New England versus Denver: A conversation about the AFC Championship Game

The following is a conversation between four strangers about this afternoon's AFC Championship game (click here for thoughts on the NFC game):

Just a man dialing up the past.

Bryan Harvey: So we have Brady, and we have Manning. And, while Brady commands the regular season win-loss record, the rivalry is deadlocked at two playoff games apiece. You, me, all of us, are meant to believe this means everything. 

NFL Playoffs: Championship Sunday Preview

The Championship Game previews below were put together by Russ Morris and Bryan Harvey (Teach):

NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Preview

The Divisional previews below were put together by Russ Morris, with Bryan Harvey (Teach) adding in his two cents after Russ did most of the work.

Number of the Day: Tebow's 316

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

            --John 3:16

Three hundred sixteen yards and an overtime Playoff win. A charisma and style that clearly draws in other players, coaches, and fans. Tim Tebow is many things. Make of him what you will, but know that whether you believe he's an angel from God, a Twitter buzzword, an NFL miracle worker, or simply a lucky son of a gun somebody, somewhere, will label your judgement as blasphemy.

Green Bay vs. Chicago: Familiarity Breeds Contempt, Even in Sabretooth Tigers

In a world of assassins and mutants, everyone has a moniker, a special power, a hidden motive, but when two people meet, having shared a divisional bed, real names are used and their are no disguises to be worn or charades to be played. Sabretooth becomes Victor Creed, and Mystique can not help to hide that she is nothing more than a blue-faced whore despite her efforts to shape shift into something less noticeable and grotesque.

Today, when Clay Matthews stalks the likes of Jay Cutler, the act will be done with an emotion that is one half love and one half hate, and the vicious hits will come with a kiss that feels a lot like death. But don't be surprised if the result of such combustible personalities and dramatic stakes results in something quite ordinary, like when they last met and the score was a pedestrian 10 to 3. The great irony of two mutants mating is that their offspring is often born into this world as ordinary and vile as a Graydon Creed, a man whose only super power is to be cold-hearted and human. And, because their meetings often turn into stubborn genetics that cannot evolve into something grander, is it any wonder then that the Packers and Bears speak their pillow talk under the sound of a howling, bitter wind, off the shores of Lake Michigan?

Vote: Marshawn Lynch or Tecmo Bowl

Because it happened in the Playoffs against the defending Super Bowl champs, you'd have to go back to the days of Earl Campbell to find a run that was not only this good but felt this good. The magnitude of the moment made this run feel like something that could only happen in a video game, especially when one considers that Marshawn Lynch's career has consisted of being a fantasy sleeper to tradable laughing stock and disappointment. Now, he's the stiff arm immortalized, in concrete, in plasma--he's a freak.



To get a better idea of what Marshawn Lynch did to the New Orleans defense on that play, here it is in slow mo:



And for good measure, some good old fashioned Earl Campbell. Appreciate:



Oh, and one last question, what is it about Matt Hasselbeck that he can run down field on a play like Marshawn Lynch's touchdown run blocking all the way, but if he so much as gets bumped by a defender, it always appears to be career ending? Strange are his super powers, strange indeed.

LCB NFL Picks: Conference Championships

New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts @ 3:00 on CBS:
As you know, I have been watching Cold Pizza. Throughout the week there was a good amount of the analysts jumping on the Jets bandwagon, claiming their running game and blitz heavy defense will be the deciding factor against the Colts. They added to their argument using flawed reasons to pick the Jets. Since these analysts were being countered by Skip Bayless, they won the discussion. So instead of criticizing Skip, I'll just tell you how I would have reacted to these comments.

The Jets had the Colts on the ropes when Indy pulled out their starters, they were only down by 5 and surging.

• Sure that game was pretty even. But throughout the season the Colts put away their opponents in the fourth quarter. They also replaced one of the best clock managers in the game with Curtis Painter. If the Jets really think there isn't that big of a difference between Painter and Peyton, they are as delusional as Skip. 

