What about Bob?

(Newsday photo by David Pokress)

It's time, people.

The best weekend in pro sports - period - is upon us.

The NFL divisional round playoffs - as always, four potentially great matchups (ok, so maybe Arizona-Carolina doesn't qualify as great) - is our favorite weekend of the season. Or any season, for that matter.

The championship round is all well and good, but it's only two games, and it's a reminder that the season is about to end. The Super Bowl is great, too, but after that, it's withdrawal city.

Ok, here we go.

And if you haven't already done so - or if you'd like to join in and start off with a four-game disadvantage after missing last week's wild card round - please make your picks in the second annual Glauber Nation Playoff PIcks Contest. (Straight up on the picks). Heck, Mascaro missed last weekend's games, admitted he went 0-4 anyway, so he's at the back of the line, too.

Richie G. (Lynbrook) wanted to disqualify Mascaro from the competition, but we've overruled that suggestion. Besides, with Mascaro posting a pic of Kim Kardashian with his discussion of Reggie Bush and the 2006 draft, how do you keep this guy out?)

Continue reading "Five for Friday ... minus one" »

We are approaching one of my two favorites NFL weekends of the season.

Wild Card weekend is always a treat, with competitive matchups the norm and plenty of excitement along the way. I don't think this weekend will disappoint.

My absolutely favorite weekend is the divisional round, where you get four quality playoff games just about every single time.

On with the wild card picks.

And don't forget. Make your own picks in the second annual Glauber Nation Playoff Picks contest by clicking right here. BBiB! will be out with his spreadsheet on Monday morning to tally the records, and we'll continue right on through the playoffs.

A veritable minefield trying to figure out this weekend's game, as every single road team is favored. Even Mantz is a little frightened of the schedule, although he's at least picking all the games. Usually, he'll just cherry-pick three or four games a week and then puff his chest about how he kicked my a*s percentage-wise, because, as you know, we don't wimp out on any game. We pick 'em all.

Falcons at Cardinals: Kinda like Kurt Warner in this one, even though Matt Ryan has answered any and all questions about his readiness to perform under pressure. The Cardinals mailed in the rest of their season once they clinched the playoff berth, but I like the receivers to come up big. A major challenge for Arizona is slowing down the Falcons' much improved pass rush. If they can do that and keep Warner upright, they've got a chance.

Colts at Chargers: A simply fantastic matchup, especially with the Chilkoots streaking into the playoffs with a perfect slate in December. There is no hotter team than the Colts, though. They've won nine straight, and Peyton Manning has just won his third MVP. That, and the fact that I picked the Colts to make it to the Super Bowl in the preseason, leads me to pick Manning to get it done against Philip Rivers & Co. I will say this, though: If any team's capable of an upset, it's San Diego.

Ravens at Dolphins: The Ravens already beat Miami during the regular season, and I'm not going to be at all surprised to see it happen again. But I'll give the edge to the Dolphins because of Chad Pennington's experience at QB, combined with Joe Flacco's inexperience. Two rookie coaches, so that cancels out, but Miami needs to find a way to rattle Flacco and, more importantly, protect Pennington. The wild card might go kaput against Ray Lewis & Co., so Chadwick will need to be at his best.

Iggles at Vikings: Philly is red hot, and Donovan McNabb is playing his best after his benching against the Ravens. But I think there is something to be said about home-field advantage in this one, especially in the dome. That and Adrian Peterson running wild against an Eagles' defense that has been somewhat susceptible to the run. Tarvaris Jackson is a big worry for the Vikings, but if he can just make sure to hand off enough to Peterson, he should survive this one.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses)

Cardinals (Cardinals)
Colts (Colts)
Dolphins (Dolphins)
Vikings (Vikings)

We'll be "live chatting" later today. Either 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. eastern. We'll let you know. Be there or be square.

And cast your votes for the NFL's individual award winners like MVP, Coach of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, etc. Click here to play.

Broncos at Chargers: It is simply amazing that Chilkoot’s Chargers are alive heading into the final week of the season. Credit the Broncos’ blundering defense, which can’t stop the run, and a late-season surge that, quite frankly, the Chargers should have begun long before now. Anyway, the Broncos can become the first team in NFL history to blow a three-game lead with three games to play. How can it not happen?

Dolphins at Jets: Brett Favre vs. Chad Pennington on the final day of the season. I mean, does it get better than that? A better question, perhaps: How the hell did this happen? This was the last thing the Jets expected when they celebrated their trade for Favre on Aug. 7. But here we are, nearly five months later, and they meet with everything on the line. One more example of why Jets’ fans lead the most tortured lives of any NFL fan outside of Cleveland or Cincinnati.

Cowboys at Iggles: Tony Romo has another chance to prove he’s a big-game quarterback, although there’s a chance the Cowboys could be in shortly before kickoff of this 4:15 p.m. game. Either way, this figures to be a good one, with Donovan McNabb playing perhaps his last game in an Iggles uniform.

Patriots at Bills: The Patriots still might not get in if they win, but it’ll still be interesting to see them try and methodically take apart the Bills on the road. Matt Cassel continues his terrific season, although this could be his last game in a Patriots’ uniform. (We think he’ll be back in New England for one more year, but who knows?)

Lions at Packers: Ok, this game in and of itself will stink. But it’ll be newsworthy nonetheless, because the Lions will become the first team to go 0-16 if they lose.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Chargers over Broncos (Broncos)
Jets over Dolphins (Dolphins)
Iggles over Cowboys (Iggles)
Patriots over Bills (Patriots)
Packers over Lions (Packers)
Vikings over Giants (Vikings)
Falcons over Rams (Falcons)
Ravens over Jaguars (Ravens)
Bengals over Chiefs (Bengals)
Titans over Colts (Titans)
Bears over Texans (Bears)
Saints over Panthers (Saints)
Stillers over Browns (Stillers)
Buccaneers over Raiders (Buccaneers)
Cardinals over Seahawks (Seahawks)
49ers over Redskins (49ers)

We're back on schedule after being shamed by Mantz, Bob Mantz into getting to the picks two days late last week. So, without further ado, five must-see games for Week 16. (Is it really week 16 already?)

... oh, and by the way, feel free to play an impromptu game of "Write that caption" for the enclosed photo ...

btw, really good day for Mantz, whose C.C. Sabathia post was linked to Deadspin. A blogger's dream.

