Give 'Em Something To Talk About

BoomRoastedSports' picks for tonight's Super Bowl will be coming to you in the coming hours but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure which route Gabe(a diehard Giants fan) and myself(someone who has downplayed the Giants all season and wrote an entire blog confessing his dislike for Eli Manning) are going. Before both of us give you our takes on who we think will win and why, I'm offering up some predictions and things to look out for tonight since the last two weeks of media coverage of Super Sunday have almost exclusively been dedicated to Rob Gronkowski's ankle. First, a quick non-Super Bowl related rant.

Every year, we always anticipate big names being left off the list of guys who get the call to Canton for the NFL Hall of Fame. Even with six names selected every year, there's always somebody well-deserving who gets left out. For years, guys like John Stallworth and Art Monk waited and waited before finally getting in. With Stallworth and Monk now in, the waiting game will now be played by fellow legendary wideouts Cris Carter and Andre Reed. The Reed and Carter snubs are horrible especially Carter, who was one of the five best receivers to ever play the game. The snub I'm most annoyed about? Bill Parcells.

Parcells' credentials are well-documented. He took over teams in New York(both the Giants AND the Jets), New England and Dallas and made them substantially better. He won two Super Bowl rings and there are few coaches in the past three decades that were better on draft day than The Tuna. In Parcells' era, there were maybe two coaches who could even be mentioned in the same breath as him: Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs(both in Canton). Making matters more frustrating, the Hall came calling for former Jets/Patriots RB Curtis Martin last night, a man who was drafted and coached by......wait for it....wait for it.....Bill Parcells. Martin himself has gone on the record to say that he owes his career to Parcells for giving him an opportunity after Parcells drafted Martin out of the University of Pittsburgh with a 3rd round pick in 1995. Martin is just one of many names that Parcells molded into a star. Parcells made Jeff Hostetler relevant after Hostetler came off the bench for an injured Phil Simms to win a Super Bowl in 1990. More recently than that, Parcells gave a shot to an unknown quarterback out of Eastern Illinois named Tony Romo. You could build Pro Bowl rosters with the list of guys Parcells drafted and developed in his four stops in the NFL. Sure, Parcells bounced around a lot but it says something about the man that he managed to come in, take over a team, and make them a contender almost instantaneously. Parcells took a Cowboys team that had won 15 games in 3 years and brought them to the playoffs with Quincy Carter at QB. That alone should have gotten him the nod. Furthermore, the two coaches going head-to-head in tonight's Super Bowl are disciples from the Parcells coaching tree.....and they have four rings combined.

Instead, Parcells will probably wait til next year to get inducted. Except in 2013, he'll be up against some heavy hitters. As if holdovers Carter, Reed, Charles Haley, Tim Brown, Jerome Bettis, and Kevin Greene weren't daunting enough, the first-year candidates for next year include two all-world offensive linemen in Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen, a couple Super Bowl-winning pass rushers on the D-line in Michael Strahan and Warren Sapp as well as the late Steve McNair. Parcells should have been a shoe-in to make it on his first try but the voters dropped the ball. Getting in next year just got a lot harder for The Tuna, but it wouldn't be the first time Parcells has emerged victorious from a difficult situation.

On to some thoughts on the Super Bowl.....

For a rematch of one of the greatest Super Bowls in recent memory, the buzz seems to be rather ho-hum. You could chalk that up to the fact that both teams have coaches who won't allow their teams to provide bulletin board material. You could say it's because both QB's, Eli Manning and Tom Brady, are masters of cliche and do interviews as if they are reading off cue cards. It could also be because both teams lack a Shannon Sharpe or Deion Sanders type outgoing personality to make this a more entertaining lead-up to the big game. In an odd but not surprising turn of events, Eli's brother Peyton, who played all of zero snaps this season, got as much press these last two weeks for his eventual upheaval from Indianapolis and possible retirement as the little brother poised to win his second Super Bowl in five years. In fairness, the game is being played in Peyton's backyard but you would think the NFL would have the Colts table all the Peyton talk until after the Super Bowl. The overhyped tiff between Peyton and owner Jim Irsay could have waited a few weeks while the NFL attempted to drum up interest in the final game of a season that got off to a turbulent start.

Brady vs. Manning II should be more thrilling than the first showdown for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason is the fact that, New York's pass rush not withstanding, both defenses are pretty lackluster. The Patriots' defense struggled to pressure opposing QB's even with top pass rusher Andre Carter bringing the pain. Now that Carter is out for the year, the Pats' only hope at slowing opposing passing offenses is good coverage from their myriad of young and talented defensive backs. On the other side, we know Big Blue can get after the QB. That's because the Giants' secondary is so weak, they need that elite front four to make things miserable for quarterbacks. By all intents and purposes, this game will be a shootout with the Giants' big three at wide receiver(Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz) having a distinct advantage over the Patriots' secondary and the Patriots hopefully learning their lesson the second time around and ditching the deep ball that they fell in love with during the Randy Moss era and instead going back to the quick pass, play-it-safe, dink-and-dunk routine with guys like Gronkowski, fellow TE Aaron Hernandez and WR Wes Welker.

If there's an "unsung hero" to watch out for, it's Welker. Lost in Gronkowski's breakout season was the fact that Welker caught 122 passes for nearly 1,600 yards and 9 touchdowns. Nobody is better at finding a crack in the defense and getting open than Wes Welker and if there's a dark horse for Super Bowl MVP, he'd be my choice. If you're looking for a David Tyree-type, out of nowhere guy who has his Super Bowl moment, my guess is name you heard of: Chad Ochocinco. Ocho has stunk up the joint all season as he's shown a lack of commitment to learning the playbook or even running routes correctly but the team showed a little bit of faith in Chad by cutting fellow receiver Tiquan Underwood a day before the Super Bowl to open the door for Ochocinco. Nobody on either team loves the spotlight than Chad Ochocinco and Pro Bowl wideouts like him don't just suddenly forget how to play football. If Ochocinco was going to make an impact on the 2011 New England Patriots, why wouldn't it be today on the biggest stage possible when everyone leasts expects it?

As for the Giants, tight end Jake Ballard is worth watching here. Patriots coach Bill Belichick is smart enough to not let New York's receivers run amok but Ballard has proven to be Eli's safety valve when things get tight. Every Super Bowl has that one guy nobody expects to score a touchdown, be it a guy like Gary Russell or Greg Lewis. My gut tells me Ballard finds the end zone early for the Giants.

Keys for the Patriots: Establish the run. You don't need to be Vince Lombardi to know that, if the opposing defense excels at rushing the passer but is 19th against the run, you should probably utilize the ground game. The Packers gashed the Giants for a few big runs in the Divisional round but, Green Bay being a pass-heavy team and going into panic mode after being down a couple scores, they abandoned the run in favor of trying to get that vaunted pass attack going. The Patriots' best chances of avenging their 2007 defeat will be if they go to the run game early with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead early and keep this Giants' defense on its toes.

The other key? Pressuring Eli Manning. The Packers were torn apart by Manning because they didn't have a pass rush beyond Clay Matthews. The one time they got in Eli's face, however, they forced an interception. The next week, in San Francisco, the Niners kept the game close by constantly getting in Eli's face and hitting him every chance they got. Manning showed great resiliency for a guy who cried his way off the Chargers in 2004(Sorry, couldn't resist) and took an absolute beating from the Niners. The Patriots' defense, by the numbers and on paper, are somewhere in between Green Bay and San Fran's D(statistically, they are better than the Packers but, talent-wise, they are nowhere close to the Niners) and, even though the Patriots can match New York score-for-score, the Pats' can't afford to go into a shootout with this Giants' defensive line constantly coming at them.

Key for the Giants: Stick to the 2007 script. The key to beating New England hasn't changed since New York thwarted New England's perfect season five years ago. You get pressure on Tom Brady and smack him in the mouth, you have a good chance at winning. The Patriots' offensive line is a bit better than it was the last time these two met for the Lombardi, but it's hardly a brick wall. That being said, the Giants' pass rush has a younger, more athletic alternative to Michael Strahan from Super Bowl 42. His name is Jason Pierre-Paul.

JPP is the unquestioned biggest mouth on this Giants defense and this is the game he needs to put up or shut up. He made good on his guarantee to beat Green Bay but the best way to punctuate a great breakout season is to leave your dent in the Super Bowl. On offense, much has been said about the Giants' passing attack, but don't forget that the Giants have an underrated one-two punch in the run game with Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Both men played a small part in 2007. This time around, they should grab a bigger piece of the pie.

FIVE FEARLESS PREDICTIONS FOR SUPER BOWL 46

1. Aaron Hernandez will have more catches than Rob Gronkowski: With no real stories to report, the media made Gronkowski's recovery from a high ankle sprain seem like he's trying to come back from a torn ACL. Gronk went from being the next Shannon Sharpe to the next Willis Reed in the span of two weeks. We know Gronkowski is going to be a factor tonight, which is why the Giants will game plan for that. Hernandez's best games come when teams overcompensate on trying to stop Gronkowski. Hernandez also gets a few touches in the run game. If I had to gamble on one tight end to be the bigger star tonight, I'll take the guy who hasn't got a shred of credit the last two weeks over the hobbled superfreak whom the opposing defense will be dying to stop.

Put me down for 6 catches, 72 yards and a score for Aaron Hernandez with Gronkowski adding four catches for 63 yards.

2. Kelly Clarkson will be worse as the National Anthem singer than Christina Aguilera was last year: Christina Aguilera got more press than she needed by botching the national anthem on the most watched show of the year. I don't think Clarkson makes the same mistake. That being said, Clarkson is legendary for being a horrible live performer. With the world watching, Clarkson won't have fancy producers to hide her subpar vocal chops.

Look, I like Kelly Clarkson. I think she's a sweet girl. I also know she's not the second coming of Whitney Houston. The nerves and the need to capture a moment like this(yup, that was intentional) will expose her flaws as a singer. If a world-class vocalist like Aguilera can get the jitters and sound like Cyndi Lauper on the big stage, why can't a glorified Mouseketeer like Clarkson?

While we're on the subject of musical performances at the Super Bowl....

3. Madonna will do something to try to steal the show and renew her 15 minutes of fame during her halftime show: Madonna has promised there will be no "wardrobe malfunctions" like what happened to Janet Jackson a few years ago, which led to the NFL pulling its halftime acts from the rotation of VH1 Classic.