The Colts time and time again fail to play their best in the playoffs.

• While the past failures have been many, they did win a Super Bowl not that long ago and the 2009-2010 Colts have yet to lose a game where their starters play the entire game. 

Revis will shut-down Peyton's safety net, Reggie Wayne.

• Along with Charles Woodson and Nnamdi Asomugha, Revis is one of the top three corners in the game. But when has Peyton ever locked into a receiver? Not to mention that Indy is loaded with receiving threats (Dallas Clark, Austin Collie,  Pierre Garcon, and Donald Brown), making it that much easier for him to spread the ball around.

 The Jets are coming off a game where they beat the hottest team in football, one that mirrors the Colts; good passing game, no running game, and an average defense with above-average pass rushers.

• The Jets won the game, there is no denying that. But if Kaeding makes his kicks, we have a different team playing the Colts. The same could be said with the Bengals. With Matt Stover kicking inside the dome, I wouldn't count on the Jets being able to rely on missed field-goals to win the game. Also aren't the Jets made from the same mold as the Ravens; no passing game, blitz heavy defense, and great running game. And didn't the Ravens only score 3 points against the Colts?

Now I'm not saying the Colts are definitely going to win. After all, this is the NFL playoffs and weird things happen. But when weighing the two QB choices, it becomes clear that I'm taking the Colts. Indy 21, Jets 10.

Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints @ 6:40 on FOX:
Thanks to Teach, you already know that Prince used the Black National Anthem "Lift Every Voice" to make his abortion of a fight song. But he's not the only one using his musical skills to try and vault his team to victory, The Neville Brothers and dozens of lesser known musicians from the two fair cities have created their own dedications. Thankfully both of the local paps did the leg work by gathering all of these fight songs and arranged them in playlists for us to peruse. The different musical stylings cover various genres including hip-hop, metal, polka, jazz and country.

Now, if we were judging this game solely on these songs, the city of New Orleans would surely win. Thankfully they have to settle it on the field, where each team has a slight upper hand over the other; the Saints on offense, the Vikings on defense. But with Robert Meachem on the mend and most of the Vikings front seven battling injuries the two teams seem to be on equal footing, making this a great match-up and an even tougher game to pick. So I'll take the Saints, since the Superdome is one of the few NFL stadiums where home-field advantage actually has an effect. New Orleans 42, Minnesota 38.

LCB NFL Picks: Divisional Round

Saturday Games
Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints @ 4:30 on FOX:
Let me pose a hypothetical situation for you:
The year is 1996 and you're at a ski lodge with family enjoying the three day weekend. You are a big football fan and pretty pissed you have to spend time with your family instead of watching football. But since you have to go, you decide that you will make the most of it, while also deciding to move from the bunny slopes to the blue square runs. For most of the day you are doing pretty well, that is, until your big brother/sister decides to ruin your day by cutting you off. You manage to change direction in time to avoid a collision with your sibling. But what you don't realize, is that there is now a tree right in front of you and you hit it head on. Your immediately knocked out and somehow you have slipped into a coma. The Doctors and your parents can't come to a conclusion on what to do, so your left on life support for years and years. All of a sudden you wake up, and it's 2010 and the first thing you see is this game on one of the hospital televisions. What aspect of this situation is harder for you to grasp? That you have been in a coma for 14 years or that these two teams are this close to the Super Bowl? Saints 35, Cardinals 28.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts @ 8:15 on CBS:
I was watching Cold Pizza yesterday (I know, I don't know why I do it to myself either.) when they posed one of the dumbest questions I have ever heard on ESPN. And for a company that employs both Colin Cowherd and Skip Bayless, that's saying a lot.

The question: "Is Peyton Manning cursed in the playoffs?" In all honesty, that was the question. They later expanded on it, showing the Colts failures when receiving home-field advantage (0-3). But what they are overlooking is he and the Colts won a (pardonnez-mois s'il vous plait) fucking Super Bowl. And no matter how many scenarios a team has failed in, if they have won a championship, they are not cursed. If they lose this game, it won't be because they are cursed. It will be because they weren't the best team on the field. Baltimore 18, Indianapolis 28.

