Manning Bowl Ended Up Being a Blowout: There is little doubt the Manning Boys are two of the best quarterbacks in the league, but in yesterday’s matchup that was only evident on one side. To no one’s real surprise, older brother Peyton ended up the victor, but what was shocking was how bad the Giants looked as a team. The Colts jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead, and never let up as they cruised to their 38-14 victory. They had major success running the football as well, which isn’t always their strong suite. And of course Peyton was dominate in his own right. The Giants on the other hand had success running, but when you are down by 24 points it is almost counter-productive. And while overall Eli had a solid game, he had a pretty bad first half which led to his team’s demise.

Steelers Stop Chris Johnson and the Titans: The Steelers were outgained 238-127, didn’t score a single offensive touchdown, lost their starting quarterback, and managed just 21 passing yards, yet they left Tennessee with the win. The Steelers defense took both of the Titans two main weapons out of the game (literally in the case of Vince Young). Chris Johnson managed just 34 yards on 13 carries, and another 19 on 5 receptions. Johnson had a streak of 12 100 yard games going entering yesterday, but the Steelers found a way to contain him. Without Johnson, or Young who was benched because of ineffectiveness the Titans were without their two playmakers. While Kerry Collins led a bit of a comeback it was too little too late, as the defense held. While starting out 2-0 is great for the Steelers they did lose Dixon to a knee injury, and they will need to figure out what to do for the next 2 weeks. The passing attack was nonexistent after Dixon left, as was the loss of the scrambling threat. While the loss of Dixon was tough, it was a big win for the Steelers against a 2nd straight playoff contending team. And just how good is that Steelers defense? Last week the Titans rolled for 38 points against the Raiders, this week they had 11. And the Steelers in week 1 held the Falcons to just 9 points, and yesterday they put up 41 against the Cardinals.

Sanchez Comes Through For The J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS: One week after looking completely lost Mark Sanchez, had the game of his career (I’m still not drinking the “Franchise” Kool-Aid, but impressive game nonetheless). What was most impressive for me was the fact that he remained cool under pressure and led a comeback. Also, while the Patriots defense might not be as good as the Ravens it is pretty good in its own right, and he had no problem navigating them. The Patriots meanwhile, couldn’t stop Sanchez or the Jets running game, and they could’t do anything offensively in the 2nd half. While the Jets defense didn’t get the sacks, they harassed Brady all day and forced two interceptions. If Sanchez is on the Jets can go far with that defense, that has now held two of the best offenses in the AFC to a combined 23 points.

Bears Go to 2-0 By Upsetting the Cowboys Who Fall to 0-2: Dallas was supposed to come out with a vengeance yesterday and redeem their opening game loss in a big way over the Bears. I guess no one told Chicago that, because they were by far the best team on the football field yesterday. The Bears attacked Tony Romo early and jumped out to an early lead which forced Dallas to abandon the run. While Romo rebounded, and ended up with good number it was too little too late as the Cowboys lost their home opener 27-20. The Cowboys defense had no answer for Jay Cutler and was picked apart, by Chicago’s spread offense. The Bears now might need to be taken seriously in the NFC (especially since Minnesota is 0-2), and the Cowboys really need to take a look at themselves. Because after two games this team doesn’t look like the Super Bowl contender they were billed to be.

Kansas City (+3.0) @ Cleveland: The Chiefs and Browns are both pretty weak overall teams, but I really liked what I saw with Kansas City last week. Adding Dexter McCluster gave them a major special teams weapon, one that should start to see a bigger role on offense. While I’m no Matt Cassel fan, K.C. has solid receivers and a great one-two running back combo. Cleveland is an improved team, but they still have a ways to go. Their quarterback situation is completely unsettled and until that is figured out, their offense can’t get going. I like the Chiefs here to win a close one 20-17.

Pittsburgh (+5.0) @ Tennessee: Pittsburgh on the road in Tennessee is a tough match up, especially without their top quarterback. The deciding factor in the game though will be how the Steelers control Chris Johnson. Johnson has run all over ever defense that has opposed him in the last year, but if any defense can stop him it’s Pittsburgh’s. If the Steelers stop Johnson and force the Titans to throw the ball they should win, but If Johnson gets a 100 yards, you have got to like Tennessee in this one. I think Pittsburgh keeps it close, but Johnson and Tennessee breakout at the end, 23-17 Tennessee.