Ravens at Cowboys (Saturday night): Incredibly big game for both teams, with playoff implications galore. Too bad only the 25 subscribers to NFL Network will get to see it. Tough to tell which cable situation is worse: NFL Network or Versus. Hard not to like the 'Boys in this one, especially off their win against the Giants last Sunday. The pass rush was simply overwhelming. If the Cowboys can come close to duplicating it, I fear the worst for rookie QB Joe Flacco. Chances are Jessica Simpson will be cheering for beau Tony Romo after this one.

Panthers at Giants: A win by the Giants, and they clinch homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Ditto for the Panthers. If Brandon Jacobs comes back for the Giants, it could be the deciding difference. This team is simply not the same without him. Panthers flying high off impressive back-to-back home wins over Tampa and Denver. Running game has been brilliant of late, and Giants will have their hands full containing DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

Stillers at Titans: Dicey situation in Tennessee, where the Titans have not been sharp the last few weeks. Home to Pittsburgh and at Indy could very well change their playoff positioning ... and not in a good way if they can't get things going again. Won't be easy without Albert Haynesworth (knee). Stillers' defense has been brilliant, so Kerry Collins is in for a tough one here.

Falcons at Vikings: Vikes in decent shape to win the division, but it's not over yet. Loss of Pat Williams (fractured scapula ... I love saying that word: scapula) hurts run defense against Michael Burner Turner. Vikes' Adrian Peterson (ankle) not at full strength, but they hope to get another quality start out of Tarvaris Jackson, who comes off 4 TD performance against Cards.

Bengals at Browns: ... nah, just kiddin'.

Iggles at Redskins: Iggles hanging on for their playoff lives, as they've bounced back from tie to Bengals and loss to Giants with three straight wins. Donovan McNabb is 5-1 lifetime at Washington. Redskins have been abysmal since 4-1 start, and rookie coach Jim Zorn is on thin ice. He might just go kerplunk with a loss on Sunday.

The picks (against the spread in parentheses)

Cowboys over Ravens (Cowboys)
Giants over Panthers (Giants)
Stillers over Titans (Stillers)
Vikings over Falcons (Vikings)
Iggles over Redskins (Iggles)
Jets over Seahawks (Jets)
Browns over Bungles (Browns)
Saints over Leos (Saints)
Broncos over Bills (Broncos)
Texans over Raiduhs (Texans)
Dolphins over Chefs (Chefs)
Patriots over Cardinals (Patriots)
49ers over Rams (49ers)
Buccaneers over Chilkoots (Buccaneers)
Bears over Packers (Bears)

Well, we were beginning to think no one noticed that we didn't do our weekly Friday picks entry on the blog.

Bob Mantz to the rescue!

Truth be told, we got to the end of the week and hit the proverbial wall. What with covering the aftermath of the Plaxico Burress mess, the aftermath of the Jets' two-game losing streak, a look at the challenges of West Coast travel that could very well decide the AFC East title, the latest developments in the Cowboys' long-running soap opera, AND almost single-handedly propping up Mantz's page views, we just ran out of words.

So, with only minutes to go before kickoff to Week 15, we offer our picks.

The five must-see games of the week:

1. Giants-Cowboys. The T.O. travesty continues.

2. Stillers at Ravens. Could decide the AFC North.

3. Bucs at Falcons. No Jeff Garcia. Uh-oh.

4. Vikings at Cardinals. No Gus Frerotte. Does Tarvaris Jackson resurrect his career?

5. Broncos at Panthers. Can Panthers follow up sensational performance against Bucs?

The picks (against the spread in parentheses):

Giants over Cowboys (Giants)
Jets over Bills (Jets)
Stillers over Ravens (Stillers)
Falcons over Bucs (Falcons)
Vikings at Cardinals (Vikings)
Panthers over Broncos (Panthers)
Redskins over Bengals (Redskins)
Titans over Texans (Titans)
Jaguars over Packers (Jaguars)
Dolphins over 49ers (Dolphins)
Seahawks over Rams (Seahawks)
Chiefs over Chargers (Chiefs)
Colts over Lions (Colts)
Patriots over Raiders (Patriots)
Iggles over Browns (Iggles)

1. Iggles at Giants. The Giants can clinch the NFC East and a first-round bye with a win over the Iggles, who are hanging by a thread for a wild card spot. Another loss could signal not only the eventual end of the postseason hopes, but the end of the Donovan McNabb era. There’s plenty of talk that this will be D-Nab’s last season in Philly if the Birds don’t make the playoffs. For the Giants, it’s more than just a game. It’s the ultimate test to see just how capable they are of withstanding the increasing scrutiny and distraction associated with the Plaxico Burress mess. So far, the Giants have managed to tune out all the issues once the game starts. We’ll see if they keep that going.

2. Cowboys at Stillers: Dallas has a very tough stretch coming up with a road game against the NFL’s top defense in Pittsburgh, followed by a home game against the Jints. The Cowboys have some injury problems with LB DeMarcus Ware (knee) and RB Marion Barber (dislocated toe) hobbled. Ware looks like he’ll go, and Barber should be ready, but will likely be limited, especially against Pittsburgh’s brilliant rush defense. Tony Romo will be the man on the spot here, especially if the Stillers clamp down on the rush as they’ve done all season. You put Romo in enough pass-first situations, and bad things will eventually happen.

3. Falcons at Saints: We came into the season expecting absolutely nothing from the NFC South, but it’s turned into one of the most exhilarating races in the league. And this one will go a long way toward what happens in the end. It’s pretty much a must-win situation for the Saints, who have been further decimated by suspensions to Will Smith and Deuce McAllister, although that situation could change as a result of court actions today. Atlanta has defied all expectations, thanks to Matt Ryan’s unflappable demeanor, Michael Turner’s electrifying runs and a resurgent defense. Matchups-wise, the Falcons look tough in this one. Especially after the way they manhandled Chilkoot’s Chargers on the road last week.

4. Dolphins at Bills (Toronto): The preseason consensus was that this would be a rebuilding year for the Dolphins and a potential playoff season for the Bills. Not quite. Chad Pennington has helped keep the Fish (I know, dolphins are mammals, but mammals just doesn’t sound as good as fish, so go watch NatGeo and leave us alone) competitive in the AFC East, where they’re only a game behind the Jets. Miami certainly doesn’t dominate people, but they’re extremely well coached and haven’t made the kinds of critical mistakes that are often the difference between winning and losing. One advantage for Miami here is that the game is in Toronto and thus indoors. That’s certainly preferable, especially for Pennington, to play at windswept Ralph Wilson Stadium.