Still, Madonna rose to glory in the 80's and 90's by being the quintessential sex symbol of her generation. She's also more washed up than seaweed. What better way to grab some limelight than doing something a bit risque with millions of eyes on her. Lest we forget, this is the same woman who dry-humped the stage in a wedding dress and tongue-kissed Britney Spears at two separate MTV Video Music Awards so that she could grab a few headlines. There's no doubt the NFL and producers will keep Madonna on a tight leash, but there's no accounting for what the Material Girl once she's out on stage with the cameras rolling.

4. Tom Brady will put on the performance of his life: In the eight years that have passed since Brady won his last ring, here's what's happened on his watch: His rival, Peyton Manning, won his first ring. Peyton's brother, Eli, bested Brady and ruined a 19-0 season by winning his first ring and pulling off the biggest Super Bowl upset in recent memory. Ben Roethlisberger went to three Super Bowls, winning two while possibly raping two women and nearly dying once in between. Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees both won Super Bowls while also stealing Brady's title as "the best QB in the game". More importantly, Brady has spent the last two weeks with highlights of that Super Bowl 42 loss on an endless loop. You don't think Brady, a man who has spent his entire career tearing up defenses like he has a personal vendetta, will be playing this game with a chip on his shoulder? You don't think he wants to erase the taste of 2007 by sticking it to this heralded Giants pass rush and putting up Madden numbers against the team that denied him his perfect season? You don't think Brady relishes the opportunity to tie his childhood idol, Joe Montana, with four Super Bowl rings?

Brady and Patriots have proven they won't make the same mistake twice. They also have proven that they are willing to make a statement, if need be. They swept a Jets team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. The avenged a early season come-from-behind loss to Buffalo by slaughtering the Bills in Week 17. They ran up the score against Denver in the Divisional round because they, like many of us, got tired of hearing about the greatness of Tim Tebow. They got physical with Baltimore in the AFC Championship because all they heard about is how the Ravens have their number. If the Patriots opened 2012 with a list of teams they want to get revenge on, then Eli's Giants will be the last name to cross off. Given how they've handled this whole season, why should we believe the Patriots won't put on a record-setting show with Tom Terrific leading the way?

5. Your Super Bowl MVP will be......Tom Brady: I think Wes Welker has a chance to win this one much like Deion Branch did the last time the Pats won it all, but it's hard to say "Brady will have an all-time performance" and then say he won't win MVP. All Brady did this season was break Dan Marino's passing record with 5,235 passing yards, but Drew Brees passed for more so he got all the credit. All Brady did was lead his team to its fifth Super Bowl in 12 years, but he sat back and watched Rodgers and Brees claim MVP and Offensive Player of the Year while they sat at home eliminated from the playoffs. All Brady has heard about is how Eli Manning has emerged as one of the game's best quarterbacks. In a odd way, the emergence of guys like Rodgers, Brees, Manning, Tebow and Matt Stafford has made Tom Brady....dare I say.....underrated. A lot of that has to do with the fact that Brady lost this matchup five years ago so the idea that we should never doubt Tom Brady in the Super Bowl has gone away. Brady has a chance to right the media's wrongs and climb back to the top of the mountain by besting the guy who started Brady's downward spiral(if you can call it that). In a lot of ways, this is 2001 all over again. Brady enters the Super Bowl with something to prove against a heavily-publicized Super Bowl winning QB looking for his second ring in a short span. I said it before, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who I'm leaning towards tonight. My money's on Tom Brady putting on a show for the ages and crossing that last name off his list.

AFC East Preview

1. New England Patriots

What I like: Tom Brady commandeers his deepest offense in years. With WRs Deion Branch and Wes Welker already in the fold, the team took a chance on ex-Bengals Pro Bowl wideout Chad Ochocinco. For all his bad press for being showboating attention hog, Ochocinco is also a fine route runner who knows he can't afford to mess up his best chance at a ring by getting too extra with his theatrics. On top of that trio, Brady has a pair of young TE's in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, both of which are coming off strong rookie seasons. The Pats will go with a two-man running attack led by power back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and last year's crafty pickup Danny Woodhead. The plethora of weapons allows Brady to do what he does best: Spread the ball around and keep defenses guessing and the combo of Ellis and Woodhead will keep defenses honest. Defensively, the team took another big risk in adding volatile DT Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth wasn't a fan of the 3-4 scheme while in Washington but his presence in New England would suggest the team will be using some 4-3 looks as well. To help with their pass defense woes, the team also added DEs Shaun Ellis and Andre Carter and drafted Virginia cover corner Ras-I Dowling. These additions plus Belichick's tinkering with the scheme switching between the 3-4 and 4-3 to confuse opposing offenses will improve a 30th ranked pass defense, as will the continued progression of youngsters like CB Devin McCourtey(team leader in INT's as a rookie last year) and S Pat Chung.

What I don't like: While the team used draft picks on offensive linemen such as Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon, the offensive line has still allowed Brady to take some hits in the preseason. Teams know the key to stopping New England's powerful offense is getting in Brady's face and wrapping him in the mouth to throw off his rhythm. That's why physical defenses like the Jets and Ravens and Steelers have been able to get the better of New England in years past. The team is also taking a decent risk both in hoping that all these new parts on defense will be productive and that infamous knuckleheads like Ochocinco and Haynesworth will be choir boys under Belichick. The Pats have managed to turn problem children like Corey Dillon and Randy Moss but also failed with guys like Brandon Meriwether and Brandon Tate, both of which were cut last week. The Patriots have succeeded with chemistry and a business-as-usual team mentality. Those seem to go against the mindsets of guys like Ochocinco and Haynesworth.

Bottom line: The retooling on offense and defense has made the Patriots the leaders in the clubhouse in the AFC. If Belichick can make worker bees out of his recently acquired divas, the depth on both sides of the ball will be too much for the rest of the league to handle. Beyond getting everyone in line, the team must also prove it can protect Brady as well as improve enough on defense to stop the other high-powered offenses in the conference. While Brady and company are good enough to win most shootouts, battling back and forth through the air makes Brady more susceptible to punishment. Punishment that the team can't afford its franchise face to take.

2. New York Jets

What I like: A year after trying to get a band of mercenaries together like a scene out of "The Expendables" in hopes of locking down a Super Bowl, the team was a bit less frivilous with their money. Gone are rent-a-players like Jason Taylor and Braylon Edwards. The team did, however, agree to bring back Santonio Holmes to give QB Mark Sanchez a big play home run threat and extended serial impregnater Antonio Cromartie to give Gang Green a superb cornerback tandem by pairing him with Darrelle Revis. The move that made the biggest splash was the signing of former Giant Plaxico Burress. Fresh off doing two years in the clink, Burress is set to be this year's Mike Vick and attempt to wow the world with a great comeback story. At the very least, Plax is a big body in the red zone, which gives the team more options beyond TE Dustin Keller and the running back duo of Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson. A couple of other fresh faces are rookies Muhammad Wilkerson and Kendrick Ellis, who have the task of replacing Shaun Ellis and Kris Jenkins on the defensive line. Wilkerson was unblockable at Temple but, as is the case with all rookies this year, he faces an uphill battle trying to learn a complex defense while being hampered by the lockout. The same goes for Ellis, who not only has to adjust coming from small-school dominance at Hampton to trying to carve a niche in the pros but also spent the offseason avoiding deportation after he was charged with aggravated assault while at Hampton. If the rooks can catch up quick, they will open things up for a talented linebacking core that features pass rushers Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace on the outside and run stuffers Bart Scott and David Harris on the inside.

What I don't like: We know Rex Ryan can coach a defense but the offense remains suspect. QB Mark Sanchez has improved each year but a team with this much hype needs its franchise QB to take some giant strides in Year 3. For the offense to click, a lot of things need to fall into place. For one, it's asking a lot for the 34-year old Burress to go from two years in the joint to being a viable #2 option in the NFL. Even if Burress stumbles, the next best option is 37-year old Derrick Mason. Mason is a decent possession receiver and might fit in perfect as a #3 at his advanced age but the team could have done a better job instilling some youth at the possession as a backup plan. The Jets also neglected the offensive line, which has some holes after losing guard Alan Faneca and tackle Damian Woody in back-to-back years. Those spots were filled by unproven players like Wayne Hunter and Matt Slauson, weakening a once-strong unit. People are also expecting a bounce-back year from Greene. Rex Ryan wanted to go back to smashmouth, run-first football but Greene stumbled out of the gate taking over for Thomas Jones and, while L.T. started out strong in the first half, old age finally caught up to the future Hall of Famer down the stretch. The team is going to need Greene to be the lead back he was drafted to be in Year 3. Otherwise, more pressure will be put on the already lofty shoulders of Mark Sanchez.

Bottom line: Rex Ryan can't stop telling anyone who will listen that his Jets are the team to beat but there are plenty of question marks to make that claim dubious. The Jets will be a playoff team off the strength of a very good defense and some veteran savvy on offense. However, for this team to make the Super Bowl after being stopped dead in its tracks in back-to-back AFC Championship losses, they are going to need big years out of Greene and Sanchez. In a city like New York, it's all about what you've done for me lately. We know Ryan and company can talk the talk, but the young guys have to help the veterans walk the walk. Otherwise, it's another year of white noise.

3. Miami Dolphins

What I like: Am I crazy for thinking Chad Henne isn't THAT bad a QB? Maybe. Henne returns as the starter in Miami after an offseason that saw the team flirt with trading for Kyle Orton but settling for signing ex-Panther Matt Moore. What might be seen as a vote of confidence might me more of a shortening of the leash. This is a make-or-break year for Henne in his fourth season and the tools are in place for the former Michigan Wolverine to succeed. Rookie Mike Pouncey and former Cowboy Marc Colombo were brought in to solidify an already good offensive line led by former top overall pick Jake Long. Once highly-touted runner Reggie Bush was acquired from New Orleans and former K-State RB Daniel Thomas was drafted to replace Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and give the Dolphins more of a punch in the ground game. Henne will also have weapons in the passing game with supposedly-sane WR Brandon Marshall and last year's breakout star Davone Bess, as well as youngster Brian Hartline. The defense suffered a few losses but gets first-round pick Jared Odrick back to rotate on the defensive line as well as one the game's emerging young LB's in Cameron Wake. Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are coming on as solid young cornerback tandem as well.