Sunday Games
Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings @ 1:00 on FOX:
The Vikings were dominant for the better part of the season, but struggled for much of the last four games. The Cowboys have been rolling and looked unstoppable last weekend. The blowout over the Giants obviously pumped up the Vikings and it'd be hard for the Cowboys not to be excited over their play. But should they be? The only game the Vikings looked good late in the season was against the Giants, and by week eleven they had already given up on their season. In the last five games the Cowboys are 4-1, having lost to the Chargers and beaten the Saints, Redskins, and the Eagles twice. But in all of their wins, how many of those teams were playing at the top of their game? The Saints packed it in the minute they clinched home-field advantage. The Redskins couldn't manage to play hard for an entire game all season long. And the Eagles offense left sometime around week twelve. So which team with false bravado wins? I'll take the team with Purple Jesus. Minnesota 35, Dallas 28.

New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers @ 4:40 on CBS:
I really have no feelings on this game either way. So here's that LT "Electric Glide" video everyone has been talking about:

Since this is the best thing involving either team, I'll take the Chargers beating the Jets 21-14.

2010 NFL Playoffs: Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals

Think of the quest for immortality in the course of the NFL as a five act Shakespearean drama. The preseason was all Prologue. Act 1 was the regular season, giving us straight up details about characterization and setting. Now, we arrive in Act 2, and we are quite familiar with our protagonists. Aaron Rodgers is a noble prince. Charles Woodson is a crafty sage. Clay Matthews is all freight trains and progress, and Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and Ryan Grant provide a bevy of knights; and a weak link to the kingdom even lurks in the shadows of the goal post, in the shape of kicker Mason Crosby. The players we know, but the conflict is refreshingly new. For the first time in two years, this team will not be measured against the feats of Brett Favre's arm.

The fact that the Packers made it to Act 2 without number 4 is proof that there is a balm in Gillead. For Aaron Rodgers, this week is not about whether he is fit to lead or measures up to a single legend; this week is all about the field of battle. This week comes down to action; one team versus another. This week is not about revenge or analogies to past lovers. The score will decide who is victorious, and the simplicity of that is enough for a Packers fan to think the future is very bright indeed.

Of course, the continuation of this plot, should the Green Bay Packers win today and next week against New Orleans, could bring us to a day of reckoning in Minnesota, proving that the future is never truly devoid of yesterday's tragedies.

O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Rodgers, like himself,
Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels,
Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire
Crouch for employment. But pardon, and gentles all,
The flat unraised spirits that have dared
On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth
So great an object: can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram
Within this wooden O the very casques
That did affright the air at Agincourt?
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest in little place a million;
And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work.
Suppose within the girdle of these walls
Are now confined two mighty monarchies,
Whose high upreared and abutting fronts
The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:
Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;
Into a thousand parts divide on man,
And make imaginary puissance;
Think when we talk of horses, that you see them
Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth;
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,
Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times,
Turning the accomplishment of many years
Into an hour-glass: for the which supply,
Admit me Chorus to this history;
Who prologue-like your humble patience pray,
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play.

LCB NFL Picks: Wild-Card Round

Saturday Games
New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals @ 4:30 on NBC:
This week Roger Goodell confronted the recent issue of successful teams benching their players late in the season so they can rest them up for the playoffs. This was brought on by the shared outrage by the media and fans over the Colts not going for 16-0. He stated that he was "angry" and has promised to look at ways to fix it when the Competition Committee meets in the offseason. It has been reported that the league will consider providing incentives to playoff teams that choose to use starters, such as receiving an extra draft pick. Also the teams that continue this practice would be punished by losing draft picks.

