Crazy stats:

1) Minnesota has gone 3-39 since 2000 in games where they scored less than 20

2) The Houston Texans have never won a Wk.2 game in 5 tries

3) Since 2001, when the Patriots score 20 or less, they are 17-24; when they score 21 or more, they are 65-3.

THE PICKS 

1.) San Diego Chargers (+3.5) @ New England Patriots: Picture this. PICK: Patriots-->-->

2.) Buffalo Bills (+9.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers: This will be one of the highest scoring games this weekend. Pitt will win, but not by enough to cover. PICK: Bills-->-->

3.) Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns (+6): Oh, man, the Browns are real bad. Real, real bad.  This could be over after a quarter. PICK: Bengals in a laugher-->-->

4.) Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans (+7): -->-->Tenn-->--> rushed for nearly 300 in the opener. Think of what they could do against the Colts run D. PICK: Titans-->-->

5.) Houston Texans (+6.5) @ Carolina Panthers: -->-->Houston-->--> has never won a Wk.2 game in 5 tries. Well, there’s a first time for everything. PICK: Texans-->-->

6.) -->-->San Francisco-->--> 49ers (+3) @ St. Louis Rams:  Alex Smith doesn’t remind anyone of -->-->Montana-->-->, but he gets the job done. PICK: 49’ers-->-->

7.) Green Bay Packers (PK) @ NY Giants: The hefty lefty will be scrambling for his life all game. That’ll be pretty interesting to watch. Strahan contemplates retirement. PICK: Packers.-->-->

8.) Atlanta Falcons (+10.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars: Jags win, but not by enough to cover. PICK: Jags-->-->

9.) New -->-->Orleans-->--> Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5): Saints beat up the Bucs. Blowout. PICK: Saints-->-->

10.) Minnesota Vikings (+3) @ Detroit Lions: Wish this game was on where I live. Matchup of the two frontrunners for rookie of the year, Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson. Vikings have a defense; the Lions don’t. If you use this stat, please give credit to me...it's one of my favorites. The Vikings are 3-39 since 2000 when scoring less than 20 points. Trust me when I'll say they'll score at least 20 in this one. PICK: Vikings (A-Pete goes over 100 yds rushing again)-->-->

11.) Dallas Cowboys @ Miami Dolphins (+3.5): Wherefore art thou, Romo? Throwing another TD pass. PICK: Cowboys -->-->

12.) -->-->Seattle-->--> Seahawks @ -->-->Arizona-->--> Cardinals (+3): Ugh. PICK: Seahawks -->-->

13.) NY Jets (+7.5) @ Baltimore Ravens: -->-->Battle-->--> of back-ups. Boller wins in OT. PICK: Jets (Ravens win, but don’t cover).-->-->

14.) Oakland Raiders (+9.5) @ Denver Broncos: -->-->Denver-->--> is overhyped. They were lucky as heck to beat the Bills. They get stunned by the Raiders in this one. PICK: Raiders -->-->

15.) Kansas City Chiefs (+12.5) @ Chicago Bears: KC will be battling -->-->Atlanta-->--> for that coveted #1 pick. PICK: Bears-->-->

16.) Washington Redskins (+7) @  Philadelphia Eagles: I want to pick the ‘Skins b/c I’m from the VA area, but I think the Eagles are just too angry about last wk. PICK: Eagles-->-->

Everyone is so high on UNC and Florida, it makes me sick. How Florida is the #1 overall seed when Ohio State is #1 IN BOTH POLLS just astounds me. Also, the fact that Drexel and Syracuse aren't dancing, and Duke gets a sixth seed, is just flat out insane. Anyway, that's my venting for today.

On to my predictions. Whether you think they're wrong or not, they're my predictions. Please leave your picks, whether they differ or not. Good luck on your brackets!!!!!!

Please don't include just your championship matchup or your champion; it's a lot more fun this way. Besides, all of us (including myself) can come back and see how stupid our picks were.

ELITE EIGHT

Midwest: #5 Butler, #3 Oregon

West: #5 Va.Tech, #3 Pitt

East: #4 Tex, #2 G'town

South: #1 Ohio St., #3 Tex.A&M

FINAL FOUR

Midwest: #3 Oregon

West: #3 Pitt

East: #4 Tex

South: #1 Ohio St.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Texas prevails over Pitt, 70-67, as Durant pulls a Carmelo Anthony, playing only one season which ends with a championship, and then goes on to be a star in the NBA.

It's about time that the focus of the NFL isn't on destroying the Patriots dynasty. That was the story all offseason last year, and has been since the Patriots won it all in 2004. The Patriots lost all these players, yet still they managed to go 12-4 and win two playoff games. It's amazing how they do it. Now, they have over 25 million in cap space to rebuild the team, along with about 10 picks in April's draft (two in the first round). The only significant loss, really, was Vinatieri, and his replacement made over 75% of his kicks, is about 10 yrs younger, and his kickoffs, unlike Vinatieri's, reach the end zone.