5. Buccaneers at Panthers: Sandy’s Bucs take on the Panthers in another critical NFC South showdown. Something has to give here: The Panthers haven’t lost at home this year (6-0), but Bucs QB Jeff Garcia has beaten the Panthers the last five times he’s faced them. In Carolina’s six straight home wins, they’ve outscored their opponents by a combined 166-78.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses).

Giants over Iggles (Giants)
Stillers over Cowboys (Stillers)
Falcons over Saints (Falcons – for some reason, I picked the Saints in the paper. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m going with Falcons for our purposes.)
Bills over Dolphins (Bills)
Panthers over Buccaneers (Panthers)
Ravens over Redskins (Ravens)
Bears over Jaguars (Bears)
Vikings over Lions (Vikings)
Packers over Texans (Packers)
Colts over Bengals (Colts)
Titans over Browns (Titans)
Broncos over Chiefs (Broncos)
Jets over 49ers (Jets)
Cardinals over Rams (Cardinals)
Patriots over Seahawks (Patriots)

Hope everyone enjoyed the turkey. Hopefully it beat the football. Three blowout losses not exactly compelling stuff on a Thanksgiving day/evening. Oh, well.

Stiller at Patriots: Memo to BBiB! and Black N Gold: Get your Huggies for this one, fellas. Stillers’ top-ranked defense goes into New England to face the Pats’ high-flying offense. Good defense usually beats good offense, but we’re not sure that one applies in this one. New England’s offense is on a roll after Matt Cassel’s 400-plus yard performances against the Jets and Dolphins. He’ll have to be at his best against the Stillers, because Pitt’s defense is terrific. Look for Cassel to do what he did against the Jets – essentially ignore the running game (which Pittsburgh is terrific at defending) and just chuck it. Stillers’ offense is somewhat inconsistent, so if New England’s aging defense can summon a big effort in this one, it could be good enough. Key stat: Since taking over as Patriots head coach in 2000, Bill Belichick is 5-1 against the Stillers.

Broncos at Jets: This one looks like a gimme for the Jets, especially with Denver coming off a blowout loss in Oakland. But beware the bounce-back. Denver’s offense is too good to ignore, especially with Jay Cutler capable of putting up a 300-yard game in his sleep. Then again, Cutler is capable of stinking out the joint, too. After two straight road wins by the Jets, they should enjoy some home cookin’ in this one. Brett Favre is managing the game beautifully, and the Jets’ running game matches up quite well against the Broncos’ Swiss cheese D. Unless the Jets overlook this one – which they don’t figure to do – it should be another win for Gang Green. Key stat: In his last three games, Favre has completed 65 of 84 passes (77.4 pct.) for 649 yards with 5 TDs vs. 1 INT & 113.6 passer rating.

Giants at Redskins: The last time the Giants were in Washington, they turned their season around. At 0-2, they put on a terrific second-half comeback and won their first game last season. They never looked back. Should be a tough one again, and who knows if the Giants can stay on the roll they’ve been on all season. If there’s a loss in the offing, it’s against a divisional opponent. We see a close one here (translation: take the Redskins and the points), with the Giants needing another comeback to win it and keep a three-game lead over the Pokes in the division. Key stat: Giants have won four of their last five against Washington, including this year’s regular season opener.

Saints at Buccaneers: Drew Brees had a field day against the Packers at home on Monday night, and Reggie Bush plans to return on Sunday from a knee injury. Good enough to beat the Bucs? Not if Tampa’s defense plays up to snuff. Brees dominated a Green Bay defense filled with holes along the defensive line, but Tampa has no such weaknesses on defense. As long as Gaines Adams, Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber and the rest of the gang plays up to snuff, the Bucs should win this critical NFC South matchup. Key stat: When Bucs QB Jeff Garcia has a rating of 95 or better as a starter (including playoffs), his teams are 36-12 (.750).

Bears at Vikings: With both teams 6-5, the winner of this takes a major step forward in the race for the NFC North. Vikes come off an impressive road win in Jacksonville, while the Bears were easy winners in St. Louis. Minnesota will not have any surprises up its sleeve for the Bears. It will be Adrian Peterson left, Peterson right, Peterson up the middle. That should be good enough against a Bears defense that simply isn’t the same dominating unit that went to Super Bowl XLI. Key stat: Peterson has rushed for 423 yards (141.0 per game) & 7 TDs in 3 meetings against the Bears. Since entering NFL in 2007, Peterson averages 100.8 rush yards per game, most in the NFL.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Patriots over Stillers (Patriots)
Jets over Broncos (Jets)
Giants over Redskins (Redskins)
Buccaneers over Saints (Buccaneers)
Buccaneers over Saints (Buccaneers)
Vikings over Bears (Vikings)
Bills over 49er (Bills)
Ravens over Bengals (Ravens)
Colts over Browns (Colts)
Packers over Panthers (Packers)
Dolphins over Rams (Dolphins)
Chargers over Falcons (Chargers)
Jaguars over Texans (Jaguars)

1. Jets at Titans: The surging Jets have won six of their last seven, and looked terrific on offense against the Patriots in last week’s OT win. Tennessee hasn’t been quite as dominant in recent weeks, but they’ve done enough to remain the league’s only unbeaten team. Couple of keys here: The Jets run defense against the Titans’ rush offense. Will be interesting to see whether the Titans remain committed to the run with Chris Johnson and LenDale White. The Patriots essentially abandoned the run in the second half, but they don’t have nearly the rushing attack the Titans have. The other key is Brett Favre against the Titans’ pass defense. Tennessee’s defense has been superb all season, even if no individual has had a monster year. Albert Haynesworth is a beast, which helps the secondary immeasurably. Linebacker Keith Bulluck might be in position to limit Favre’s intermediate-range passes.

2. Eagles at Ravens: Well, now that Donovan McNabb knows the rule about overtime, he goes into Baltimore to face a Ravens team that is in bounce-back mode after a humiliating loss against the Giants. Think the Ravens’ run-defense won’t be ready for Brian Westbrook & Co.? And who knows how effective Westbrook can be. He’s still not right from an ankle sprain suffered earlier in the season. If this thing gets out of hand early, the pressure on McNabb will be even more intense. And if the Eagles continue struggling in what should have been a season of hope, there could be some big changes at the end.

3. Patriots at Dolphins: Who could have imagined the Patriots and Dolphins would play a meaningful game this late in the season. But New England’s post-Tom Brady struggles and Miami’s stunning ascent after a 1-15 season leave both teams at 6-4 and fighting for either a divisional title or a wild card spot. New England’s defense is growing thinner by the hour because of injuries, and the running has essentially ground to a halt. The one positive has been the vastly improved play of QB Matt Cassel. Still, he’ll have his work cut out against Miami’s surprisingly efficient defense.