What I don't like: As much as I'm willing to give Henne some leeway, I realize I'm in the minority in that category. Henne's been uninspiring in his first two seasons as starter and he could very well be the bust everyone already thinks he is. The same can be said for Bush, who was supposed to be the second coming of Barry Sanders but instead has been softer than Barry Manilow. With the rookie Daniel Thomas a step behind because of the lockout, Bush gets his first real shot of his career to be the lead back. When healthy, Bush is a dynamic playmaker with uncanny speed and good hands out of the backfield but he's never been able to avoid the injury bug. As for Brandon Marshall, he admitted to the world that he was suffering from borderline personality disorder but managed to get it taken care thanks to new meds. When your star wideout needs happy pills to be a better teammate, that should be a cause for concern. The defense is going to miss leading tackler Channing Crowder, who was released and then mysteriously retired. Kevin Burnett was brought in as Crowder's replacement but he's rather ho-hum.

Bottom line: Miami can be a dangerous team is its core players live up to their once-lengthy press clippings. Still, it's asking a lot for guys like Henne, Marshall and Bush to miraculously put it all together in the same season and become the big-time talents they were drafted to be. Henne has no excuses not to improve this season. The offensive line is solid, the supporting cast is better and he's had enough time with the playbook to be able to run the offense smoothly. As for Bush, it will be interesting to see what he can do if he manages to get 20-25 touches a game and plays all 16 this season. Bush has shown flashes during his career but has always been slowed by either his own hype or by injury. The Dolphins aren't close to competing with Super Bowl contenders like New England and New York in their own division but if it somehow all comes together for them, they could be a tough out at the very least.

4. Buffalo Bills

What I like: As dreadful as the Bills were last year. they managed to uncover a few nice surprises. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was better than expected in his first full year as starter and built a nice chemistry with breakout star Steve Johnson. Johnson's emergence allowed the team to cut ties with long time starter Lee Evans. Fred Jackson returns as the starter after wrestling the job away from C.J. Spiller last season. Jackson's been steady yet unspectacular as the team's main ground threat. Defensively, the team made some strides. Buffalo is hoping oft-injured LB's Nick Barnett and Shawne Merriman can return to Pro Bowl form. The return of "Lights Out" is especially crucial to the team's success as he's the team's best pass rusher. The team used the 3rd overall pick on Marcell Dareus, a DE out of Alabama, to be the cornerstone of this 3-4 defense and provide pressure on a defensive line that already features underrated NT Kyle Williams. The secondary also has a share of young up-and-comers in safety Jarius Byrd and CB Leodis McKelvin.

What I don't like: Fitzpatrick's numbers are especially impressive considering he was playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football. The Bills did nothing to improve a unit that consistently failed to protect its young QB and provide holes for Jackson or Spiller. Speaking of Spiller, the former Clemson standout was a colossal failure as a rookie and the fact that he's behind the pedestrian Fred Jackson is a bad sign for his future as a pro. Any chance of Johnson's success carrying on into this season was compromised by trading Evans. With no other receiver to take attention away from Johnson, the passing game will stall unless someone else can step up. The defense will be much improved by the losses of LB Paul Posluszny and SS Donte Whitner will hurt and the team is really taking a gamble that Barnett and Merriman can stay on the field.

Bottom line: The Bills will be slightly better than last year but the team has huge holes on the offensive line and the trimming of talent on both sides of the ball will prove costly throughout the season. On the bright side, the team might have found something in Fitzpatrick and Johnson and if they can get contributions from Spiller and/or any of its new additions on defense, the team can be respectable in 2011. That's a big if, however.

In This Corner.....

"To be the man, you gotta beat the man!" - Ric Flair

Tomorrow kicks off the NFL postseason, and this year's tournament has a little something for everybody. We've got a couple lovable underdogs(Kansas City, Seattle), some old school, blue collar smashmouth teams (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Chicago), a few that like to air it out(Green Bay, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Atlanta, New England), a feel-good comeback story(Philadelphia) and even a reality TV star(New York).

Today, we're going to break down the teams to beat in their respective conferences, who has the best chance of knocking them off, and who are this year's dark horses, X-Factors and potential breakout stars. In the process, there will be plenty of pop culture boxing and wrestling references that will inevitably get me made fun of by Gabe.

Paper Champion(the conference favorite): New England Patriots - The Patriots have reverted back to handling business like they did in the pre-Randy Moss years, relying on chemistry and rhythm rather than loading up on the big play downfield. Go-routes have been traded in for quick slants, bubble screens and the occasional hand-off or two. New England managed to finally find an adequate running game via "The Lawfirm", BenJarvus Green-Ellis(1,008 yards rushing, 13 TDs). The effectiveness of Ellis on the ground has kept defenses from focusing on Tom Brady, which has led to Brady not turning the ball over in two months. Defensively, the Patriots' bend-but-don't-break defense is what makes this team more Piston Honda than Mr. Dream(or Mike Tyson, for those who didn't play the original Punch-Out). The team doesn't have a pass rusher with more than 5 sacks(OLB Tully Banta-Cain) and, outside of rookie CB Devin McCourtey's 7 picks, no other player has more than 3 interceptions. That's led to the Pats being near the bottom in pass defense(30th) and total yardage allowed(25th), and is the chief reason why this Patriots team may not steamroll through the playoffs like many are assuming.

The Contender(team with the best chance of knocking off the champ): Baltimore Ravens - The Ravens are the last team to intercept Brady, picking him off twice in their 23-20 OT loss to New England back on Oct. 17th. The Ravens also possess the ability to strike at New England's Achilles' heel, which is pounding the ball inside with the run game as well as be physical and aggressive enough on defense to smack Brady in the mouth. That was the formula Baltimore used to trounce the Patriots in Foxboro last year and this year's version of the Ravens now have a passing game to complement The Ray Rice Show. You could throw the Pittsburgh Steelers in the mix here, too, but only if DE Aaron Smith manages to come back from a torn triceps that kept him out most of the season(which the chances of that are slim) as well as if S Troy Polamalu can stay healthy(also no guarantee).

Little Mac Award:(team with an outside shot becoming champion): New York Jets - The Jets spent the offseason in "win now" mode, uniting every title-hungry veteran in the Meadowlands as if they were filming an NFL version of "The Expendables". Gang Green has been up and down all year, faced with its own inconsistency(the terrible second half play of QB Mark Sanchez and the disappearance of LaDainian Tomlinson down the stretch, for starters) as well as a myriad of distractions(Braylon Edwards' DUI, the filming of "Hard Knocks", the Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger fiasco, Michelle Ryan's foot fetish videos), and that has tempered some of the early season Super Bowl hype. That may work in the Jets' favor. 11-5 teams ranked in the top 5 in nearly every defensive category with a QB that's playoff seasoned and a run game that ranks among the top in the league can be a scary team to face(especially in the cold). The X-Factor for New York will be Tomlinson. Left for dead by the San Diego Chargers after years of coming oh-so-close to the Super Bowl, LT ran with a vengeance early in the season and then tapered off in the last couple of months(less than 60 yards rushing every game since mid-October). Time will tell whether it's because Rex Ryan was saving his aging lead back for the playoffs or it's a further sign of decline for the future Hall of Famer. Regardless, an L.T./Shonn Greene combination as well as Sanchez finally finding a game breaker in former Steeler WR Santonio Holmes(another guy with playoff seasoning) may give the Jets the type of balance that makes them a tough matchup these next few weeks(especially against their opening round opponent, Indianapolis, which is soft against the run). On defense, they haven't missed NT Kris Jenkins much, as the team finished the regular season third in run defense. OLBs Jason Taylor, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas provided a fierce pass rush, with all three notching over 5 sacks a piece(Taylor leading the way with 6), although the secondary hasn't been able to take full advantage of the pressure the front seven has provided(a surprisingly low 12 team INTs).


Mickey Ward Award(player with the most to prove): Ravens QB Joe Flacco - This was supposed to be "The Year of Jersey Joe". With wide receivers Anquan Boldin, T.J. Houshmanzadeh, and Donte Stallworth added to an arsenal that already featured fellow wideout Derrick Mason and versatile RB Ray Rice, Flacco was supposed to step up into the elite ranks of signal callers. Flacco's numbers were respectable(62% completion percentage, nearly 3,700 yards passing, 25 TDs, 10 INTs) but the offensive line has failed him at times(40 sacks allowed). We all know no team can succeed in January without at least competent QB play(even though the Ravens last title came with Trent Dilfer leading them), so it goes without saying that the Ravens are screwed if Flacco isn't ready for primetime. Still, the case can be made that no QB in the AFC has as many high-profile weapons as Flacco does and, with a defense littered with stars whose championship window is closing quickly(MLB Ray Lewis, S Ed Reed), the Ravens' fate lies in the hands of their 6'6 238-pound gunslinger.


Hasim Rahman Award(guy most likely to go from nothing to something): Eric Berry, S, Chiefs - It's hard to say a rookie heralded as "the next Ed Reed" can possibly fly under the radar and become an overnight celebrity(especially after a 92-tackle, 2 sack, 1 forced fumble, 4-INT rookie campaign), but Berry has the skills to make his mark in these playoffs. Normally, breakout stars are found on the offensive side of the ball(as we saw with Pierre Garcon and Shonn Greene last year), but fantasy football has emerged to the point where any run-of-the-mill offensive playmaker can become a household name with a breakout game(which is why this spot wasn't given to Patriots TE's Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez). The Chiefs are a team with no real notable wins, which is why many have written them off as "one and done" once they host Baltimore on Sunday. However, since Baltimore's defense will stifle the Chiefs' underrated offense for most of the night in Arrowhead, Kansas City's best shot at an upset will be to match the Ravens' efforts defensively. Given how important safety play has become in the NFL, that means we're looking at a potentially big game for Berry.

Pacquaio-Mayweather Award(conference's most anticipated matchup): Colts at Patriots - As much as I hate the slurpfest that these New England-Indianapolis matchups end up becoming in the pregame hype leading up to kickoff, there's no denying that Brady vs. Manning is this generation's Marino vs. Montana(or Aikman vs. Young or Marino vs. Elway, whichever you choose).