Meanwhile, the Colts, fresh off their Super Bowl championship, won't be celebrating for more than a couple of months. Why? Because their team is about to be a shell of what they were in 2006. You think that the run defense in 2006 was horrid? Just wait till the NFL sees what is left of the Colts to try and stop the run in 2007.

According to John Clayton's cap #'s on ESPN.com, virtually every NFL team is in great cap shape right now. The three division rivals of the Colts have a combined $75.25 MILLION of combined cap space. The Colts? A paltry $200,000, less than any team in the NFL.

The Colts have 18 free agents (that's right- 18!!!!!!). This is who they stand to lose over the next few months, and their stats from '06:

QB- Jim Sorgi (no stats)

RB- Dominic Rhodes (641 rush yds and 5 rush TD; 36 catches for 251 yds)

WR- Aaron Moorehead (8 catches, 82 yds, TD)

WR- Terrence Wilkins (1465 return yds, one return TD)

TE- Ben Utecht (37 catches, 377 yds)

Starting Guards Ryan Lilja and Jake Scott, two of the five main blockers for Peyton

DE- Bo Schobel (19 tackles and 1/2 sack)

DE- Josh Thomas (21 tackles, 1 sack)

DE- Dwight Freeney (29 tackles, 5.5 sacks)

DT- Dan Klecko (4 tackles)

LB- Rocky Boiman (20 tackles, 1 INT)

LB- Gilbert Gardner (53 tackles)

LB- Cato June (142 tackles, 1 sack, 3 INT)

LB- Freddy Keiaho (19 tackles)

LB- Rob Morris (55 tackles)

CB- Jason David (55 tackles, 2 INT)

CB- Nick Harper (75 tackles, 3 INT)

Total Defensive #'s of Free Agents To Be: 492 tackles, 8 sacks, 9 INT

There are 9 teams in the AFC alone that have more than 15 million of cap space. They are-

Tennessee 37.0

Buffalo 33.0

New England 26.9

Cleveland 26.2

Jacksonville 21.6

San Diego 21.4

New York Jets 20.8

Cinci 18.7

Houston 16.65

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to achieve. The rest of the AFC will be gunning for you, Indy- let's just hope you're ready.

If so, then I like the chances for the New England Patriots. Of all the teams in contention, here is the record of their starting QB's in playoff games, listed in order of record.

AFC

New England: Tom Brady, 10-1 (3 Super Bowl wins)

Baltimore: Steve McNair, 5-3

New York Jets: Chad Pennington, 2-2

Indianapolis: Peyton Manning, 3-6

Cinci: Carson Palmer, 0-1

Kansas City: Trent Green, 0-2

Philip Rivers (San Diego), Jay Cutler (Denver), Vince Young (Tennessee) and David Garrard (Jacksonville) have no playoff starts

 

NFC

Green Bay: Brett Favre, 11-9 (1 Super Bowl win)

Carolina: Jake Delhomme, 5-2

Seattle: Matt Hasselbeck, 2-2

Atlanta: Michael Vick, 2-2 

Philadelphia: Jeff Garcia, 1-2

St.Louis: Marc Bulger, 1-2

New Orleans: Drew Brees, 0-1

New York Giants: Eli Manning, 0-1

Chicago: Rex Grossman, 0-1

Tony Romo (Dallas) has no playoff starts.

 

As you can see from this collective group, there are not many QB's competing for playoff berths (or who have clinched a berth already) that are good in the playoffs.  Of the 20 quarterbacks listed, only eight have more than one playoff win and only four have a winning percentage above 50%.

We'll have to see how it all plays out, but both McNair and Brady are playing really well right now, and their teams are on a roll. It will hard to slow them down in the playoffs.

 

However out there my guess may be, here's my prediction for seeding entering the playoffs, along with final records:

AFC

1) San Diego 13-3

2) Baltimore 12-4

3) New England 12-4 (that loss to Miami will inspire them to win out)

4) Indianapolis 11-5 (lose to Cinci and at Miami; hey, it could happen. they've lost 3 of 4)

5) Cinci 10-6

6) Jacksonville 10-6

First Round Matchups: Jacksonville at New England; Cinci at Indianapolis

 

NFC

1) Chicago 13-3

2) New Orleans 11-5 (lose to Carolina)

3) Dallas 10-6

4) Seattle 9-7 (wouldn't be shocked if they lost to SD and Tampa and lost the division)

5) Philadelphia 10-6

6) Minnesota 9-7 (the most dominate rush D since the 2000 Ravens)

First Round Matchups: Minnesota at Dallas; Philadelphia at Seattle 

 What's your predicted seeding for the playoffs, along with records?