries especially at the running back position. Combine these tidbits with the facts that the Seahawks are playing at home where they are 5 - 3 this season and that they have absolutely NOTHING to lose and it shows me the possibility of a huge upset. I give the defending Super Bowl champs the benefit of the doubt though. I think the Saints will pull it out but I wouldn't give the 10 points. Should be somewhat of a close game.
Saturday night features a rematch of last year's AFC Championship game. The 10 - 6 AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts (-3) will host the 11 - 5 AFC wild card New York Jets. Funny how folks are not too bent out of shape about the Jets having to play on the road against a team with a worse record. But the Colts are a winning team and have had an outstanding regular season track record over the last few years. The Colts number one asset is #18, Peyton Manning and everyone knows this guy is always prepared. This Colts team is getting healthier but I don't think it is as good as their Super Bowl team of last season. The Jets defense has been a bit disappointing this year and everyone seemed to jump off, then on, then back off the (Jets quarterback) Mark Sanchez bandwagon this season. A lot of people are picking the Colts to win pretty much just based on Manning. As much as I don't want to see the Colts exit in the first round, I think that is exactly what is going to happen. I think folks are sleeping on the Jets; even though they have had some missteps, they are one of the league's best teams. Sanchez & Company will do enough on offense to secure a Gang Green victory. Take the Jets and the 3 points.
Sunday's first game features the 10 - 6 AFC West division champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the 12 - 4 AFC wild card Baltimore Ravens (-3). Yet again, not many folks upset that the team with the better record is on the road. I loved the way the Chiefs played this season. They have a great running attack with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, which is now complimented with a decent passing game. Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel and wideout Dwayne Bowe have built great chemistry this season. It's the kind of chemistry I expected from Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and wideout Anquan Boldin. But they never really seemed to get on the right page this year. If the Ravens ever get clicking offensively, I think they can put up points with the best of them. Their running game is led by their dynamic starting running back Ray Rice, who is a big threat as a receiver as well. I think the Ravens will be a little too much for the Chiefs; their weapons, experience and knack for winning playoff road games should help them this weekend. I think this game will be close but I would take the Ravens and give the 3 points.
The final game of Wild Card Weekend may be the best matchup of them all. The 10 - 6 NFC wild card Green Bay Packers return to scene of their first win of the year at Lincoln Financial Field to face the 10 - 6 NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles (-3). The Packers come into this game as the hot team winning their last two "must win" games to punch the last ticket into the NFC playoffs. Conversely, The Eagles have lost their last two games and have fallen from the graces of many who had thought of them as being the best team in the league. Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has looked a lot more human lately after resembling a "superman" on the field for most of the season. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has had a great season, overcoming two concussions and a lacking running game. I think these teams are evenly matched, but my gut tells me that the Eagles offense will rise again and carry them to play the Chicago Bears next weekend. After agonizing over this decision, I would take the Eagles and give the 3 points.
So I picked three road teams to win this weekend and the one road team I didn't pick, the Packers, I had a tough time not picking. If all the road teams won, that would eliminate four division winners. That would certainly put the "wild" in Wild Card Weekend! Everybody enjoy the ride! It starts now!
First playoff game to be played will be the 11 - 5 NFC wild card New Orleans Saints (-10) visiting the 7 - 9 NFC West division champion Seattle Seahawks. This matchup has upset a lot of folks because of the Seahawks participating and playing at home despite their losing record. The Saints are about a 10 point favorite in this game. They are a better football team in all three phases of the game. Many have predicted a Saints blowout. Saints quarterback Drew Brees has the potential to torch any defense. But the Saints offense has been a bit inconsistent this season. Brees has not been playing clean games as well. The team is suffering a lot of key injuries especially at the running back position. Combine these tidbits with the facts that the Seahawks are playing at home where they are 5 - 3 this season and that they have absolutely NOTHING to lose and it shows me the possibility of a huge upset. I give the defending Super Bowl champs the benefit of the doubt though. I think the Saints will pull it out but I wouldn't give the 10 points. Should be somewhat of a close game.