It's great to see that the commissioner is actually listening to the fans, but is this really the best idea they have? Giving draft picks to the best teams for doing what their paid to do is absurd. First of all, the draft is meant to help the teams that struggled the most in the previous season, not help the rich get richer. Secondly, how would you enforce this? Any team could place all their key starters on the injured list as probable, and continue to pull them after one drive.  Lastly, would the punishment of losing a draft pick actually scare teams enough that they would end up risking a serious injury and their Super Bowl chances? I think not.

In any league, the last week of the season is going to leave you with a good amount of terrible games. The bad teams don't have a reason to win late (apart from playing spoilers), and have more reason to lose to better their draft position. The good teams locked into the playoffs, have no real incentive to risk injury. It would be nice to see things change, if only for a better slate of games to watch. But after week or two of the playoffs, does anyone really care? Jets 17, Bengals 10.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys @ 8:00 on NBC:
All of the teams in the NFC have 10 wins or more, and none of them are a clear favorite to win their conference championship. The Saints and Vikings are at home this week due to their great play over the season, but they both failed to finish the regular season with the same precision that got them that bye week. The other teams in the NFC bring a lot of talent, but also bring as many questions. Will the Eagles be able to stop the power game of the Cowboys? Can anyone slow down Desean Jackson? Can the Cardinals win without Boldin? Can Wade Phillips and Tony Romo win a game in the playoffs? Will the Packers be able to overcome the injuries to their defense? What this means is that none of us should be surprised with any of the outcomes and we should just enjoy the great football we are about to witness. Cowboys 24, Eagles 21.

Sunday Games
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots @ 1:00 on CBS:
If you watched any of the playoff preview shows, you will know that Julian Edelman is trying to replace Wes Welker, after the latter was placed on IR. According to these shows, Edelman is the only hope the Patriots have to fill the big shoes left by the loss of their leading receiver. Now I'm not downplaying either of their talents. And I'm definitely not ignoring the fact, that without Welker the Ravens will be able to put all of their focus on Randy Moss. But this is the Patriots and they have won with average receivers before, so this should be nothing new. As a matter of fact, it might just be what they needed most. Knowing that the man that caught 123 balls isn't there to bail them out on 3rd and long, it will certainly force them to play more conservatively. Most likely by running the ball more, with Laurence Maroney and Fred Taylor in the backfield, it's something they probably should have been doing all season long.  Ravens 14, New England 21.

Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals @ 4:40 on FOX:
The biggest factor for this game is the health of Charles Woodson. If healthy, the Cardinals may be in trouble. With him on Fitzgerald and Boldin almost a lock to miss the game, Kurt Warner will have to look to someone else to make plays. This will end up forcing them to run the ball, and turn this game into a defensive battle. However, if his shoulder slows him down at all, the games final score may resemble a college basketball game. The former plays in the Packers favor, due to their balanced offense. The latter will turn this game wide open and plays to the favor of the home team, the Cardinals. With last weeks blowout win still in the minds of the Cardinal defense, I think the edge goes to Green Bay.  Packers 35, Cardinals 28.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Preview

LARRY FITZGERALD IS THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.

TROY POLAMALU IS VENOM.

THE STATE OF THE WORLD,

AS WE KNOW IT,

IS AT STAKE.

TO BE CONTINUED....

LCB NFL Picks: Conference Championships

-4 Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1 overall, 3-4-1 road) @ Arizona Cardinals (9-7 overall, 6-2 home) at 3:00 p.m. on Fox : Langston's Pick: The Eagles and Cardinals are on a magical postseason ride, one team resembled a bird lost on its way south for winter and the other has been lost for the past 60 years. Yet both teams found their way back on track with the rest of the playoff flock with great offense and enough defense. But which team will make it to the south before the cold hits and which one will get lost and decide to fly back home only to fight the frigid temperatures waiting to try the flight next year? With McNabb and Warner throwing the pigskin and fantastic skill players like Brian Westbrook and Larry Fitzgerald, these two teams have the talent needed to play for Lombardi's trophy. Both teams are skilled enough on defense to let their offenses win the game, but the Eagles are more equipped for their defense to win the game. If I was betting smartly, I put it all on the Eagles. But who wants to see a battle of the keystone state? I sure don't, I like my championships to be all encompassing of this great nation of ours. That is why I am picking Kurt and Larry to win this game for the Grand Canyon state and the Arizona Cardinals. LCG's Pick: I cannot abandon my second team, the Philadelphia Eagles, this far into the playoff race. Sure it's easy to root for a team whose lone championship came in Chicago sometime around the great depression and the new deal. But these are the Eagles we are talking about. And I think it's time a city other than Boston has multiple champions. Philly has a chance at being the new dynasty city, and it could be a wonderful thing. Especially if some of their championship mojo rubs off on DC.