The Brady-Manning showdowns almost always live up to the hype, with this year's regular season clash being no exception. The Colts attempted to come back from a double-digit deficit but a Peyton Manning interception on the potential game-winning drive gave New England the win. With New England and Indianapolis hardly possessing lights out defenses, a potential rematch between the two will no doubt be another shootout and, while matchups against the Jets, Steelers or Ravens would be entertaining, no team is better at playing the foil to the Patriots than Manning's Colts.

TV Champion(The conference favorite): Atlanta Falcons - They trot out the NFC's most balanced attack combined with being nearly untouchable at home. If The Carolinas are "Flair Country, the A-T-L is "Matty Ice Land". Matt Ryan, in his third year, is a long playoff run away from stepping into the next tier of franchise QBs. Helping him along the way will be bruising running back Michael "The Burner" Turner and Ryan's pass-catching tag team partner Roddy White. The Falcons' balance on offense is their calling card. Their suspect defense, however, is what makes them a shaky favorite. Despite being 5th in points allowed, the are 22nd against the pass, and 16th in total yards. That's a bit troubling in a conference that will see them face pass-heavy teams like Philly, Green Bay or New Orleans. Luckily, the Falcons get to play host in the friendly confines of the Georgia Dome, where the team has lost three times in head coach Mike Smith's three years and where Ryan has lost just twice as a starter. What goes against the Falcons, other than their leaky pass D, is their relative inexperience. Ryan made the playoffs a couple years ago as a rookie, but still doesn't have a playoff W. The Falcons also don't have a convincing win against a legit contender this season. Atlanta got some Charles Robinson-type poor officiating to help them beat Baltimore a couple months ago, and they edged out New Orleans by way of a shanked Garrett Hartley chip shot in OT as well as sneaking out a win against Green Bay thanks to a bad facemask penalty setting up the game-winning field goal. Of the top seeds in these playoffs, the Falcons look like the sketchiest, but that's why we play the games.


The Legend Killer(team with the best chance of knocking off the champ) : New Orleans Saints - As I said earlier, they came thisclose to sweeping Atlanta and they proved their mettle by going into the Georgia Dome two weeks ago and pulling out a W on national television. The Saints have the NFC's best coach(Sean Payton) and best QB(Drew Brees) and, perhaps the biggest factor, they've been here before. Brees is one of two QBs(Mike Vick being the other) with a playoff win to his name in the NFC and, even though rookie QBs have made big playoff runs in years past, experience goes a long way in the playoffs, especially during crunch time. Defensively, unlike their NFC South rival, the Saints are stout against the pass(but not so much against the run) and they have the easiest of the four Wild Card matchups by drawing a putrid Seahawks team that they crushed in Week 11(34-19 in New Orleans). What will hurt the Saints the most is their lack of a run game. RBs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas are done for the postseason, meaning the weight now falls squarely on former poster child Reggie Bush to provide some production on the ground. Bush's biggest plays of his pro career have come in the postseason(his electrifying run against Chicago a few years ago and last year's dominance of the Cardinals). If Bush can be even somewhat close to USC Reggie Bush, the Saints are the team to beat in the NFC...hands down.

The Third Man(team with an outside shot of making a surprise run): Green Bay Packers - Call me a homer, but history tends to reflect positively on teams that rank in the top 10 on both sides of the ball. Green Bay possesses the 2nd best overall defense(statistically, at least) and the 10th best scoring offense. They are 5th in total yards allowed and pass defense, 9th in total yards, and 5th in passing. Obviously, what holds Green Bay back is both the lack of a run game and their occasional struggles with stopping the run. Since Ryan Grant went down in Week 1, the team has tried everything short of resuscitating Edgar Bennett to get something going on the ground. Brandon Jackson, the man who was initially drafted to be the Packers' lead back, finished with a little over 700 yards rushing and even his relatively decent games have been few and far between. The Packers' offense still lives and dies through Aaron Rodgers, who put up yet another stellar season(65.7% completion percentage, 3,922 yards passing, 28 TDs and 11 INTs) even despite falling victim to two concussions. The key is keeping Rodgers' upright. The Packers' offensive line, the team's biggest weakness at this point last year, cut down its sacks allowed from 51 last year to 38 this year but still aren't exactly a brick wall when it comes to defending a pass rush. If Rodgers gets time to throw, though, look out. Very few teams in the NFC(or even the NFL) can match offenses with the Packers, especially with the way the defense has played of late. Led by a reigning Defensive Player of the Year(CB Charles Woodson) and the frontrunner for this year's DPOY award(LB Clay Matthews), the Packers have put opposing offenses on lockdown. The road to Dallas will be rough, however. Although they beat Philadelphia at The Linc in Week 1, the win came when the Packers were much healthier than they are now and with Mike Vick on the bench for the first half. If they can somehow repeat their opening week performance, they will then have to go into Atlanta where they lost a close one to the Falcons a couple months ago. If they can survive that, they'll either travel to Chicago for a third showdown with the Bears(who they lost to at Soldier Field earlier in the season) or to NOLA to face the defending champs. The Packers eeked into the playoffs, despite a multitude of key injuries, but if they can stay away from dumb penalties and find a way to pull out wins in close games(two HUGE ifs), this team will be right where many had them in the preseason: The Super Bowl. (Side Note: For those who don't get the "Third Man" reference, take a look at this. P.S. When it comes to announcing, Tony Schiavone makes Jon Gruden look like Vin Scully.)

Most In Need To Get "Over"(Player with the most to prove): Michael Vick, QB, Eagles - As great as this storybook season has been for Mike Vick(62.8% completion, 3,018 yards passing, 676 yards rushing, 30 total TDs, 6 INTs) the best chapter has yet to be written. Vick needs a postseason that mirrors the first half of his regular season to end one of the greatest comebacks in this sport's history. Vick went from the league's most notorious heel to its biggest babyface after coming off the bench for the injured Kevin Kolb and finally realizing the potential that made him a #1 pick in 2001. Finally able to dominate with both his arm and his legs, Vick has morphed into the league's most electrifying player. Still, in the past couple of weeks, Vick's old form has reared its ugly head. For a guy who is often the fastest man on the field, he still takes far too many sacks and his scrambling ability makes him prone to big hits that his smallish frame can't continue to withstand. If the Eagles are going to be serious Super Bowl contenders, everything rides on Number Seven's ability to continue to extend plays with his feet while remaining accurate with his passes. The combination of Vick's versatility and the incendiary speed of playmakers like DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy make the Eagles like a more modern "Greatest Show On Turf", and with Vick's contract up at the year, a lot rides on him closing the show much like he started it.

From Jobber To Superstar(guy most likely to go from nothing to something): Mike Williams, WR, Seattle - Lost in all the glitz of the soon-to-be-a-Hollywood-blockbuster-with-Terrence-Howard-playing-the-lead-role comeback story of Mike Vick is the triumphant return of another Mike: former Lions first round bust Mike Williams. Sure, Williams didn't even have the best season of guys sharing the same name(Tampa's Mike Williams had a better year on a far better team that is far more deserving of a playoff spot than these Seahawks), but he's arguably the best player on the worst team in these playoffs and since we're hours away from forgetting anything sports-related the city of Seattle will have to offer between now and baseball season, we might as well give the Seahawks some face time. As good as the Saints are against the pass, it's tough to really account for a receiver built like BMW("Big" Mike Williams, for you slow-witted folk). Williams runs 6'5, 235 pounds, with hands like magnets and the speed of a minivan. He's pretty much a glorified tight end, but he's going to be Matt Hasselbeck's most reliable target and there's going to be at least a play or two tomorrow where you sit up and say "Oh shit! Who the hell is that!?". The Seahawks' only hope of pulling off a 123 Kid/Razor Ramon-type upset will be if Williams can move the chains and get the loudest crowd in the NFL motivated enough to at least somewhat intimidate the defending champs. I can see BMW reeling in five or six catches and a score as the Seahawks make things interesting on the first drive.....and then proceed to get annihilated for the next 3 1/2 quarters. At least now you can say you know who Mike Williams is before you bother use Wikipedia during the commercial break.


Steamboat vs Flair Award(most anticipated matchup) Eagles at Falcons - Eventhough the NFC plays the inferior ugly stepsister to the AFC, there are some good potential matchups on the horizon. Packers-Saints would be exciting, as would Saints-Eagles and maybe even Falcons-Bears. However, in continuing with the "Comeback Story of Mike Vick" theme, this postseason can really only shape up one way: With Mike Vick trying to lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl by going into the place that he once packed to the rafters and taking on his successor. Mike Vick vs. the team that threw him away IN Georgia. You can't script it better than that. The place will be filled with deafening mixed emotions, with some glad to see Mike Vick back while others unwilling to forgive him for why he left. On top of that, it pits two of the most exciting offenses in the league against each other, on the Georgia Dome carpet, for a chance at representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. As much as it goes against every fiber in my being to root against my Packers, the only way I can digest a Eagles win this weekend would be if it led to Vick inevitably stepping foot into the place he once called home, staring out into the crowd he once flipped off "Stone Cold" Steve Austin-style, and putting on a show similar to his Madden-like performance against the Redskins on Monday night.

Pay-Per-View Headliners(the five, er, six best potential Super Bowl matchups):



Honorable Mention: Seahawks-Jets - Barring some kind of Disney-scripted fairy tale postseason run, this has absolutely NO SHOT at happening. However, if Seattle can pull off a Cinderella run, we get Mark Sanchez against the college coach that chastised Sanchez's decision to declare early. We get a week's worth of Rex Ryan soundbites, a chance to see LaDainian Tomlinson in the Super Bowl, the first ever Super Bowl matchup featuring a team that finished the regular season with a losing record. There's also Seattle getting its revenge after the referees screwed them over in 2005(Sorry, Steeler fans!), as well as the biggest sports market in the country going ape shit for two straight weeks(and maybe even more if Carmelo Anthony goes to the Knicks or Nets somewhere in that timeframe). Sanchez gets to do his best Ben Roethlisberger impression and go from AFC Championship in his rookie year and Super Bowl in his second(and maybe even a sexual assault in his postgame), and Darrelle Revis gets to babysit Antonio Cromartie's 8 kids while trying to find something to keep him entertained during his defense of Mike Williams. How can you not root for this? Oh, because of the potential words "Super Bowl winning QB Charlie Whitehurst", huh?