4. Giants at Cardinals: The Giants are taking whatever their opponents throw at them and dealing with it perfectly. Except for that Monday night hiccup in Cleveland, the defending Super Bowl champs have been brilliant. They’re coming off a dominating rushing performance against the Ravens, as Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 207 yards. With Jacobs (knee) dinged, look for Ward and Bradshaw to carry the load. That could put some pressure on Eli Manning to balance things out in the passing game, although that might not be so easy if Plaxico Burress (hamstring) isn’t at full strength. Another huge key: the Giants ability to contain the three-pronged receiving threat of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston.

5. Colts at Chargers: Indy is hanging in despite a series of early-season problems. The Colts have won three of their last four and go against the slumping Chargers, who this week had to give embattled head coach Norv Turner a vote of confidence. San Diego has been erratic on both sides of the ball throughout the season, although the offense certainly has the firepower with QB Philip Rivers and RB LaDainian Tomlinson. The bigger issue here is whether the defense can contain Peyton Manning, whose improved play in recent week has keyed the Colts’ resurgence.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Titans over Jets (Titans)
Ravens over Eagles (Ravens)
Patriots over Dolphins (Patriots)
Giants over Cardinals (Giants)
Colts over Charger (Colts)
Falcons over Panthers (Falcons)
Buccaneers over Lions (Buccaneers)
Cowboys over 49ers (Cowboys)
Bears over Rams (Bears)
Browns over Texans (Browns)
Jaguars over Vikings (Jaguars)
Bills over Chiefs (Bills)
Broncos over Raiders (Broncos)
Seahawks over Redskins (Seahawks)
Packers over Saints (Packers)

1. Ravens at Giants. Rather than me blather on about the significance of this game, allow me to resurrect Rock’s clever lede from his story about the big matchup of this one:

In Switzerland earlier this fall, physicists and engineers breathlessly gathered underneath a mountain and flicked a switch to turn on the Large Hadron Collider. The belief was that by running tiny particles into each other at nearly the speed of light, they could create something close to a Big Bang. Some even feared that such subnuclear activity could create a black hole.
There seems to be similar excitement about the pending collision of Brandon Jacobs and Ray Lewis. Two of the hardest hitters at their position are sure to come into contact with each other at some point during Sunday's game between the Giants and the. Will it produce Newtonian ripples in the fabric of the universe? No. But it will make for compelling theater.
And just like the Large Hadron Collider, there are some who would rather the impact not occur.
"Hopefully there's not one," guard Rich Seubert said of the potential pileup. "Hopefully we're blocking Lewis and there's not a collision."Well said, Rock. And here I thought you were just a football guy.

2. Vikings at Buccaneers. Bucs come off a bye to host a Vikings team coming off a massive home win over the Packers in a see-saw battle. The thing I want to see here is whether the Vikings’ defense, which has shown some improvement in recent weeks, can start to impose its will on the Bucs. The other key here is whether Gus Frerotte can avoid the turnovers that have plagued him intermittently this season. If he can’t, then the Bucs advance their cause and take another step in a solid NFC South race.

3. Bears at Packers. This one just doesn’t have the same buzz as it did when Brett F. was with the Packers. But it’s still a great rivalry nonetheless. And it will go a long way toward deciding the NFC North title. Kyle Orton is expected back in the lineup for Da Bears, while Aaron Rodgers, who is still battling shoulder problems, goes again for Green Bay. Both teams coming off narrow losses in Week 10. Should be a good one.

4. Titans at Jaguars. The Jags finally righted the ship against the awful Lions, although it might still be too late. Even so, this one’s in the division, the Titans are fighting to stay unbeaten, and I have a gut feeling it will be just a good football game between two teams that know each other well. I also think there’s a chance that this could be the one that trips up the Titans. Just a hunch. We’ll see.

5. Cowboys at Redskins. The Sunday night drama will fill the air at FedEx Field, as the Cowboys’ soap opera resumes after a bye week. Tony Romo is back in the saddle, and Terrell Owens, who doesn’t have a 100-yard receiving game this year, couldn’t be happier. The big news for the Redskins is whether RB Clinton Portis (knee) can go. My sense is he won’t be ready because of a grade two sprain of the MCL in his left knee. If he can’t go, look for Ladell Betts and possibly recently signed Shaun Alexander to carry the rushing load. Either way, a huge drop-off from Portis, who is having an MVP-type season.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Giants over Ravens (Giants)
Buccaneers over Vikings (Vikings)
Falcons over Broncos (Falcons)
Panthers over Lions (Panthers)
Packers over Bears (Packers)
Colts over Texans (Colts)
Saints over Chiefs (Saints)
Dolphins over Raiders (Dolphins)
Eagles over Bengals (Eagles)
Rams over 49ers (Rams)
Seahawks over Cardinals (Seahawks)
Jaguars over Titans (Jaguars)
Steelers over Chargers (Steelers)
Cowboys over Redskins (Cowboys)
Bills over Browns (Bills)

Five must-see games for Week 10.

Don't forget: Live chat today at 1 p.m. Who knows? Maybe even Bob Mantz will show up and brag about how he kicked my tush last week in the picks ... now that he has the guts to actually make the picks.

1. Giants at Eagles: The best NFC East race since the 1980s continues with the renewal of one of the best rivalries of all time. The nation gets to tune in on this one, as Eli Manning goes against Jim Johnson’s blitzing defense. Offensive line play will be a huge key for the Giants, as well as blitz pickup from the backs. If they can keep the Eagles’ pass rushers from getting to Manning, he can have his way against the Philly secondary. If not, watch out. The Giants’ pass rush will be critical to the game as well. If Justin Tuck can dominate Jon Runyan the way Michael Strahan used to, then New York gets the edge. I like the matchups for the Giants in this one. (Which probably means the Eagles will win … whatever.) The pick: Giants.

2. Colts at Steelers: Indy is hanging on by a thread in the AFC South, with their only reasonable path to the playoffs as a wild card. The Steelers are coming off a massive win on the road against the Redskins, but Big Ben is hurting with a shoulder separation. That could mean we see Byron Leftwich from the start in this one. Leftwich was extremely solid in relief of Roethlisberger, but he’ll have to be extremely efficient against the Colts, especially now that Bob Sanders is back in the lineup. The Steelers manhandled the Redskins’ offensive line, so if they can get kind of pressure on Peyton Manning, watch out. The pick: Steelers.