+6 Baltimore Ravens (11-5 overall, 5-3 road) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4 overall, 6-2 home) at 6:30 p.m. on CBS: Langston's Pick: The best rivalry in the NFL will always be the Cowboys and the Redskins, but the Ravens and the Steelers have been giving them a run for their money the past couple years now. With both teams boasting great defenses, great running games, and now both teams being led by two great young quarterbacks; this rivalry has gotten even better. I don't have a rooting interest in this game, but according to my playoff rooting system the Steelers are my team now. They are playing at home, have the best defense in the league, and have Roethlisberger. I like the Steelers to win this game, but the Ravens are talented enough to keep it close enough where this will be the greatest game of the postseason the Steelers won't cover. LCG's Pick: I like underdogs and a team with a rookie quarterback headed into the Steel city that already has 5 Super Bowl trophy's is probably as close to the definition as we are going to get for quite some time. I like the Ravens to win this game, encouraging Pittsburghs mayor to change his name back as soon as possible. Jump on the bandwagon Steelerstahl, its the Ravens year for triumph in the AFC.

AFC Championship Game Preview: Baltimore Ravens at the Pittsburgh Steelers

Next weekend, CBS will premier the film Step Brothers, starring Troy Polamalu and Ray Lewis.



The following plot synopsis comes courtesy of IMDB:

Ray Lewis and Troy Polamalu are both about 40 when Ray's mom and Troy's dad marry. The sons still live with the parents so they must now share a room. Initial antipathy threatens the household's peace and the parents' relationship. Dad lays down the law: both slackers have a week to reach the Super Bowl. Out of the Super Bowl search and their love of smash mouth football comes domestic disarray.  Can a champion come from such discord?

". . . it's shark week."

NFC Championship Game Preview: Philadelphia Eagles at the Arizona Cardinals

Next Sunday, Fox will premier The Bucket List, starring Kurt Warner and Donovan McNabb.  




1) Avoid being traded
2) Don't get injured this year
3) Prevent frat boy drafted by franchise from taking starting job
4) Read playbook more than Bible this year
5) Quit fumbling when defensive linemen breathe on me

6) Wear gloves to help with #5
7) Prove I'm not a system quarter back
8) Get benched during season because it adds drama
9) Almost get coach fired
10) Remember how Mike Martz tried to murder me
11) Avoid playing a home game the entire playoffs
12) Win a game on the East coast
13) Make phone call from Giants sideline, resulting in an unsportsmanlike penalty, so people don't get too caught up in thinking I'm a good leader
14) Remember Larry Fitzgerald is Peter Parker
15) Dust off the Edge because it might still be sharp enough to cut up defenses
16) Don't do what Jake Delhomme just did
17) Make sure Brian Westbrook is healthy
18) Pray for Anquan Boldin's hamstring
19) After beating Giants, show that I'm human by holding back emotions just enough not to cry but just enough to gain the fans' sympathy
20) Win NFC Championship game
21) Win Super Bowl

22) Ride off into the sunset  

LCB NFL Picks: Divisional Round

Saturday's games:

+3 Baltimore Ravens (11-5 overall, 5-3 road) @ Tennessee Titans (13-3 overall, 7-1 home) 4:30 p.m. on CBS: Langston's Pick: These two teams boast great running games and even better defenses, and the last time they played it turned out to be a fantastic one with the Titans edging the Ravens out 13-10. With these teams so even in almost every aspect of the game, I like veteran QB Kerry Collins to hold the edge for Tennessee. He will win the game by avoiding the costly mistakes that Bert Flacco will surely run into. The extra rest coming from the bye week for Haynesworth and the rest of the banged up defense will pay huge dividends for the Titans helping them win this game by 6. LCG's Pick: I have respect for both teams and would be happy to see either one win. However I am going with Baltimore on this one. They have a lot of momentum going into this game and have played strong for the better half of the season. I am looking forward to the defensive match up. The Titans may have the rest provided by a bye week on their side but the Ravens are coming into this game with the focus needed to win a a playoff game.

+9.5 Arizona Cardinals (9-7 overall, 3-5 road) @ Carolina Panthers (12-4 overall, 8-0 home) 8:15 p.m. on Fox: Langston's Pick: The Cardinals stink on the road and the Panthers own at home. The home field advantage coupled with the weather expected in Charlotte and their great running back combo, should vault the Panthers to the NFC championship. I like the Panthers to win, but zippy chance they cover. LCG's Pick: I have yet to pick the Cardinals to win a game this season. For the most part they have proven me wrong but lets hope this time around it goes differently. I am going with the Panthers, regardless of my hatred for the sound effects played at their games. I have little invested in either team but am fully aware that Carolina is a creep team. They often go without notice to most NFL fans. I think it would be nice to see them come out of this seaon with their name fully imprinted on the minds of football fans.

Sunday's games:

+4 Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1 overall, 3-4-1 road) @ New York Giants (12-4 overall, 7-1 home) 1:00 p.m. on Fox: Langston's Pick: The Eagles have been rolling as of late, winning 5 out of their last six. While the Giants cooled off late in the season due to injuries, gunshots, and a need for rest. Of those 5 wins, included was a win in the Meadowlands over the Giants where the Eagles took the game 20-16. That game could be a sign of whats next, but Brandon Jacobs says he is healthy. These teams match-up fairly well, but when Brandon Jacobs is healthy there isn't a harder team to defend. He punishes the defense with his power and speed and by the end of the first half the opposition is slow and tired. Expect Jacobs to do his damage in the first half with the rest of the Giants offense picking up the slack and putting the Eagles to bed. Giants by 10. LCG's Pick: I am going with Philadelphia. The Giants got there Cinderella story last year. I feel like it is the Eagles turn to find their missing glass slipper.

+6 San Diego Chargers (8-8 overall, 3-5 road) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4 overall, 6-2 home) 4:45 p.m. on CBS: Langston's Pick: I hate to pick against the Steelers, considering they have Ben Roethlisberger and the best defense in the league. But with the lack of protection for the Steelers and speedy Darren Sproles emerging, I like the Chargers in this one. It's not all due to Sproles emergence/LT's injury though, Rivers has turned into the most consistent passer in the league. The fact that he throws one of the ugliest long balls, that seem to float in the air longer than a Nerf ball in a game of 500, boggles my mind that every deep ball isn't picked off. Along with his ugly deep balls he possesses the most irksome personality in the league. Its a shame because the man can play and is likely to lead the Chargers over the hump and to the Super Bowl. Chargers by 2. LCG's Pick: I don't like either team but respect the Steelers more. I am going with the Steelers.

LCB NFL Picks: Wild-Card Round

Saturdays games

-2 Atlanta Falcons (11-5 overall, 4-4 road) @ Arizona Cardinals (9-7 overall, 6-2 home) - 4:30 on NBC: Langston's Pick: The Cardinals are 3-7 against non-NFC West opponets, and have been crushed in three of the their last five games. The Cardinals haven't beat a team outside of their division since week 6, when they beat the Cowboys 30-24. This obviously doesn't bode well for a team headed into the playoffs for the first time in years. I like rookie of the year Matt Ryan and the Falcons to take this game, setting up a NFC South rivalry game in the divisional round against the Panthers. LCG's Pick: I'm going with the Falcons. I have mad love for Atlanta and any other team that makes me believe they are playing for more then a massive paycheck. This team has really come together this season and they are an underdog I enjoy rooting for. Falcons cover.