5. Jets-Falcons: Obviously, all the Jets' reasons from the last paragraph are in play here as well. The media circus behind this Jets team would be phenomonal, and you know we'll get at least two or three good Rex Ryan quotes during the interviews leading up to the big game. LaDainian Tomlinson gets to return home to Texas, much like Jerome Bettis did in Detroit in '05, and possibly end his career with a ring(though I don't think this is the end for LT). A couple storybook endings for Jason Taylor and Tony Gonzalez, two of the best people the sports world has seen in this generation. You get a battle between two up-and-coming QBs in Mark Sanchez and Matt Ryan, and the potential for Ryan to build on his "Matty Ice" legacy with a 4th quarter drive. There's Jets team officials trying to both keep Braylon Edwards off the bottle and Antonio Cromartie from knocking up any Dallas cheerleaders. A "student vs. teacher" plotline with Michael Turner against L.T, the inevitable deflection of questions about the Jets' sexual harrassment lawsuit as well as Michelle Ryan questions, Telemundo getting excited about possibly the first Latin Super Bowl-winning QB, "Rowdy" Roddy White vs. Revis Island, and of course, Rex Ryan soundbites(Yup, so good, it had to be mentioned twice!).

4. Steelers-Eagles: Only for the sole purpose that, when this one is over, the man hoisting the Lombardi Trophy will either be a man twice accused of sexual assault who will be winning his third ring in seven years or a man who spent nearly two years in prison for bankrolling a dogfighting ring. Maybe it's not "exciting" from a football standpoint, although both offenses are good enough to keep it from being a snoozefest, but from a storyline standpoint alone, it's a matchup that will make Roger Goodell sweat and reporters salivate on Media Day.

3. Ravens-Falcons: It's the age-old showdown of a great defense against a great offense. It's a matchup between the two marquee QBs of the 2008 NFL Draft, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. It's the potential last hurrah for two sure-fire Hall of Famers(Ray Lewis and Tony Gonzalez) and another possible Canton resident(Ed Reed), and maybe even a last goodbye for Derrick Mason. It's a rematch of perhaps the only entertaining Thursday night game all season and a game that ended with some very suspect officiating at the end. It's a chance for John Harbaugh to steal a little of the spotlight from his San Fran-bound brother, and it's a chance for two cities(one that had its team stolen from them in the middle of the night, the other a team that lost the biggest star the team has ever had to dogfighting) to finally stand on top of the world.

2. Packers-Patriots: A rematch of the two's hotly-contested battle a few weeks ago, this time with Aaron Rodgers(hopefully) filling in for Matt Flynn(it's also a rematch of the '96 Super Bowl, the last one the Packers won, but that may be too dated to matter that much). It's a showdown between two of the league's best QBs and a shot to finally step out of the shadow of Brett Favre for Rodgers. It's arguably the league's smartest coach and most meticulous gameplanner against argaubly one of the game's dumbest coaches and worst crunchtime coaches. It will be a nice cherry on top of a battered sundae for the Packers or yet another notch on the belt of the great Tom Brady.

1. Saints-Patriots: Brees! Brady! That should pretty much say it all. Incase it doesn't, how about this: Reggie Bush doing his best Desmond Howard impression, reporters trying to get a halfway decent quote from Bill Belichick and Sean Payton, endless jokes about Brady's hair, Brees replacing Peyton Manning as Brady's biggest competition for immortality, Brees also getting a shot to play "Legend Killer" for another great QB in back-to-back years, another reason for a huge New Orleans party, Mark Wahlberg vs. Harry Connick Jr., one more week of yelling "Lawfirm!" at BenJarvus Green-Ellis, one more week of yelling "Ray J's Sloppy Seconds!" at Reggie Bush......oh, and it's Brady vs. Brees....and it really doesn't get much better than that.

The Pick: Patriots over Saints - I had Ravens over Packers in the preseason and, as much as I would like to stick to my guns here, both of those teams commit way too many dumb penalties and have too many glaring weaknesses to be relied upon. I do think the Ravens have the best shot at beating New England, but it's hard to bet against this Pats team right now. As for New Orleans, the only team with a legitmate shot at beating them in the NFC is Philly and there's a puncher's chance that the Eagles don't make it out of the first round. I have no faith in Atlanta....not enough convincing wins against tough opponents, not enough experience in the playoffs and, certianly, not enough defense. As good as Matt Ryan has been, he's not winning a shootout with Drew Brees in the playoffs. I like New England over New Orleans because the Patriots can run the ball better and Brady is less likely to make big mistakes than Brees is. As much as I'd like to see the Jets and my Packers here, I think we're looking at another parade in Beantown and another spring of annoying Pats bandwagon fans going nuts. Sorry, America.

Yeah.....But......

If there's a headline for the 2010 NFL season through the first 10 weeks, it would read "We Just Don't Know". Nobody seems willing to run away from the pack and emerge as the team to beat. You can legitimately talk yourself into Super Bowl scenarios involving 10 or 12 different teams. Last night, the Steelers lost to the Patriots.....who lost to the Browns a week ago. The Browns lost to the same Jets team in OT that got skunked by the Packers two weeks ago.......the same Packers team that lost heartbreakers to Miami and Washington and completely annihilated the Dallas Cowboys......the same Dallas Cowboys that beat the New York Giants.......who beat the Cowboys a couple weeks ago....and seemed like the team to beat in the NFC. Now, the team to beat in the NFC might be the Atlanta Falcons....who beat the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.....the same Ravens that beat the Steelers a few weeks ago.....and the same Steelers who won their opener against....wait for it.....the Atlanta Falcons.



The Kansas City Chiefs, my chic AFC West pick that I spent the first month ringing my hands about, have now lost two straight within the division and look very ordinary. Speaking of the Chiefs, there seems to be only one certainty this season: There will be three byes in this year's playoffs in each conference......the two top seeds and whoever draws the AFC and NFC West division winners. Seriously. Look at the the potential Wild Card winners in both conferences. You don't like the Steelers or Patriots' chances of going into Arrowhead or The Black Hole and getting a win? Does St. Louis or Seattle scare you on the road if you're a Packers or Saints fan? Well, if they do, I can't blame you because......we just don't know.



To help us know a little more, here's a breakdown of all the teams with a legit shot at Super Bowl contention and what's to like and not like going forward:



AFC



New England Patriots(7-2)



Why They Could Win It: Tom Brady's in MVP form even without his former deep threat Randy Moss. Brady picked apart Pittsburgh last night, connecting on three TDs to rookie TE Rob Gronkowski. The Pats are back to spreading it around and with the way Brady's slinging it, it's going to be tough to stop.



Why They Might Not: It's the same song since Corey Dillon left: Where's the running game? BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a nice back and maybe he could be a Antione Smith redux barrelling through the snowy grass in Beantown, but he's not someone you should fear as a defensive coordinator. Speaking of defense, I don't trust this Patriots D one bit. The secondary's decent but it did get torched quite a bit against Pittsburgh and against a team that can sling it like Indy or even Baltimore, I'm not sure how they'd hold up. Brady's good enough to win most shootouts but with a suspect D, inexperienced weapons beyond Wes Welker and Deion Branch and no real running game, you can only go so far with smoke and mirrors. I said I was out on New England after Cleveland trounced them. The beatdown of Pittsburgh helps them get back in my good graces but until they can prove they can smack a team like the Jets in the mouth and live to talk about it, I'm skeptical.



New York Jets(7-2)



Why They Could Win It: The running game is strong thanks to the rebirth of LaDainian Tomlinson and you have to figure Shonn Greene is going to get back in the swing of things sooner rather than later. Mark Sanchez is coming into his own in Year 2 and he's getting good production out of once-stonehanded Braylon Edwards and the returning Santonio Holmes, not to mention TE Dustin Keller. The defense is once again in the top five in total defense and against the run and now they have a healthy Darrelle Revis to improve that 15th-ranked pass defense.



Why They Might Not: Of the potential contenders, the Jets are the hardest to find flaws on. They've managed to shore up the run D even without massive NT Kris Jenkins and they'll be better against the pass with Revis back. Still, this team proved in its home loss to Green Bay that it's capable to laying an egg and a couple plays here and there, and they'd be staring 4-4 after OT losses to inferior teams like Detroit and Cleveland the last two weeks. Rex Ryan also has the tendency to quote the "Andy Reid Clock Management" manual and you wonder if the arrogance of both the head coach and some of its players is going to come back to haunt them. Right now, they may be the best team in football, but you have to wonder if these last three weeks were an aberration or a sign of things to come.



Baltimore Ravens(6-3)



Why They Could Win It: On both sides of the ball, they have as much talent as anybody. QB Joe Flacco has been solid(15 TDs, 7 INTs, 2,132 yards) and he's starting to develop some rhythem with Anquan Boldin as his go-to guy. Ray Rice hasn't been the TD machine many had hoped but nearly 700 yards through 9 games is nothing to turn your nose at. Defensively, Ray Lewis is still the leader of the best front seven in football and guys like Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata have been putting on a clinic all season.



Why The Might Not: It's still hard to figure out this team's identity on offense. Are they a smashmouth team that's going to run it down your throat with guys like Rice and Willis McGahee or are they going to let Flacco air it out with his bevy of possession receivers. As good as the trio of Boldin, Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmanzadeh may be, there's no real deep threat on the roster beyond Donte Stallworth. Who's making a play on 3rd and long? Todd Heap? Defensively, for all its skill up front, the secondary's a mess beyond S Ed Reed. The Ravens give up far too much through the air and the only thing keeping them somewhat respectable is a good pass rush and Reed's reputation. Given Reed's tricky hip, it's asking a lot to expect him to be the only line of defense in a conference that has teams like Indy and New England as pass-first teams. The team also is a bit unlucky. Some questionable coaching decisions hurt them in their loss to New England and bad officiating killed them Thursday night against Atlanta.....and this is after a preseason that saw them lose a lot of talent(Jared Gaither, Sergio Kindle, Fabian Washington to name a few). Sure, injuries are part of the game and no team can manage karma, but it's hard to bet on a team that's spent the first half of the season watching the ball bounce the other way.



Pittsburgh Steelers(6-3)



Why They Could Win It: They are getting a big year on the ground from Rashard Mendenhall and second-year wideout Mike Wallace is becoming one of the game's best #2 receivers. Big Ben is back as well and he's shaking more rust off as the weeks pass. The defense has been pretty stout as well, last night's game not included, as they finally have S Troy Polamalu healthy. Once Roethlisberger is back to his old self(and really, there's no reason why he shouldn't be by now), this team becomes a lot more dangerous on offense.