3. Bills at Patriots: After a 4-0 start, the Bills are reeling after losing three of their last four, including last week’s clunker at home against the Jets. Injuries are starting to crush the Bills once again, although it isn’t quite as bad as last year, when 17 players finished the season on injured reserve. Pats are coming off narrow loss on the road in Indy. Matt Cassel has been efficient, but not overwhelming, for the Pats. But he can be reasonably certain that the Bills’ pass rush won’t be a major factor, especially with Aaron Schobel (foot) still hurting. New England can break the three-way logjam at the top of the AFC East with a win. The pick: Patriots.

4. Packers at Vikings: Ok, so the NFC North race doesn’t feature the best football being played these days. But with one game separating first from third, it figures to be a solid run toward the playoffs. And this matchup will figure into the equation big-time. Aaron Rodgers is still hurting with a shoulder problem, but he has been functional enough to be competitive. There’s a chance Vikings pass rusher Jared Allen (shoulder) will either not play or will be limited, and that’s good news for the Packers. Minnesota’s offense is still reliant on second-year tailback Adrian Peterson, who is second in the NFC with 823 rushing yards. Gus Frerotte has only three TD passes so far. The pick: Packers.

5. Saints at Falcons: Who’d have though the Falcons would be ahead of the Saints at this point? The Saints were a consensus pick to win the NFC South, and the Falcons were a consensus pick to s*ck. But he we are at the halfway mark, and 5-3 Atlanta is a game ahead of the Saints. The big reason: Matt Ryan. The rookie quarterback has provided solid play at the position, and the addition of free agent RB Michael Turner has made the offense far more complete than at any time in the recent past. New Orleans’ big problem is defense – or the lack thereof. Their pass rush is all the more limited with the triceps injury to Charles Grant, who is done for the year. And the secondary is no better than it was at this point last year. Even so, the gut feeling here is the Saints pull it out, thanks to MVP candidate Drew Brees. The pick: Saints.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Giants over Eagles (Giants)
Steelers over Colts (Steelers)
Patriots over Bills (Patriots)
Saints over Falcons (Saints)
Packers over Vikings (Packers)
Bears over Titans (Bears)
Jaguars over Lions (Jaguars)
Dolphins over Seahawks (Seahawks)
Jets over Rams (Jets)
Ravens over Texans (Ravens)
Chargers over Chiefs (Chargers)
Panthers over Raiders (Panthers)
Cardinals over 49ers (Cardinals)

Five must-see games in Week 9

Cowboys at Giants: Ok, so Tony Romo isn’t in the lineup, but Giants-Cowboys is huge nonetheless. The Giants have the huge edge here, but funny things can happen in this series, given the level of vitriol between the two teams. I still say the Giants prevail, but they’ll have to clamp down on Marion Barber III and do a good job of pass protecting for Eli Manning to get it done.

Patriots at Colts: Another huge rivalry that loses some of its luster because quarterback Tom Brady won’t be there and because Peyton Manning hasn’t been the same since recovering from knee surgery. But the Colts are expected to get Bob Sanders back from knee and ankle problems, and Joseph Addai appears recovered from hamstring problems. That could spell trouble for the Patriots, who have their own injury problems, especially in the secondary.

Jets at Bills: This is most certainly a statement game for the Jets, who need to win – or at least come respectably close – against a vastly improved Bills team. This AFC East race could come down to the wire (reminder: the Jets play the Dolphins in the final regular season game at the Meadowlands), so every divisional game counts big-time. The Bills are in bounce-back mode after last week’s loss to the Dolphins, so the Jets need to bring their A game. Actually, we’ll see if they even have an A game.

Packers at Titans: You’ve got to hand it to the Titans. They’ve found a way to win every time out. But this will be one of their biggest tests after a big win over the Colts at home. The Packers’ offense can be downright explosive, and Green Bay is rested after a bye week. Tennessee’s running game is terrific behind the one-two punch of rookie Chris Johnson and LenDale White. The defense has been excellent as well, thanks to another fine season from defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and the always reliable linebacker Keith Bulluck.

Stillers at Redskins: Pittsburgh played the Giants extremely tough last week before succumbing on an unfortunate sequence in the fourth quarter that started with a snap that went over punter Mitch Berger’s head. The Stillers' pass protection was dreadful for Big Ben, but they could get a break in this Monday nighter because Jason Taylor (calf) is dinged. Pittsburgh’s biggest challenge is containing red-hot tailback Clinton Portis, who is on pace to rush for over 2,000 yards this season.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Giants over Cowboys (Giants)

Bills over Jets (Bills)

Jaguars over Bengals (Jaguars)

Browns over Ravens (Browns)

Bucs over Chiefs (Bucs)

Texans over Vikings (Texans)

Titans over Packers (Packers)

Broncos over Dolphins (Broncos)

Falcons over Raiders (Falcons)

Eagles over Seahawks (Eagles)

Colts over Patriots (Colts)

Stillers over Redskins (Stillers)

Five can’t-miss games this weekend:

1. Giants at Steelers: Super Bowl preview? Maybe. The Giants have held up their end of the bargain with a 5-1 getaway, but they’ve got a ridiculously difficult stretch of nine straight games against opponents who are .500 or better. That starts today against the 5-1 Steelers, who are running away with things in the AFC North. I’m thinking their issues in the running game will be a factor against the Giants, although weather could be a factor here. Big Ben needs to get the quick passing game going, because he’s getting pounded way too much. Like the Stillers in a close one.

2. Falcons at Eagles: Are the Falcons for real? Are the Eagles ready to make a move in the NFC East? We will find out on Sunday at the Linc, when the Eagles host Hot ‘Lanta in a game that no one could have expected before the season would hold such intrigue. But Matt Ryan has been a revelation for the Falcons, and the Eagles have shown they can be contenders, but only when Brian Westbrook is in the lineup. He’s expected back for this one, which is why we’re giving the birds the advantage. The home birds, that is.

3. Chargers “at” Saints: It’s technically a Saints home game, but it’s at London’s Wembley Stadium, site of last year’s Giants-Dolphins game, the first regular season game ever staged outside North America. Both the Chargers and Saints are off to disappointing 3-4 starts, both have had some injury issues (Reggie Bush is now out for the Saints), and both have had problems on defense. Kinda like the Bolts in this one, Chilkoot.

4. Colts at Titans: So much for the 3-3 Colts having another easy time winning the AFC South. You can make a case that if they don’t win this game at unbeaten Tennessee, the race is effectively over. The 6-0 Titans haven’t been particularly flashy, but they’ve gotten the job done with smart game management from Kerry Collins, explosive running from LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson, and superb defense from a unit led by Albert Haynesworth and Keith Bulluck. I’ll go with the hometown club in this one, especially with Joseph Addai still nicked up with a hammy for Indy.