Saturday night features a rematch of last year's AFC Championship game. The 10 - 6 AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts (-3) will host the 11 - 5 AFC wild card New York Jets. Funny how folks are not too bent out of shape about the Jets having to play on the road against a team with a worse record. But the Colts are a winning team and have had an outstanding regular season track record over the last few years. The Colts number one asset is #18, Peyton Manning and everyone knows this guy is always prepared. This Colts team is getting healthier but I don't think it is as good as their Super Bowl team of last season. The Jets defense has been a bit disappointing this year and everyone seemed to jump off, then on, then back off the (Jets quarterback) Mark Sanchez bandwagon this season. A lot of people are picking the Colts to win pretty much just based on Manning. As much as I don't want to see the Colts exit in the first round, I think that is exactly what is going to happen. I think folks are sleeping on the Jets; even though they have had some missteps, they are one of the league's best teams. Sanchez & Company will do enough on offense to secure a Gang Green victory. Take the Jets and the 3 points.
Sunday's first game features the 10 - 6 AFC West division champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the 12 - 4 AFC wild card Baltimore Ravens (-3). Yet again, not many folks upset that the team with the better record is on the road. I loved the way the Chiefs played this season. They have a great running attack with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, which is now complimented with a decent passing game. Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel and wideout Dwayne Bowe have built great chemistry this season. It's the kind of chemistry I expected from Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and wideout Anquan Boldin. But they never really seemed to get on the right page this year. If the Ravens ever get clicking offensively, I think they can put up points with the best of them. Their running game is led by their dynamic starting running back Ray Rice, who is a big threat as a receiver as well. I think the Ravens will be a little too much for the Chiefs; their weapons, experience and knack for winning playoff road games should help them this weekend. I think this game will be close but I would take the Ravens and give the 3 points.
The final game of Wild Card Weekend may be the best matchup of them all. The 10 - 6 NFC wild card Green Bay Packers return to scene of their first win of the year at Lincoln Financial Field to face the 10 - 6 NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles (-3). The Packers come into this game as the hot team winning their last two "must win" games to punch the last ticket into the NFC playoffs. Conversely, The Eagles have lost their last two games and have fallen from the graces of many who had thought of them as being the best team in the league. Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has looked a lot more human lately after resembling a "superman" on the field for most of the season. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has had a great season, overcoming two concussions and a lacking running game. I think these teams are evenly matched, but my gut tells me that the Eagles offense will rise again and carry them to play the Chicago Bears next weekend. After agonizing over this decision, I would take the Eagles and give the 3 points.
So I picked three road teams to win this weekend and the one road team I didn't pick, the Packers, I had a tough time not picking. If all the road teams won, that would eliminate four division winners. That would certainly put the "wild" in Wild Card Weekend! Everybody enjoy the ride! It starts now!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Jason Garrett Now Officially The Head Coach of The Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett was officially introduced at Cowboys Stadium today as the Dallas Cowboys head coach. He received a four year deal. There wasn't really much of a surprise that he had the interim tag removed from his title. Garrett had done fairly well in his eight game audition. The Cowboys went 5 - 3 under his stewardship and clearly had more life and energy as a team than they did at end of Wade Phillips' tenure.
It will be interesting to see how things with the Cowboys unfold in 2011. The team clearly underperformed (and they lost probably their most important player, quarterback Tony Romo, for most of the season to a shoulder injury) in 2010 . How many personnel changes will be made? What will they do with their #9 first round draft pick? Will they go after a big name defensive coordinator? A lot of questions posed today at the press conference announcing the official Garrett hire seemed to be around exactly how much decision making power will Garrett actually have. Let's face it folks, Jerry Jones is not only the Cowboys' owner, he is the team's GM. The primary job of a head coach is to coach and direct the personnel (players and coaches) that has been assembled for him by the GM (and player personnel execs). So this situation will be no different. Garrett has not been given GM duties. No one should be shocked that Jones will be making personnel decisions. Garrett should be concentrating on coaching the X's & O's and the temperament of his team. Oddly enough, at the press conference, when a reporter asked Garrett about how much influence he will have on decisions, Jones jumped right up to the podium and interrupted. He tried his best to assure everyone that Garrett will not have a player or a coach he does not want. But Jones' jump to the podium still metaphorically showed who is in control of decisions no matter what was actually being said. Again, that is Jones' function and I do believe him when he says that Garrett will have (some) input.