Why They Might Not: Roethlisberger's effectiveness is contingent on him staying upright and, even with the four games off giving him some freshness, there's only so much that 250lb pound frame is going to be willing to take behind this swiss-cheese offensive line. Speaking of lines, this defense is already feeling the effects once again of having to solider on without DE Aaron Smith. Smith is the catalyst for this new Steel Curtain and, without him, the whole D goes into disarray. Another underlying flaw? The inevitable suspension of star LB James Harrison, who has shown a willingness to test Commissioner Goodell's patience on the new policy on jarring hits. Harrison's been fined a couple times already since the rule change and he's adamant on not changing his ways for anyone. If Harrison has to miss time because Goodell lays the hammer, that would be yet another huge loss for the Steelers defense.



Indianapolis Colts(6-3)



Why They Could Win It: Peyton Manning. That's it. That's all. He's balling out as usual and he's doing it without Dallas Clark and with guys like Pierre Garcon underachieving and Austin Collie and Reggie Wayne banged up. On defense, Dwight Freeney is still upright, which means opposing offenses have to be afraid to throw it. The secondary has been decent and they can make a play here and there if Freeney and fellow bookend Robert Mathis get some pressure.



Why They Might Not: The running game is non-existent. They are 27th in rushing for a reason. That reason? Joesph Addai is hurt, so is Donald Brown and the other guys stink. On top of that, not only can they not run the ball, they can't stop it either(29th against the run). That's a bad sign when facing teams like the Jets or Ravens or, by some miracle, Kansas City or Oakland. As great as Manning has been, he's going to need Garcon to step it up and Collie to stay healthy to keep defenses from smothering Wayne. The Colts made it to the Super Bowl last year without much of a running game and getting a turnover here and there, but lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice.



(Side note: You will not find the Chiefs, Raiders, Rams or Seahawks in this breakdown. As proud as I am of my Chiefs pick, they need to beat a team with a pulse before I consider them a contender. For now, they run the ball well and the defense is better than you think, but this team is still a year or two away from serious consideration. As for the others, well, you give me a reason to consider them, and I'll gladly put it in this spot.)



NFC



Atlanta Falcons(7-2)



Why They Could Win It: Matt Ryan's the MVP dark horse right now and he spearheads an offense alongside the speedy and punishing Michael Turner at running back and Ryan's favorite target Roddy White. Turner and TE Tony Gonzalez make up one of the toughest red zone combos to stop in the NFL. "The Burner" has bounced back after a tough year last year and he's getting a breather or two from backup Jason Snelling. The key, however, has been "Matty Ice"(easily the worst nickname of any major athlete that isn't a name hyphen like D-Rose or A-Rod). Ryan's thrown for nearly 2,300 yards and 16 TDs and has made the Falcons the team to beat in the NFC after I spent the preseason scoffing at people who told me I was sleeping on Atlanta.



Why They Might Not: The defense leaves much to be desired. They are horrid against the pass(23rd in the NFL....not a good look for a team that may have to face the Packers or Saints in Round 2) and, while the run defense is 8th in the league, they haven't really faced a good rushing team yet besides Pittsburgh(which beat them thanks to Mendenhall's 120 yard day, including a 50-yard go-ahead score) and Baltimore(who should have beat them). Even Philly trounced this Falcons team, and that was without Micheal Vick scrambling all over the field. Now, the Falcons don't really have to worry about a good rushing team in this conference besides the Giants and possibly St. Louis(if they even make it that far), but in a Super Bowl matchup against the Jets or rematches with the Steelers and Ravens? Yikes.



New York Giants(6-3)



Why They Could Win It: It pains me to even type the words but Eli Manning is in the mix as well for the MVP, throwing for nearly 2,500 yards and 19 TDs so far. Hakeem Nicks(56 catches, 735 yards, 9 TDs) has been an absolute beast in his second season. RB Ahmad Bradshaw is among the league's leading rushers with 838 yards and, as winter approaches, defenses have to become plenty afraid of Brandon Jacobs shaking the rigamortis off his 6'4, 260lb body. And this defense? Just as I suspected. Big Blue's pass rush has been more punishing than a Manny Pacquaio hook and more cringe-worthy than Chris Berman's 2-Minute Drill. Osi Umenyiora(9 sacks) would be Defensive Player of the Year if not for Clay Matthews' excellence so far. Justin Tuck has been putting in some effort as well(4 sacks). Rookie Jason Pierre-Paul....well, he hasn't broken out as I predicted, but it's still early. The secondary is much better than the bunch that was burned constantly last year(yesterday's torching by Jon Kitna not included) and that, combined with the pass rush, is why this team is 4th against the pass.



Why They Might Not: This team is it's own worst enemy. Who knows what New York's record would be if not for their chronic case of turnover-itis. The Giants currently have a -5 turnover margin. They've lost 12 fumbles and Manning's tossed 13 picks to go with his 19 TDs. With the way this team moves the ball, teams wouldn't come close to them if they could find a way to stop giving the ball away.



Green Bay Packers(6-3)



Why They Could Win It: Green Bay has gotten phenomenal play from QB Aaron Rodgers and Defensive Player of the Year favorite Clay Matthews. Rodgers has 2,300 yards and 15 TDs and is leading an offense that's had to play without TE Jermichael Finley and RB Ryan Grant. The offensive line is doing a much better job of protecting Rodgers than they did last year. As for Matthews, his performance against Dallas last week is all you need to know about his dominance. He's the league leader in sacks and he has been all over the place all season. His pressure as well as the rush from linemen Cullen Jenkins and B.J. Raji has made things easier for defending defensive MVP Charles Woodson and underrated fellow corner Tramon Williams.



Why They Might Not: When Grant went down, so did the Packers' running game. Brandon Jackson has been so bad as Grant's replacement that the team flirted with the idea of using FB John Kuhn as its lead back for a couple weeks before Kuhn faltered as well. Injuries have made what could have been an elite team into a just a very good one. The offensive line is improved but it still needs work(especially in opening holes for the run game). Rodgers has gotten a little careless with the ball, too. After throwing 7 picks all last season(mind you, while he was getting constant pressure), he's thrown 9 picks in 9 games. He's done better the last couple of weeks, but given the fact he'll be throwing a lot with the running game underperforming, he needs to be wiser with his decisions. Another cause for concern? This team's ineptitude in close games. They are 6-3 but could easily be 9-0. All three losses are by a combined nine points, two of those losses coming in overtime after the led late in the game. The 9-0 shutout of the Jets was nice, but in the next month they get a hobbled Vikings team, and then go at Atlanta(where Matt Ryan is 18-1 so far) and at New England. Those are tough tests for a team that doesn't have its own division locked up yet.



Chicago Bears(6-3)



Why They Could Win It: Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. The Bears six wins this season have come against the NFL's lower crust(Detroit, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Minnesota), with the exception of a win against Green Bay that the Bears did everything in their power to give away. Matt Forte has done a decent job of both rushing and catching out of the backfield but he only has a little over 600 yards combined. Jay Cutler shows flashes of being able to excel in this Mike Martz offense, but those have been few and far between. Defensively, this unit has carried the team, thanks to some stout play against the run.



Why They Might Not: This may be the worst 6-3 team in history. The offensive line has done nothing to protect Cutler. He's been sacked 29 times in 8 games and he's thrown 9 INTs as he continues to chuck and duck. Neither Forte or Chester Taylor has done much for the run game, and these Bears receivers have been pedestrian at best. On defense, Julius Peppers has just two sacks after signing that big contract in the offseason. In essence, this team has one noteworthy to its name and it needed 17 penalties and a costly fumble just to win by three. Until it proves it can beat a good team, they are lock to lose the division to Green Bay, be on the outside looking in come January and start over completely in the offseason.

Philadelphia Eagles(6-3)

Why They Could Win It: The return of Mike Vick as not just an adequate stop-gap, but a solid starting quarterback. Regardless of what the Colin Cowherds of the world may think, Vick's performance in Monday night's slaughtering of the Redskins was one of the best single-game outings we've seen in recent memory. His touchdown strike to DeSean Jackson on the opening play of the game, where he launches a pass 60+ yards from his own 2 and hits Jackson right in the hands, is the play of the season thus far. If Vick can maintain his accuracy to go along with being an electrifying runner, this Eagles offense is going to be tough to stop. As for the other Eagles, Jackson and fellow speedster Jeremy Maclin give this team a speed dimension that is almost like a bizarro "Greatest Show On Turf". Add to the underrated skills of tight end Brent Celek and a decent 1-2 punch of Jerome Harrison and Shady McCoy, and the Eagles possess one of the most balanced offensive attacks in football.

Why They Might Not: The defense is a bit middle-of-the-pack. They are giving up an average of 23 points per game and have been a bit weak against the pass. Asante Samuel has lost a step since coming over from New England a couple years ago, and the rest of the guys are pedestrian with the exception of rookie FS Nate Allen. The front seven has some talent, but injuries have depleted the linebacking core. A bigger issue than that, of course, is the continued horrid clock management of head coach Andy Reid. Monday's blowout saved us from another head-scratching performance by Big Red but go back to the opener against Green Bay when Reid blew all of his timeouts with about 5 minutes to spare in a game that got surprisingly close at the end. There's a reason Reid's teams have underachieved over the years despite all the talent and that reason starts and ends with the heavy-set fellow with the thick mustache. Another concern should be the health of Vick. With as much as he likes to run in the open field, all it takes is another hit like the rib-crusher he took in the first Redskins game to revert this team to the Kevin Kolb "dink and dunk" show.

New Orleans Saints(6-3)

Why They Could Win It: Experience. Unlike the other teams in the NFC, the Saints know what they have to do in the postseason to make it back to the Super Bowl. Drew Brees, while clearly the latest victim of the Madden Curse, is still deadly with the ball in his hands and a few seconds to throw. Lance Moore has made a resurgence as Brees' #2 and Marques Colston is quietly having a good year as well. Eventually, the team will get RB Reggie Bush back and he will be yet another playmaker for Brees to utilize. The defense, once an Achilles' heel for this team, has stepped it up as well. New Orleans currently holds the league's top pass defense(stunning, considering they are without Pro Bowl S Darren Sharper) and are 3rd in total yards allowed and 4th in points allowed.