-1 Indianapolis Colts (12-4 overall, 6-2 road) @ San Diego Chargers(8-8 overall, 5-3 home) - 8:00 on NBC: Langston's Pick: With a quick glance at the Chargers schedule you can quickly notice that their last win over a quality opponent came in week 6 against the Patriots. The winning streak that helped propel them into the playoffs consisted of wins against bad or sinking teams. However they did lose a lot of close games to quality opponents; 11-10 to the Steelers, 23-20 to the Colts, 22-16 to the Falcons. Just by looking at who they have beat and who they've lost to, you can figure that this game will be close and the Chargers will fall short yet again . Colts by 3. LCG's Pick: I love me some Pey-Pey. I enjoy the idea of the Colts. I loathe the Chargers and their lack of appreciation for football aesthetics. Any team named after a credit card company deserves zippy respect.

Sundays games

-3.5 Baltimore Ravens (11-5 overall, 5-3 road) @ Miami Dolphins (11-5 overall, 5-3 home) - 1:00 on CBS: Langston's Pick: The Dolphins are easily the surprise team of the year, going from worst in the league to the playoffs. But what seems to be ignored is that they should be thanking the team that 1-15 for their record. When a team has a strong season, they get a tougher schedule and when they have a bad season the following seasons schedule is made weaker. This was the case for this years Dolphins, who took advantage of a weak schedule going 7-0 against lesser opponents. But against stronger opponents they struggled, going 4-5 against teams with a .500 winning percentage or higher. When they played the Ravens in week 7, they were dominated 27-13. Pennington is a great quarterback and I'm glad they used the wildcat offense from Arkansas, but I don't see them winning this game. The Ravens are a better in almost every facet of the game. The only edge (apart from home field advantage) I would give the Dolphins is at quarterback, and thats debatable. Ravens by 7. LCG's Pick: Last night was a sleepless one for me. I found myself spellbound by the first 5 episodes of The Wire. For this reason alone I am going with Baltimore. They have an amazing defense and have no problems with getting gritty when they play. I think I can stomach a year or two of Ravens fans screaming I'M WACCO FOR FLACCO! I appreciate Miami's comeback this season, but thanks to Ace Ventura Pet Detective I have been scarred for life and just can't bring myself to pull for them.

-3 Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1 overall, 3-4-1 road) @ Minnesota Vikings (10-6 overall, 6-2 home) - 4:30 on Fox: Langston's Pick: The way the Eagles ended the season with a 4-1 record was impressive, that is until you look at who they faced. They crushed the Cardinals, who is easily the worst team in the playoffs. They beat the Giants, minus Brandon Jacobs and knee deep in drama considering it was just a week after the Plaxico fiasco. They beat the Browns, who are the Browns. They lost to a struggling Redskins team and they finished the season off by beating a dysfunctional, injured and overrated Cowboys team. The last time the Eagles were tested by a good team with no drama, they got crushed 36-7. Don't believe the hype. Vikings to win by 10.LCG's Pick: I would go for the Vikings but I just have too much respect for the Eagles. I want Philadelphia to prove their critics wrong for once. I want the city of Philadelphia to join the ranks of LA, Boston, New York, and Chicago as a juggernaut of a sports city. I hate the thought of anyone thinking Philly is all bark and no bite.

NFL Playoffs: Who I'm rooting for..

Way before December or even November we all knew the Raiders would be in the same position we are, watching the playoffs from the comfort of their own homes. I think we all figured it out sometime between last years draft and August. It didn't take a genius to figure it out either, all it called for was a cursory glance at their roster to notice the onslaught of glaring holes they possessed. Ever since the shaming in San Diego, Oakland has been home to one of (if not) the most inept franchises in the NFL. So it comes as no surprise that for yet another year they failed to even pose a threat. However the season ended on a couple of good notes, that will surely give myself and the rest of the Raider nation far too much optimism for the 2009-2010 season. A two game win-streak that showed Jamarcus Russell may not be the next big flop that may have helped Al Davis find his next coach in Tom Cable. It was also nice to end the season with the Raiders knocking out Gruden's Bucs and helping Shanahan get canned.