I had a lot of issues with Garrett's play calling when he was just the offensive coordinator, though I think it got better when he became the interim coach. There have been a lot of speculation around that, some folks actually believing he sabotaged Phillips by not making the right play calls for the offense. Specifically, it was obvious that the Cowboys needed to run the ball more under Phillips (and Garrett was in charge of the offense). Garrett didn't call more run plays until Phillips was fired and he was running the show. Though I find those actions inexplicable, I don't think Garrett deliberately neglected to run the ball to take Phillips out.
I wish Garrettt the best as he becomes the 8th head coach in Cowboys' history. Next season (barring issues with the new CBA) Garrett will have a fresh start, a healthy Romo, and a whole off-season to place his stamp firmly on this team. The Cowboys have a lot of bad memories to erase from this season. While they had hoped to win three playoff games at home to become the only team to play and win the Super Bowl in their own stadium, they wound up winning only 2 regular season games at Cowboys Stadium. Jones has placed his hopes on Garrett to give he and his fans a little amnesia for the 2011 season. But he does hope that the team repeats one thing from this season: a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis which resulted in a win. Lucas Oil Stadium is the site of next season's Super Bowl.
It will be interesting to see how things with the Cowboys unfold in 2011. The team clearly underperformed (and they lost probably their most important player, quarterback Tony Romo, for most of the season to a shoulder injury) in 2010 . How many personnel changes will be made? What will they do with their #9 first round draft pick? Will they go after a big name defensive coordinator? A lot of questions posed today at the press conference announcing the official Garrett hire seemed to be around exactly how much decision making power will Garrett actually have. Let's face it folks, Jerry Jones is not only the Cowboys' owner, he is the team's GM. The primary job of a head coach is to coach and direct the personnel (players and coaches) that has been assembled for him by the GM (and player personnel execs). So this situation will be no different. Garrett has not been given GM duties. No one should be shocked that Jones will be making personnel decisions. Garrett should be concentrating on coaching the X's & O's and the temperament of his team. Oddly enough, at the press conference, when a reporter asked Garrett about how much influence he will have on decisions, Jones jumped right up to the podium and interrupted. He tried his best to assure everyone that Garrett will not have a player or a coach he does not want. But Jones' jump to the podium still metaphorically showed who is in control of decisions no matter what was actually being said. Again, that is Jones' function and I do believe him when he says that Garrett will have (some) input.
I had a lot of issues with Garrett's play calling when he was just the offensive coordinator, though I think it got better when he became the interim coach. There have been a lot of speculation around that, some folks actually believing he sabotaged Phillips by not making the right play calls for the offense. Specifically, it was obvious that the Cowboys needed to run the ball more under Phillips (and Garrett was in charge of the offense). Garrett didn't call more run plays until Phillips was fired and he was running the show. Though I find those actions inexplicable, I don't think Garrett deliberately neglected to run the ball to take Phillips out.