Why They Might Not: Even with Bush, this team can't run the ball to save its life. New Orleans is 25th in rushing and have been trying to stay afloat with the likes of guys like Chris Ivory. The passing game has made up for the lack of a run game but that can't last for too long(especially since my gut tells me there is something going on with Brees' knee that the team and Brees himself are failing to let on). The defense could also be better against the run. Eventhough this has become a passing league and the Saints can shoot it out with the best of them, the team has to be able to get stops and keep the D off the field for long stretches, especially since Brees and company strike so quickly on offense.

Gathering Moss

False hope.

That's what Randy Moss' return to Minnesota provides to the Vikings and, most importantly, Vikings fans. Sometimes, when blockbuster trades like this Moss deal get done, fans and experts just look at the fancy names on paper and start overreacting without looking at the big picture. Yes, on paper, an offense comprised of Randy Moss, Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice and Brett Favre looks pretty damn impressive. However, somebody has to be on the outside looking in here. There isn't enough touches to keep three hungry receivers happy as well as the game's best running back. Something has to give. Brett Favre, throughout his entire career, has been a man consumed with being the hero. It's why he implodes EVERY postseason. He has to be the last gunslinger standing when the dust clears. It's why he single-handedly shot the Vikes in the foot last January in the Superdome with that ridiculous cross-the-body interception to Tracy Porter against the Saints. It's why he blew the Packers' Super Bowl chances in '07 against the Giants, '03 against Philly, '02 against Atlanta and '01 against St. Louis with costly picks and all around buffoonish play. Now, he gets a new weapon who has a history of being a piss poor run blocker and who mentally takes himself out of the game(and sometimes, physically) when he isn't getting the ball early and often.

Favre has always wanted to throw bombs to Moss and, maybe now that he gets that chance, it will shake off some of the malaise Favre has been playing with the first four weeks of the season. Favre's playing like a guy who wasn't healthy enough to come back but felt compelled to return after being bullied by teammates and coaches for one last run. Maybe Moss rejuvenates him. Or maybe Moss makes matters worse. After all, there's a reason this man was ushered out of the Twin Cities and into the Bay Area a few years ago. His tendency to be a pain in the ass is equal to his tendency to split the defense for a long touchdown. Somehow, on a team that was a perennial Super Bowl contender, Moss couldn't find happiness. Somehow, on a team known for chemistry and camaraderie, Randy Moss became a distraction(something not even Corey Dillon managed to be). What happens when defenses double-cover Moss and Favre is forced to look Percy Harvin's way? What happens if AP does his own pouting and Childress begins to run the ball more in the first half and Moss becomes disenfranchised? These are the "What ifs" that need to come into play during trades like this. Yes, Moss can be a gamebreaker. That's the glass-half-full part of it. He's also a terrible self-motivator and a bit of a knucklehead. That's the other side of the coin.

Having watched Favre, as a Packer fan, for nearly two decades, I can tell you that Vikings fans are going to be in for some heartache. Moss isn't just one of the game's best receivers, he's a guy who runs one route in particular better than any other wideout: the go route. Moss is going to go straight ahead down the sideline at full speed, throw that lanky tree branch of an arm up, and Favre, no matter who is in Moss' vicinity, is going to chuck that ball with every bit of gusto he's got. That sounds great....if this was last year's Brett Favre. This year, Favre's a wounded animal. Still dangerous, sure, but wounded nonetheless. His passes aren't as crisp. The velocity isn't what it once was and he doesn't throw that deep ball like he once did. For shit's sake, he's 41 and coming off ankle surgery. You can't expect him to reclaim last year's magic now that he has a new toy. Even with Rice, Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe and Peterson last year, Favre couldn't get himself out of New Orleans and I think that offense was better than the one that will trot out Monday night against the Jets. Call me crazy, but I'd take a healthy Sidney Rice over this year's Moss any day of the week(Side note: Another thing to factor in is Moss doesn't get a bye week now. He'll play all 17 weeks because he's coming in after Minnesota's bye week. Moss is 33 and he's never been, how do you say, a husky fellow. I'm not saying Moss is going to get hurt, but I don't know if I like the chances of a skinny 33-year old receiver who has to play balls-to-the-wall for the next four months without a break not getting banged up a little bit.)

So, Moss' acquisition is a hit-or-miss gamble that will ultimately tell the tale of the 2010 season. A team that may have very well been a 10-6 team with Tarvaris Jackson handing off to Adrian Peterson and letting the defense hold opponents instead went into desperation mode and begged a 41-year old man to play QB and then rushed into getting him a new weapon when the old man started to lose interest. If rolling on the dice on Favre and Moss pays off, then the Vikings are the clear-cut team to beat in a wide-open NFC. However, the history of both men, combined with the incompetence of Brad Childress and the uncertainty of both Rice's health coming off hip surgery and AP's role now that Moss is in town, gives people like myself a legit reason to be skeptical.

(Another side rant: I had the Patriots finishing 3rd this season in the AFC East..and that was WITH Randy Moss. Now that he's gone, I'm not sure how New England makes the postseason. Yes, they beat Miami with Moss not even registering a catch, but how many teams are going to throw three picks and allow New England to score touchdowns off numerous blocked kicks and kickoff returns? Moss is gone. Wes Welker's knee is, admittedly, not 100% and now his workload increases. The running game is non-existent. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is serviceable, but hardly someone who keeps defensive coordinators up at night. The defense, outside of last Monday night's rout of the Dolphins, has been terrible and I'm not in love with Brady's offensive line. Yes, the Patriots have eight picks in the first four rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft....but none of those guys are playing this season for New England. Maybe the team plays better with Moss distraction gone. Maybe Brandon Tate steps up. Or maybe this trade bites them in the ass. We shall see.)

So brace yourselves, Vikings fans, the Favre rollercoaster just got revamped and it may very well be a bumpy ride.

Better Luck Next Time

Less than two weeks from today, the Saints and Colts will kick off what is expected to be a very exciting Super Bowl(a Super Bowl that could have been much more exciting had both teams played a bit harder in December and ended up at this point both at 18-0). We have more than enough time to get to the Super Bowl, but what about the other playoff teams that had to leave with some nice parting gifts?

Ask no more. Here's a detailed look at what should be on the agenda for the ten playoff teams who couldn't make the big dance(starting with the recently eliminated first).

1. Minnesota Vikings

How It Ended: The same way any big Brett Favre playoff game seems to end these days: With The Riverboat Gambler's uncanny knack for completing passes to the guys in the wrong colored shirts in the most inopportuned times. Favre wasn't alone wearing the goat horns, as guys like Percy Harvin and Adrian Peterson fumbled the ball the way Carlos Menica fumbles another comedian's jokes.

What Happens Now: Obviously, who quarterbacks this team next year is first and foremost. Favre says he's unlikely to come back next year, but how many times have we heard THAT this decade? Backup Tarvaris Jackson is a free agent and you have to think he's not returning if he thinks he'll be Favre's caddy again. That's why the Vikes need to harden their stance and impose a deadline for Favre's decision. If Favre agrees to come back, the team can move on to their other big need: Finding an heir apparent for one half of the vaunted Williams Wall, Pat Williams(who says he is 50-50 on whether he's hanging them up). If Big Pat decides to give it one more go, the team can focus their first rounder on a QB whether Favre comes back or not. The fact of the matter is, if the team had faith that Jackson or Sage Rosenfels could run the show, they wouldn't have spent last summer making the googly-eyes at Favre.

Oh, and if you can find a solid RBs coach who can teach AP how to be a bit more careful with the football, that might be great for Minny's long-term future. Other than that, this team is set to contend for quite some time.

2. New York Jets

How It Ended: They showed some spunk on the road against the Colts, but inevitably became another victim of The Peyton Manning Show. The Colts also seemed to do a better job in the second half running the ball, Gang Green's trademark, which made stopping Number 18 that much harder.

What Happens Now: Like the Falcons last year, the team has the luxury of knowing it has a capable, playoff-tested young QB in Mark Sanchez. The team also has a great young runner in 3rd-rounder Shonn Greene. However, there are questions. Starting RB Thomas Jones, who quietly had a solid season, has been rumored to have played his last down in Jersey as the team looks to save some money. The same might also be true for injured and since long-forgotten RB Leon Washington, who was hoping for a big contract before he was lost for the season and Greene decided to break out. Two other big decisions involve WR Braylon Edwards, whom the team traded for midseason, and LB Vernon Gholston, the #6 pick of the 2008 Draft. The Jets need to decide whether they want to move forward with the stone-handed Edwards, who will probably want a contract along the lines of what the Cowboys paid fellow hands of concrete wideout Roy Williams, as their top guy. Edwards showed flashes of his ability in the AFC Championship with his 80-yard catch and run against the Colts. That also came two weeks after a potential TD catch hit right off his mitts against Cincinatti. If the Jets wave bye-bye to Braylon, they could try to make another move for a guy like Arizona's Anquan Boldin or sign problematic wideout Brandon Marshall OR they can go the draft route and look at a guy like Notre Dame's Golden Tate.

As for Gholston, two years removed from all of the Lawrence Taylor hype he had coming out of a productive career at Ohio State and an impressive combine, he's still yet to record an NFL sack. Perhaps it's his inability to play in the 3-4 or perhaps he's not really the goods. Nevertheless, he's making a nice paycheck for zero production, and that's something that's sure to not sit right with GM Mike Tannenbaum or coach Rex Ryan. Other needs for Gang Green include finding a solid corner to play opposite Darrelle Revis and perhaps a change-of-pace back for Greene if they decide to part with Jones and Washington.

3. Dallas Cowboys

How It Ended: The Cowboys got a thorough lesson in defensive dominance at the hands of the Vikings as Leslie Frazier's boys routinely found ways to smack Tony Romo and company in the mouth.

What Happens Now: We can debate for days whether keeping Wade Phillips as head coach was the right move but, at the end of the day, Phillips is still the coach. The team would probably love to cut ties with drop-prone loud mouth Roy Williams, but that would be very costly. For now, they'll have to settle on improving on a team that seems to be thisclose every year. First things first has to be the offensive line. When left tackle Flozell Adams isn't a holding penalty waiting to happen, he's showing every bit of his 34 years of age. The time has come for the Cowboys to make a concerned effort on protecting its pretty boy star quarterback. Next up, the team needs to continue to bolster their secondary, especially at the safety position. SS Gerald Sensabaugh was decent in his first year in Big D, but he's hardly a franchise guy(he's also a restricted free agent). As for FS Ken Hamlin, when it comes to tackling, he swings and misses more often than Mike Cameron. The team can consider itself lucky if freakishly athletic safety Taylor Mays of USC is still available in Round 1, but that's probably wishful thinking.

