With advertising for Christmas and the associated Christmas music being forced down our throat in early November (a rant for another place and time), I don't see why I can't make some playoff predictions, even though everyone still has six games left. After all, now is the time to make your move before the final stretch run in December.
In the NFC, I think the final six will end up being New York, Arizona, the North winner, the South winner (probably Carolina), and a wild card team from both the South and East.
Over in the AFC, I see the Steelers, Broncos, Titans, AFC East winner, Colts, and an AFC East wild card team making it in. We'll see how that all plays out over the next month and a half. On to the Week 12 games:
GAME OF THE WEEK: Giants at Cardinals
Believe it or not, Arizona wraps up the NFC West with a victory in this game and losses by San Francisco and Seattle (which is highly likely considering their opponents are Dallas and Washington, respectively). If the Cardinals want their first division title since moving to the Phoenix area twenty years ago to be final come Sunday night, they will have to earn it against the NFC's top team.
New York likes to pressure the quarterback, and as we all know, Kurt Warner is not the most mobile man in the world. He will have to get rid of the ball quickly for the Cardinals to have any chance. While Arizona is 2nd in total offense, New York is 4th. But this isn't the poor Cardinals defense we are all used to, as opponents are averaging less than 300 yards a game on the unit.
Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, and the rest of the Giants offense will not have it easy. Arizona did beat Dallas and played Carolina tough on the road.
To be considered a serious NFC contender, Arizona will need a signature win. I don't think they will have quite enough to pull it off come Sunday, but they will show the nation that they will not go quietly in January.
OTHER TOP GAMES:
Jets at Titans
That game in Foxboro last Thursday night was something else. Too bad I fell asleep in the fourth quarter like an old man. This should be another barnburner, as the Titans look to up their record to 11-0 before visiting the Lions on Thanksgiving.
Tennessee likes to create turnovers, and we all know how prone Brett Favre is to throwing interceptions. If he is having one of his errant games on Sunday, the Titans should control the festivities.
It's kind of hard to believe that these two teams have the best records in the AFC (Pittsburgh stands at 7-3 along with the Jets, and gets their shot at Tennessee in mid-December). The days of New England and Indy domination are, at least temporarily, in the past. As for the immediate future, I like the Titans in this game, even though they could find it tough sledding running the ball on the Jets.
Patriots at Dolphins
When the Dolphins pasted the Pats in Foxboro back in September, I think most people thought it was an aberration. The Dolphins played a great game to win for the first time during the Parcells/Sparano era, and New England was obviously without Tom Brady.
Now we are beginning to see this Miami team emerge as a serious playoff contender, in the shadows of New England's stranglehold on the AFC East this decade. After Miami ran the Wildcat formation up and down the field in Week 3 and Ronnie Brown scored five touchdowns, I think Belichick's team will be a little more prepared this time around.
But they cannot solely focus on Brown, or Pennington will be likely to beat them. The Patriots have historically had problems in Dolphin Stadium under the man in the hooded sweatshirt, but they cannot have that on their mind come Sunday. I believe at most one of these two teams will make the postseason, which turns this into a critical late-November contest.
Eagles at Ravens
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about 1 month ago
I'd just like to state my case now, in public.
If Dallas Loses to San Fran, and their no-name quarterback, I'm officially becoming a Miami Dolphins fan.
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