I wish Garrettt the best as he becomes the 8th head coach in Cowboys' history. Next season (barring issues with the new CBA) Garrett will have a fresh start, a healthy Romo, and a whole off-season to place his stamp firmly on this team. The Cowboys have a lot of bad memories to erase from this season. While they had hoped to win three playoff games at home to become the only team to play and win the Super Bowl in their own stadium, they wound up winning only 2 regular season games at Cowboys Stadium. Jones has placed his hopes on Garrett to give he and his fans a little amnesia for the 2011 season. But he does hope that the team repeats one thing from this season: a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis which resulted in a win. Lucas Oil Stadium is the site of next season's Super Bowl.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
NFL Flavor of the Week - End of the Regular Season Edition
A few weeks ago I blogged about how it seemed that every week in the NFL, a couple of teams became the "Flavor of the Week", a squad that was anointed by the masses as the best in the league (http://klassybreeze.blogspot.com/2010/11/nfl-flavor-of-week.html). The week that I wrote on the subject, two teams that were getting that praise was the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Finishing the regular season with an NFL best 14 - 2 record, a head coach that is being considered the "Coach of the Year" (Bill Belichick) and a quarterback that seems to be the consensus league MVP (Tom Brady), the Patriots are certainly still a "Flavor of the Week" team. They have had impressive wins in the second half of the season, most notably a home assassination of the New York Jets and an equally impressive road crushing of the Chicago Bears in a snow blizzard. They finished off their regular season handily defeating the Miami Dolphins while playing all of their starters for a good portion of the game, regardless of the fact that they had the number 1 seed in the AFC already locked up. Many experts are picking the Patriots to hoist the Lombardi trophy in Dallas. I say "not so fast!!" I am very impressed with the Patriots especially the way they carried on after trading Randy Moss, which I thought was a critical mistake at that time. The experience of Belichick and Brady in the post season will be invaluable to the team as well. But there are teams in the post season that I think can win in Foxboro. As a matter of fact, all of the AFC teams in the playoffs I think could beat the Patriots on their field. Ironically, I think the Indianapolis Colts, the long time playoff rivals of the Patriots, has the slimmest chance of winning at New England. The Jets, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens all have an excellent running game that could keep Brady off the field and good enough defenses to handle him when he is out there (though the Ravens secondary, sans Ed Reed, is questionable). One of the strengths of the Pats, is Belichick's knack for great game planning and in-game adjustments. He certainly gives the Patriots a chance to get to Dallas but my gut tells me that they won't make it there.
The Eagles certainly are not looking like the "Flavor of the Week" going into the playoffs. After nearly losing to the New York Giants, the Eagles finished the season with two consecutive home losses. More importantly, aside from the last eight minutes of the Giants game, the team has looked flat as they finished up their season. MVP candidate Michael Vick, definitely hit a bit of a bump in the road over the last couple of weeks. He started to turn the ball over more and he has been taking a lot of big hits. Eagles' head coach Andy Reid, wisely benched Vick for the season finale, if for anything, to give his body a much needed rest. I still think the Eagles are a dangerous team but they could be "one and done". The Eagles host the Green Bay Packers Wild Card weekend, a team that has emerged as a current "Flavor of the Week" themselves. Needing to win their last two games of the season to secure a playoff spot, the Packers came through with a blowout against the Giants and a gutsy defensive squeaker against the Chicago Bears. The Packers definitely seem to be the sexy pick in the NFC. If the Eagles get past the Packers, they will have to go to Chicago and play the Bears. The Bears already beat the Eagles in Chicago this year and some credit their defense for giving the league the blueprint for stopping Vick. A win in Chicago would probably send the Eagles back home against the New Orleans Saints or down to Atlanta to play the Falcons (sorry, I mean no disrespect Seattle Seahawks. I do totally recognize your division championship despite your 7 - 9 record). An Eagles - Falcons NFC Championship game would be a matchup made in media heaven. That of course would create a huge spotlight on Vick returning to Atlanta to try to beat his former team for the right to play in the Super Bowl. It would be a tough game for the Eagles as would a matchup at home against the defending Super Bowl champion Saints. Clearly the one time "Flavor of the Week" Eagles have a tough road and I don't hear many experts picking them. And as much as I would like to see the "Vick returns to Atlanta" NFC Champioship game, I don't think they will get that far either.
Now that the field of 32 has been cut down to 12, some former "Flavor" teams from the regular season have already been eliminated. A few "Flavor" teams still do remain but not for long; Wild Card weekend will certainly eliminate some more. The Patriots, Steelers, Falcons and Packers seem to be the current "Flavor" teams. All of these teams except the Packers have a bye this week but that won't save them from possibly losing their "Flavor" status. Any team that plays lights out this weekend could suddenly find themselves with that moniker. Is it possible that the Seahawks will become a "Flavor" if they crush the Saints on Saturday? I doubt it, but crazier things have happened.