The season isn't over for everyone, yet it has placed the Raider nation and many other fans in a common position. Mock drafting before the new year and deciding on another team to root for in the playoffs. Last year was probably the easiest year to pick a team to root for, that team, whoever was playing the 16-0 New England Patriots. This year is not so easy; there are under dogs across the board and perennial powers that cannot top the annoyance levels of the Pats or Cowboys. Without their being a clear cut team to root for or root against, I figured I would rank each team using my biased opinions on fan and player likability.

The first and only category we will tackle is player and fan likability, this is important because you will have to deal with these fans reminding you how great their favorite teams is for the next year. This is not such a bad thing when the fan is knowledgeable and/or loyal but when the fan started rooting for the team in November and/or has a Criss Angel aura about him, this can be almost as enraging as DC traffic. The player likability factor is important because not all players are as likable as Reggie White or Tony Gonzalez, and the last thing cocky overpaid and overhyped players need is even more reason to be cocky and overpaid. (Team colors and mascots may also be taken into account)

Who I am rooting for:

12. New York Giants; I know I am not alone in this but I don't want any team to win back-t0-back championships. Share the wealth and stop being so greedy. Only my team should have a dynasty.

11 . Minnesota Vikings: 11,000 tickets left, are you kidding me? Terrible.

10. San Diego Chargers: Blame Rivers

9. Miami Dolphins; Every girl in my middle school wore Dolphins Starter jackets, and I knew none of them could name one player on the team other than Dan Marino. Remembering how atrocious those jackets were and the fact that some people coupled them with Zubaz makes me want to watch the Dolphins lose.

8. Arizona Cardinals: I have never met a Cardinals fan, and I have spent more then half my life on the West Coast. So yeah, go Cards. Funny story though, my uncle bought me a Jake Plummer jersey after his rookie year for Christmas. That gift was never worn.

7. Carolina Panthers: While living in Myrtle Beach, I met a fair amount of Panther fans. They were knowledgeable and a joy to watch a game with. However I see pictures like this and it changes my mind about their fandom.

6. Baltimore Ravens: There is nothing that really makes me want to root for or against this team. I enjoy watching Ed Reed, but Bart Scott has a grating personality. They get stuck in the middle for this very fact.

5.Philadelphia Eagles; Knowledgable and loyal fans. With the Phillies just winning the World Series, the Philly area sports fans would be on the verge of becoming the next Boston/dynasty city. I don't know if they would be as annoying, but its not worth the risk.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers; Stiller fans are all across the country. You can probably find a Steelers bar in almost every city in the country. They are as loyal as they come. Yet a lot of them brain wash their friends into becoming Steeler fans. This leads to uneducated and annoying fans, bragging about championships won before they were born.

3. Atlanta Falcons; Just for what the franchise and its fan have had to deal with the past couple of seasons, they deserve a good playoff run. But I still can't find myself rooting for them. I don't know why, but I'll just blame it on Zubaz again.

2. Indianapolis Colts: They get this ranking solely on the enjoyment I receive from watching Peyton work the offense and the commercials he appears in. Even though the King of UT is leading his Colts to another playoff run, I cannot put all of my love behind them as they just won two years ago.

1. Tennessee Titans: The state of Tennessee is easily one of my favorites in the country. It has a little bit of everything; culture, history, music, and even better- their people. The fans are loyal, knowledgeable, and courteous. Watching a game at LP field is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and the biggest factor to that enjoyment; is the fans around you.

This ranking is obviously biased, so feel free to leave yours in the comment section. It really is nice to have, when the team your pulling for loses you can just mark them off and root for the next team. That way you can say you wanted them to win all along.