5. Buccaneers at Cowboys: No Tony Romo again, but the Cowboys have some desperation to them now that they’ve lost three of their last four. That’s why I’m gonna go against the grain a bit and pick fossil QB Brad Johnson over fellow fossil QB Jeff Garcia. I think the Cowboys’ defense plays a major role, especially now that head coach Wade Phillips is going to do more than just offer his goober expressions on the sidelines. He’ll be calling defensive signals, which is what he’s always done best.

The picks, straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Jets over Chiefs (Jets)
Steelers over Giants (Steelers)
Chargers over Saints (Chargers)
Ravens over Raiders (Ravens)
Jaguars over Browns (Jaguars)
Cowboys over Buccaneers (Cowboys)
Patriots over Rams (Patriots)
49ers over Seahawks (49ers)
Panthers over Cardinals (Panthers)
Bills over Dolphins (Bills)
Titans over Colts (Titans)
Texans over Bengals (Texans)
Redskins over Lions (Redskins)
Eagles over Falcons (Eagles)

.... the commenters will play.

Very entertaining job, people. While we were jetting across this great land of yours, you were engaging in some ... uh ... very interesting political dialogue and other forms of satire that made for some giggles when we landed.

Uneventful flight ... thankfully. The last time I flew to the Bay Area, I sat next to a young man who hadn't showered in I'm guessing a month. (I gave him the benefit of the doubt. It could have been longer.) The odor was so overpowering that a flight attendant gave me one of the best pieces of advice in aviation history.

She gave me a package of coffee, told me to open it and let the aroma out. Incredibly, most of the odor was absorbed. At least enough to make breathing possible.

Stapler was with us on that flight. He'll tell you.

In the meantime, here's a look at the five (or so) most intriguing games of the weekend.

1. Cowboys at Rams: Ordinarily this game wouldn’t strike our fancy. But with everything going on around the Cowboys these days, it’s actually a big game. Question, questions: Will Tony Romo play with a broken pinky on his throwing hand? Will the Cowboys’ pass defense suffer without suspended CB Pacman Jones and injured CB Terence Newman? Will Brad Johnson’s dink-and-dunk offense work if he plays? And will the Cowboys, who have lost two of their last three, beat a team coming off a massive upset of the Redskins the week before? .

2. Colts at Packers: Are the Colts back? Are the Packers for real? Not sure we know the answer to either question, but this game will go a long way toward addressing the issue. The Aaron Rodgers era is still in its infancy, and Rodgers has shown some good, some bad, and some in between. A major statement game here for the young man. The Colts are without their top two running backs, Joseph Addai (hamstring) and Mike Hart (knee). And safety Bob Sanders (ankle, knee) is still on the shelf.

3. Chargers at Bills: Are the Bills for real? (Yes, NKR, they are). Are the Chargers for real? (Still don’t know, Chilkoot). You wouldn’t have thought this game would hold implications for AFC playoff position, but it might well end up that way. The Bills get QB Trent Edwards (concussion) and WR/KR Roscoe Parrish back for this one. LaDainian Tomlinson’s achin’ toe appears improved, although he’s still not 100 percent.

4. Saints at Panthers: Carolina in bounce-back mode after awful performance in Tampa, a loss that snapped a five-game winning streak on the road against the Bucs. The matchup here favors Carolina, because the Panthers’ defense has generally been solid, while the Saints’ defense has been mostly inconsistent. The Raiders were no test last week, but Carolina’s running game could be too much. Key stat: Panthers have won four of the last five against the Saints.

5. Vikings at Bears: The NFC North is a mediocre division, but at least the race is close. In fact, there’s already a three-way tie among the Bears, Vikings and Packers, all 3-3. The Lions? Forget it. The last time the Vikes were on the road against the Bears, then rookie RB Adrian Peterson rushed for a then Vikings’ record 224 yards and K Ryan Longwell kicked the winning 55-yard field goal as time expired. Don’t envision a similar ending in this one. We like Da Bears.

5a. Broncos at Patriots (Monday night): It lacks some pizzazz without Tom Brady, but we should find out plenty about the Patriots. Specifically how Matt Cassel recovers from a poor outing in San Diego last week. Bill Belichick had to offer a public vote of confidence to his quarterback, which is never good this early in the season. The Broncos are now 0-1 in games following Jay Cutler proclaiming that he has a stronger arm than John Elway. Not sure why, but we like the Pats in this one.

The picks straight up (against the spread in parentheses):

Bills over Chargers (Bills).

Panthers over Saints (Panthers).

Bears over Vikings (Bears).

Steelers over Bengals (Bengals).

Titans over Chiefs (Chiefs – why, I have no idea. Just a hunch, I guess)

Ravens over Dolphins (Ravens).

Giants over 49ers (Giants)

Cowboys over Rams (Rams).

Texans over Lions (Texans).

Panthers over Saints (Panthers).

Jets over Raiders (Jets)

Packers over Colts (Packers)

Redskins over Browns (Redskins)

Bucs over Seahawks (Bucs)

Patriots over Broncos (Patriots)

The five biggest storylines for NFL's Week 6:

Are the Cowboys imploding? One week it’s Terrell Owens complaining he isn’t getting the ball enough, the next it’s Adam “Pacman” Jones getting into a scuffle at a Dallas area hotel with a Cowboys security whose job it is to make sure he stays out of trouble. It is a volatile concoction of personalities inside that Cowboys’ locker room, and we might be seeing the beginning stages of some combustible times in Big D. This week, it’s on the road in Arizona, where the newly confident Cardinals are coming off a huge win over the previously unbeaten Bills.

Is the NFC South the NFL’s surprise division? Looks that way. The prevailing sentiment had the Saints running away with the division. But as of now, they’re in last place. With Carolina enjoying a resurgence, and Atlanta and Tampa Bay hanging in a 3-2, this division has far more intrigue – at least for now – than anyone thought possible. That’s why Sunday’s Panthers-Buccaneers game in Tampa is filled the huge implications. Bucs fan “Sandy” will no doubt fill us in on all the goings-on, since it looks like Jeff Garcia will be filling in for the injured Brian Griese, while Jake Delhomme continues his comeback player of the year bid for the Panthers.

Is Matt Ryan really this good this soon? I thought rookie quarterbacks taking over last place teams were supposed to struggle for a year or two before the dividends started paying off. Not so with Matt Ryan, whose Falcons are coming off a road win against the Packers and host the equally surprising Bears, who have their own quarterback success story of sorts. Kyle Orton has quietly settled the position down after the roller-coaster ride that was the Rex Grossman era.