Last, but certianly not least, this team needs a kicker. Nick Folk came and went and the late season addition of Shaun Suisham only served to make Folk look like Gary Anderson. This team needs a kicker who can consistantly put it through the uprights. Pronto!

4. San Diego Chargers

How It Ended: The Bolts continued their string of January lumps in the throat with another postseason no-show against the Jets.

What Happens Now: When you're one of the worst rushing teams in the league, the running game needs addressing. LaDainian Tomlinson was given a reprieve of his horrible season last year and was allowed to come back so he can continue to look washed up this season. The buck probably stops here this offseason. By cutting the 31-year old Tomlinson, the team saves $4 million, which it can use to lock up jitterbug back Darren Sproles or even linebacker Shawne Merriman. Sproles is clearly not an every down back and the decision to pass on "Beanie" Wells will continue to haunt them. With so many young stars on this team, adding a franchise RB has to top the list if this team is going to challenge the AFC's big three(Indy/Pittsburgh/New England...though NE's time might be over). One name that could be interesting is Titans FA back LenDale White. White was a star at Southern Cal and with the emergence of Chris Johnson in Tennessee, he's clearly not coming back to Nashville. With so few openings for starting RBs in the NFL, White might find his free agent options limited and may pounce at the idea of being a star in the Golden State once again.

If they can nab a guy like White, the team can shift its focus to finding some more beef on the interior defensive line(Texas A &M's Terrance Cody comes to mind) or on the interior offensive line(Idaho guard Mike Iupati would be nice). A new coach would help, too, but that's a whole 'nother story.

5. Arizona Cardinals

How It Ended: After giving up 45 points in a thriller against the Packers, the Cards decided to do it again against the Saints.......only this time, Arizona couldn't drop 51 to advance.

What Happens Now: All signs point to former Heisman winner and 10th overall pick Matt Leinart taking the reigns from the retiring Kurt Warner. That's an obvious step back, and the eventual departure of WR Anquan Boldin certianly doesn't help matters. While the team can use some more help protecting its new QB with an infusion of talent on the offensive line, you clearly need to address the defense first when you give up 90 points in two games. The team already lost pass-rusher Bertrand Berry to retirement and have to make some free agent decisions on top guys like Karlos Dansby, Gabe Watson, and Chike Okeafor. The team might decide to keep Dansby(the hero of the Packers win) and Watson(a valuable big body inside) and let Okeafor find greener pastures elsewhere. That would mean the team needs to grab a couple pass rushers and perhaps find an upgrade in the middle of the linebacking core opposite Dansby(if he's retained). Alot will ride on what the team can get for Boldin if and when he's dealt and whether the team can have more solid talent fall to them much like Beanie Wells did last year.

6. Baltimore Ravens

How It Ended: The Colts quieted a one-dimensional offense and beat up an aging defense so bad, Ed Reed might retire.

What Happens Now: Age and a lack of depth could give the Ravens the grimest outlook of all the playoff teams. If Reed decides to hang them up, there would be no replacing him. Add that to the fact that the team already needed help in the secondary after watching their corners get burnt to a crisp all season. Legendary MLB Ray Lewis came back with authority this season, but how many great seasons does he really have left at 34?

On offense, if QB Joe Flacco is going to be a star in this league, he's going to need weapons other than RB Ray Rice. Top wideout Derrick Mason is thinking retirement and the guys behind him, Mark Clayton, Kelly Washington and Demetrius Williams, are free agents. That could mean the team doubles up in the offseason with a combination of Marshall/Boldin and a first rounder like USC's Damien Williams or LSU's Brandon LaFell. The team also needs to lock up LT Jared Gaither to shore up a much improved offensive line.

7. Green Bay Packers

How It Ended: In a blaze of glory. The Packers came back from down 21 at the half to force overtime and get their heart broke by a Cardinals team that was on the ropes at home.

What Happens Now: Like the Chargers, the Packers have enough young talent on both sides of the ball to be downright dangerous the next few years. QB Aaron Rodgers has proven to be a top 3 QB. RB Ryan Grant has come on as a franchise back, and the recieving core is four deep with Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Jordy Nelson. Plus, the team found a potential stud in young TE Jermichael Finley. On defense, Clay Matthews Jr. was absolute steal at the end of the first round last year and they have the reigning Def. POTY in aging Charles Woodson.

That being said, even with the improved performance down the stretch, the offensive line needs work. The Packers need to snag one of the top left tackle prospects, be it Oklahoma's Trent Williams or Iowa's Bryan Bulaga. The team can also use some depth on the interior as well as injuries forced them to do some shuffling throughout the season.

On defense, longtime franchise pass rusher Aaron Kampman will probably be allowed to walk as he's not a fit for the team's 3-4 scheme. The same might also be said of former Pro Bowl corner Al Harris, who was lost for the second straight year with an injury and is a bit long in the tooth at 34. If Harris goes, locking up backup Tramon Williams becomes a priority, as does signing Pro Bowl S Nick Collins long-term(and hard-hitter Atari Bigby, as well). The Packers will enter next season with potentially only four starters over 30(Woodson, Driver, Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton), but even with all the fresh legs, depth is going to be a huge concern.

Another underlying issue will be the return game. Return specialist Will Blackmon is a free agent but, like Harris, has had his injury woes. The team can hope to find a guy to replace Blackmon in the draft but will more than likely try to keep him.

8. New England Patriots

How It Ended: Bad karma came back to sting the overly-aggressive Patriots in the form of the punishing Ravens defense in one of the most embarressing playoff losses in New England history.

What Happens Now: The team gets Tom Brady a full year recovered from ACL surgery, so perhaps that goes a long way to helping the offense. What won't help the offense will be the recovery of Brady's top target, Wes Welker, who tore his ACL and MCL in a meaningless Week 17 loss to Houson. With Welker not being completely right and continued concerns about Randy Moss' effort, the once electrifying Patriots passing attack looks like it might be grounded. Speaking of the ground, the team will probably cut ties with RB Laurence Maroney who subconciously tried his best to get booted out of Beantown. That means going back to the drawing board and bringing in a new rusher as current holdovers Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris are a bit too old to carry the load. That could mean a guy like Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer or Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart. The offensive line is going to need some adjusting, especially if Brady continues to develop happy feet in the pocket.

As for the defense....well, it doesn't look good. The Leigh Bodden/Shawn Springs experiment didn't work so well and the team has yet to develop a young corner through the draft the way it did with guys like Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs. The front seven is a mess, with the only real standouts being ILB Jerod Mayo, DE Ty Warren and NT Vince Wilfork(whose a free agent). Adalius Thomas is probably on the next thing smoking out of Belichick-ville, and one has to wonder if that means the team will take a look at free agent pass rusher Julius Peppers. With the Jets and Dolphins nipping at their heels, this offseason more so than any other, leaves very little room for error for The Boston Hoodie and company.

9. Philadelphia Eagles

How It Ended: Philly laid down to division rival Dallas in back-to-back weeks, first in Week 17 in a game for the division title and then in the Wild Card round. Both losses should have been the end of the Andy Reid Era, but alas, we get one more year of Big Red.

What Happens Now: Time to decide on a QB. Is it going to be embattled starter Donovan McNabb? Annointed heir apparent Kevin Kolb? Or the wild card, ex-con Mike Vick? We can probably take Vick out of the equation, as his starting days will probably not be in Philly(Washington, perhaps?). Reid has said that McNabb's his guy but you have to wonder just when Donovan is going to ask to get out of Philly, where he's constantly under fire. The same goes for Kolb. After showing flashes of competence in relief, it has to be irritating for him to continue to play McNabb's caddy. Reid knows his fate lies with McNabb, which is why this will be the final show for both if they can't produce on all the promise that has been generated since their arrival in '98.

Beyond the signal caller issue, there's the possible retirement of RB Brian Westbrook(which is somewhat padded by the presence of "Shady" McCoy) and a newfound focus on fixing the defense after years of adding offensive weapons. After addressing their big needs on the offensive line last year with Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews, the team now needs to fix some holes on the D. The team really missed Brian Dawkins in centerfield and will have to fight Dallas as well as others for a guy like Taylor Mays. The team is also hoping to get better health from the linebacking core as things went downhill once Stewart Bradley went down in camp. The Eagles have solid depth at corner and on the defensive line and, on paper, they will be once again considered a threat for the Super Bowl. The biggest issue, though, will be how dangerous the formidable Eagles will be to themselves if they make another postseason run.

10. Cincinatti Bengals

How It Ended: Like the Eagles, the Bengals held their hands behind their back facing an opponent for the second time in as many weeks. First, the Bengals pulled out quicker than a kid on prom night in their shutout loss to the Jets. Then, Gang Green beat on the Bengals once again in Cincinatti in the Wild Card game.

What Happens Now: After finding their franchise back in the most unlikely of places(former Bears castoff Cedric Benson), the Bengals need to breath some life into their once powerful air attack. Head coach Marvin Lewis put the shackles on former #1 pick Carson Palmer, playing it safe all season to avoid injury to his franchise QB. The result was a offense that lacked a punch beyond Benson's hard-nosed running. After spending three draft picks on wideouts in the event they'd lose star wideout Chad Ochocinco, the Bengals are now stuck in a quagmire where, not only is Ochocinco still present, but there is nobody around to complement him. The team lost Chris Henry to a tragic accident and the rest of passing game seemed to die with him. Andre Caldwell showed signs of promise, but is still wildly inconsistant and Missing Persons is still searching for youngster Jerome Simpson. Even if the team can find a viable partner for Ocho, that becomes moot if they don't lock up Benson to a long term deal.

On defense, the Bengals possess an underrated cornerback tandem in Jonathan Joesph and Leon Hall. They also hit home runs in the draft with linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga. The focus now will be shoring up the defensive line, where the team saw its pass rush zapped once sack leader Antwan Odom was lost for the season. Greg Hardy is an interesting prospect out of Ole Miss but a guy who could really bring a pass rush is USF's George Selvie. The team can also make a play for Packers' FA Aaron Kampman, who starred for years in the 4-3.