Finishing the regular season with an NFL best 14 - 2 record, a head coach that is being considered the "Coach of the Year" (Bill Belichick) and a quarterback that seems to be the consensus league MVP (Tom Brady), the Patriots are certainly still a "Flavor of the Week" team. They have had impressive wins in the second half of the season, most notably a home assassination of the New York Jets and an equally impressive road crushing of the Chicago Bears in a snow blizzard. They finished off their regular season handily defeating the Miami Dolphins while playing all of their starters for a good portion of the game, regardless of the fact that they had the number 1 seed in the AFC already locked up. Many experts are picking the Patriots to hoist the Lombardi trophy in Dallas. I say "not so fast!!" I am very impressed with the Patriots especially the way they carried on after trading Randy Moss, which I thought was a critical mistake at that time. The experience of Belichick and Brady in the post season will be invaluable to the team as well. But there are teams in the post season that I think can win in Foxboro. As a matter of fact, all of the AFC teams in the playoffs I think could beat the Patriots on their field. Ironically, I think the Indianapolis Colts, the long time playoff rivals of the Patriots, has the slimmest chance of winning at New England. The Jets, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens all have an excellent running game that could keep Brady off the field and good enough defenses to handle him when he is out there (though the Ravens secondary, sans Ed Reed, is questionable). One of the strengths of the Pats, is Belichick's knack for great game planning and in-game adjustments. He certainly gives the Patriots a chance to get to Dallas but my gut tells me that they won't make it there.
The Eagles certainly are not looking like the "Flavor of the Week" going into the playoffs. After nearly losing to the New York Giants, the Eagles finished the season with two consecutive home losses. More importantly, aside from the last eight minutes of the Giants game, the team has looked flat as they finished up their season. MVP candidate Michael Vick, definitely hit a bit of a bump in the road over the last couple of weeks. He started to turn the ball over more and he has been taking a lot of big hits. Eagles' head coach Andy Reid, wisely benched Vick for the season finale, if for anything, to give his body a much needed rest. I still think the Eagles are a dangerous team but they could be "one and done". The Eagles host the Green Bay Packers Wild Card weekend, a team that has emerged as a current "Flavor of the Week" themselves. Needing to win their last two games of the season to secure a playoff spot, the Packers came through with a blowout against the Giants and a gutsy defensive squeaker against the Chicago Bears. The Packers definitely seem to be the sexy pick in the NFC. If the Eagles get past the Packers, they will have to go to Chicago and play the Bears. The Bears already beat the Eagles in Chicago this year and some credit their defense for giving the league the blueprint for stopping Vick. A win in Chicago would probably send the Eagles back home against the New Orleans Saints or down to Atlanta to play the Falcons (sorry, I mean no disrespect Seattle Seahawks. I do totally recognize your division championship despite your 7 - 9 record). An Eagles - Falcons NFC Championship game would be a matchup made in media heaven. That of course would create a huge spotlight on Vick returning to Atlanta to try to beat his former team for the right to play in the Super Bowl. It would be a tough game for the Eagles as would a matchup at home against the defending Super Bowl champion Saints. Clearly the one time "Flavor of the Week" Eagles have a tough road and I don't hear many experts picking them. And as much as I would like to see the "Vick returns to Atlanta" NFC Champioship game, I don't think they will get that far either.
Now that the field of 32 has been cut down to 12, some former "Flavor" teams from the regular season have already been eliminated. A few "Flavor" teams still do remain but not for long; Wild Card weekend will certainly eliminate some more. The Patriots, Steelers, Falcons and Packers seem to be the current "Flavor" teams. All of these teams except the Packers have a bye this week but that won't save them from possibly losing their "Flavor" status. Any team that plays lights out this weekend could suddenly find themselves with that moniker. Is it possible that the Seahawks will become a "Flavor" if they crush the Saints on Saturday? I doubt it, but crazier things have happened.
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