Peyton Manning, say hi to Ray Lewis. If Manning’s struggles continue on Sunday at home against the Ravens, this one could get ugly. Bal’More’s defense is almost at the level of the glory days of 2000, and Peyton’s offense has been wildly inconsistent through the early going. In fact, had it not been for Sage Rosenfels’ epic fourth-quarter collapse last weekend, the Colts might have been in some serious trouble by now. Heck, they still might be in some serious trouble by the time this one’s over.

Will the Patriots enjoy their West Coast vacation? Ok, so it’s not a vacation in the typical sense. But the Patriots made a fairly unusual decision to stay out in California after playing the 49ers in San Francisco. Now it’s on to San Diego and a rematch of the AFC Championship Game. The Bolts are coming off a woeful performance in Miami, so they’re sure to give New England their best shot in this one.

Our picks (straight up, pick against the spread in parentheses)

Bears over Falcons (Bears)
Texans over Dolphins (Texans)
Colts over Ravens (Colts)
Vikings over Lions (Vikings)
Jets over Bengals (Jets)
Bucs over Panthers (Bucs)
Redskins over Cardinals (Rams)
Jaguars over Broncos (Jaguars)
Cowboys over Cardinals (Cardinals)
Eagles over 49ers (49ers)
Saints over Raiders (Saints)
Seahawks over Packers (Seahawks)
Chargers over Patriots (Chargers)
Giants over Browns (Giants)

The five biggest questions heading into Week 5:

1. Is this the week Tennessee falls? Could be. The 4-0 Titans are off to the best start in franchise history, but they go up against the resurgent Ravens in Bal’more on Sunday. Ray Lewis has this defense playing at nearly as high a level as the Super Bowl season in 2000, and rookie Joe Flacco has proven to be a relatively mistake-free quarterback. Tennessee’s defense is nearly in a class with the Ravens, and it could come down to how Albert Haynesworth & Co. respond against the Ravens. But if the Titans are in for a misstep, it could be here.

2. Will Aaron Rodgers start his fifth straight game in Green Bay? Brett Favre’s replacement has a bum shoulder but still hopes to play on Sunday. If so, he’d be only 270 straight starts away from tying Favre’s team record. If not, the Packers are toast with rookie Matt Flynn. Green Bay is home to Atlanta on Sunday.

3. Can the Redskins keep up the good work? It was an absolutely massive win in Big D last week, and now it’s on to Philly to face the Eagles. It might be too much to expect back-to-back divisional wins for the Redskins, but they should be in this one to the end. If Brian Westbrook comes back from an ankle problem, though, I think he means the difference for the Birds.

4. Is Minnesota’s season about to go kerplunk? Not many must-win games in Week 5, but Vikings at Saints is pretty close. Not only are there quarterback problems in Minny (sorry, Gus Frerotte is no savior, even if he is the better alternative to Tarvaris Jackson), but the defense has stunk it up, too. The Vikes gave up a first-round pick for Jared Allen, but he has only two sacks so far.

5. Can the Steelers survive without their top two running backs? They lost Willie Parker to a knee injury and then Rashard Mendenhall to a season-ending shoulder injury. Now it’s Mewelde Moore’s team. The Steelers were so desperate that they re-signed Najeh Davenport, who was cut in the off-season. Not only that, but Big Ben has missed practice time this week because of that separated shoulder. Steelers on the road in Jacksonville. Tough one.

The picks (straight up, not against the spread):

Continue reading "Five for Friday: Week 5" »

The five most compelling story lines for Week 4:

1. Are the Redskins for real? Washington is off to a surprising 2-1 start after an opening loss to the Giants. But after impressive home wins over the Saints and Cardinals, they take on the big boys in Big D on Sunday. My sense is that Washington realizes that the improvement won’t translate into a win over the Cowboys, who are playing the best football of anyone right now.

2. We’ll learn something more about Brett Favre: Specifically, just how he’ll respond after Monday night’s clunker in San Diego. He was under duress the entire game and had one of those nights he’d much rather forget. Jets fans would rather forget it, too. Now let’s see what happens when Favre takes on another graybeard quarterback in Kurt Warner when the Jets host the Cardinals. My hunch is that he and the Jets will bounce back.

3. Donovan McNabb goes home again. The Chicago area native faces the Bears in what is a huge game for both teams. The Eagles hope to continue the momentum from their win over the Steelers, while the Bears look to stop the bleeding after two straight losses. McNabb has a bruised chest, but he’ll almost certainly play. The bigger issue is whether Brian Westbrook recovers from a bum ankle. I think he’ll play. I think the Eagles will win.

4. Are the Ravens for real? At 2-0, they couldn’t have asked for a better start. But beating Cincy and Cleveland is one thing; beating the Steelers – on the road – is quite another. I think Joe Flacco gets roughed up in this Monday night matchup.

5. Kerry Collins is back in the mix: It has been a long and occasionally strange journey for the former first-round pick, but he keeps hanging around and now he gets his latest opportunity to run the show. His Titans are 3-0 now that he has settled down the quarterback position. But he’ll be up against Minnesota’s furious pass rush, so the running game will have to be at its best to keep Jared Allen & Co. at bay. I like the Titans in this one.

Picks (straight up, not against the spread):

Panthers over Falcons: Panthers bounce back from poor performance in Minny.

Browns over Bengals: It’s desperation time in Cleveland. One more bad outing, and Derek Anderson is out.

Jaguars over Texans: It’s only a matter of time before Texans coach Gary Kubiak pulls the plug on Matt Schaub.

Broncos over Chiefs: Even the Chiefs can score a few points on Denver’s sieve-like defense. Just not enough. I think it might be closer than you think, though. (Take the Chiefs and the points.)

Jets over Cardinals: Imagine the fallout if the Jets don’t win?

Buccaneers over Packers: Close one. In the end, I like Tampa’s defense.

Titans over Vikings: Chris Johnson and LenDale White the keys for Tennessee. Not to mention Titans’ underrated defense.

Chargers over Raiders: I’d pick Central Islip over the Raiders.

Bills over Rams: Scott Linehan’s last game in St. Louis? It is if Trent Green can’t save his hide.

Cowboys over Redskins: Don’t think it will be close. Especially with no Jason Taylor in the lineup for Washington.

Eagles over Bears: McNabb and Westbrook are key, but so is the Eagles’ defense. If it puts on a pass rush like last week, the Bears are toast.

Steelers over Ravens: Big Ben bounces back after lousy performance in Philly.

Another huge week in the NFL. Then again, when is it not a huge week in the NFL?

The five most compelling storylines:

1. Can Aaron Rodgers keep it rolling? Brett Favre's successor has gotten off to a terrific start with divisional wins over the Vikings and Lions. But now the big boys come to down. The Cowboys. Tony Romo. T.O. DeMarcus Ware. Pacman Jones. There could not be a better matchup for the NBC folks and a national television audience Sunday night.

2. Can Favre get the Jets back on the winning track? After a desultory showing by the offense against the Patriots - in part because of the absurdly conservative play-calling near the goal line by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer - Favre gets to lead the Jets on Monday Night Football against a Chargers team that might be missing its best player. Oh, wait. The Jets just played at home against a Patriots team missing its best player, and they didn't do anything with that. LaDainian Tomlinson has a sore big toe, but we suspect he'll be out there.

3. Are the Bills ready to take command in the AFC East? Buffalo can move to 3-0 with a win over the dysfunctional Raiders, although with Miami playing New England, it looks like the Pats will be 3-0 by day's end, too. Even so, Buffalo's promising start, which includes a win on the road against the Jaguars and a home thumping of the Seahawks, is eye-opening. Trent Edwards has settled the offense, but the defense has been equally impressive.

4. Big Ben marches into Philly. The Steelers take on the Iggles in what should be a terrific matchup. Ben Roethlisberger and Fast Willie Parker have keyed Pittsburgh's 2-0 start, but they'll be up against a much better opponent after wins over Houston and Cleveland. The Birds lost a shootout in Dallas, showing once again that their blitz-happy defense is vulnerable to three-step drops and a good running attack. There're your game plan, Mike Tomlin.

5. The Gus Frerotte era unfolds in Minny, and the Steve Smith era resumes in Carolina. After two dreary performances by Tarvaris Jackson, Brad Childress has pulled the plug and gone with journeyman Gus Frerotte. The hope for Frerotte is that he has Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson in the lineup, but he's got a hammy problem that might limit him. And Carolina, fresh off two fourth-quarter comeback wins over San Diego and Chicago, sees Steve Smith return from a two-game suspension for slugging teammate Ken Lucas. Will it affect team chemistry? We'll see.

Bonus:

6. Will Chad Johnson implode if the Bengals lose big? The tempestuous receiver says he has matured and is now a team guy. But if it's 30-7 in the fourth quarter, keep an eye on the Bengals' sideline. And then the post-game locker room.

LIVE CHAT AT 11 A.M. TODAY!!!

Five things to watch for in this weekend's games:

1. How will the Patriots do without Tom Brady? Here's how big a hit the Pats took: Before Brady's injury, they were a 4-1 shot in Vegas to win the Super Bowl. Now they're 20-1. Matt Cassel takes over, and while he'll be better than some people think, it's still a loooooong way from Brady. Bill Belichick will have to be at his best to get his team through this one, starting on Sunday against the Jets. Give the Jets the edge in this one ... unless Belichick can somehow get inside Brett Favre's head and force him into key mistakes.

2. T.O. vs. Donovan McNabb: This is always terrific theatre when these two guys get together. They teamed up in 2004 for a Super Bowl run, but now they make news only when they snipe at one another. T.O. suggested this week he was too big for Philly, too big for Donovan McNabb. Getchya popcorn ready for Monday night.

3. Are the Browns looking at 0-2? Sure seems that way. After coming up small against Dallas in the opener, the Brownies now face the Steelers, who looked awesome against the Texans in Week 1. This is the first of five prime time appearances for Boland's Beloved Browns.

4. So, is Jay Cutler really that good? We'll get a much better fix on the Broncos' quarterback, who sizzled against a completely disorganized and dysfunctional Raiders team on Monday night. He's up against the Chargers' defense this time. And even though Shawne Merriman won't be there, it will be a more realistic test of how far he's come.

5. The must-win game of the week: Wow, to even think that there's a game remotely close of being must-win this early is strange to begin with. But with Indy and Minny coming off opening-day losses, Colts-Vikings is a big one. Peyton Manning looked very rusty after missing training camp with the knee injury, and the Vikings' vaunted pass rush was nowhere to be found against the Packers on opening night.

Welcome to yet another new feature for the blog. We've named it partially in honor of the exalted Islander505, one of the all-time great commenters in blog history. It's a riff off musical group Five For Fighting, which is a riff off the length of time you're penalized for a fight in hockey, which is I505's preferred sport, which is also high on our list ... right up there next to soccer.

Anyway, here we go.

1. Brett Favre's debut. Like the rest of Jets Nation, I am more than a little curious to see how the great one will blend in with his new teammates. Favre goes against Chad Pennington, who we assume will have steam coming out his ears he'll be so geeked up on Sunday in Miami. Favre was solid in the preseason, but it was preseason, and we never ever ever ever ever draw any conclusions from preseason. He brings juice to the offense, but we'll see if his limited knowledge of the offense will lead to a few INTs. I'm also curious to see what kind of physical condition Favre is in. Maybe it's just me, but I have a gut feeling that he's just not where he needs to be just yet. We'll see.

2. Tom Brady's foot. Is he hurt? Does he have a cracked bone? A deep bone bruise? Will he even play? Well, we're almost 100 percent certain the Pats' QB will play against the Chiefs on Sunday. Just how well he'll do remains to be seen. It's a huge year for the Pats, who will fight the inevitable letdown from last year's Super Bowl loss. They're still loaded, and they're still the team to beat in the AFC East. But they don't seem like the playoff lock they once were.

3. Aaron Rodgers' debut. The Packers declined to bring Favre back because they want to see if Rodgers is their guy moving forward. They'll get a good look on Monday night in a game that was originally going to include a ceremony to retire Favre's No. 4. Rodgers will be tested early and often, because the Vikings' defensive line might be the best in football.

4. Cowboys-Browns. It's a massive game for both teams. Dallas has Super Bowl aspirations, and the Browns, coming off an 0-4 season, need to find out whether last year's 10-6 record was a sign of things to come, or a fluke. Derek Anderson returns from a concussion against a Dallas defense that now includes Pacman Jones. Tony Romeo ... er, Romo ... makes his first start since losing to the Giants in the playoffs.

5. Peyton Manning. He didn't play a down in the preseason, and he's got three new interior offensive linemen to work with. I don't think Manning will suffer any ill effects from the layoff due to knee surgery. But if the Bears' defense can crank it up like the old days, Manning might struggle a bit.