New England (-3.0) @ New York (Jets): Normally with the best defense and being at home the Jets should be the favorite, but their woeful offensive performance last week has them at 3.0 underdogs against their division foe. While the Patriots have a high powered offense they can’t hope to score much against the Jets top defense, but luckily their solid defense should be more than enough to hinder the Jets offense led by Mark Sanchez. Sanchez needs to come through in the clutch today if the Jets are to be taken as serious contenders, but I don’t see it happening. New England wins a low scoring affair 17-10 to take a two game lead in the division.

New York (Giants) (+5.0) @ Indianapolis: The Colts got upset last week and their soft underbelly was exposed when the Texans ran all over them for the win. Peyton Manning still threw for over 400 yards and 3 TD’s so the offense isn’t really a concern. The Colts do still need to add balance to their rushing attack, but as long as Peyton is at the helm I like the Colts in the Manning Bowl. The Giants could keep it close, but I can’t see Indianapolis losing at home to go to 0-2. While New York has a good overall defense their pass defense is a bit porous, which doesn’t bode well against Older Brother. Colts win 31-21 to even themselves up this season.

Brady Finally Gets His Mega Deal: Yesterday it was reported that Tom Brady and the New England Patriots agreed to terms on a 4 year $72 million deal. There are $48.5 million in guarantees, and will keep him locked up until after the 2014 season. The deal will average $18 million per year, making Brady the highest paid player in the NFL. While I’m sure his average, guarantees and total value will be eclipsed when Peyton Manning signs his extension, it is a major commitment for the Patriots. It will be interesting to see how this impacts their cap situation going forward (when there is a salary cap again), especially with Randy Moss a free agent next season. While the Patriots couldn’t give up or trade Brady away this is an impressive financial commitment to a quarterback who will be 37 when this deal expires.

Miles Austin Signs A Long Term Extension: Austin who wasn’t even a starter until last October, turned in a memorable performance that has now earned him a 6-year $54 million deal. With nearly $20 million in guaranteed money, Austin is now one of the highest paid receivers in the league. Not too shabby considering he was an undrafted free agent just 5 years ago. Austin just 26, is among the leagues premier wideouts and has a great combination of size and speed. He should be well worth the money for the Cowboys going forward. Another interesting side note to this deal is what it will mean for other top flight receivers looking for extensions, Vincent Jackson, DeSean Jackson and Reggie Wayne (Randy Moss as well, but possibly not with the Pats) are all looking for their next deal. Austin’s contract sets a bench mark that they all hope to eclipse.

Diamondbacks Close to Bringing in Kevin Towers as Their New General Manager: It has been a bad year for Arizona, one that they soon want to forget. They dealt two of their best pitchers and received a number of sub-par performances from many of their star players. In addition they failed to sign their 1st round draft pick after he failed his physical. Combine all of that up, to go along with another last place finish. This all led to both a manager and general manger change. Now The D-backs seem poised to make Kevin Towers their new G.M. Towers is a solid choice as he has put together a couple very good Padres teams over the years. What is more impressive is that Towers is used to working within a budget meaning he should be a good fit in the desert. While Towers himself won’t lead to immediate success in Arizona they will have one of the league’s most respected G.M.’s and a good start in their rebuilding process.

AFC East:

Buffalo Bills:

I think the Bills did a lot of good things to help their defense. Both their 2nd round pick Torell Troup (NT) and 3rd round pick Alex Carrington (DE) should immeadiately help their front 3 as they transition to a 3-4 defense. The Bills added a couple of pass rushers in 6 round, and both Arthur Moats and Danny Batten have a chance to be effective starters. Troup might have been a bit of an overdraft, but nose tackle was a significant need. The real problem with the Bills draft is what they did on offense, or what they didn’t do. With the 9th overall pick the Bills selected C.J. Spiller, the dynamic running, receiving, returning back out of Clemson. Spiller does everything, except the two things the Bills need the most, throwing the ball and blocking for those who do. And after Fred Jackson’s performance last season, Spiller doesn’t figure to get a ton of carries/catches. The 9th overall selection was a lot to spend on a third down back/return man. While the Bills added O-linemen Ed Wang and Kyle Calloway later, and got decent value where they selected them, that isn’t enough to address one of the worst offensive lines in football. Grabbing QB Levi Brown late gives you a little upside, but the Bills consistently passed on high rated quarterback prospects, guys who do actually project to be starters. For me the Bills didn’t fill needs or get enough high upside players. Grade D+

Miami Dolphins:

The Dolphins didn’t have a sexy draft, with the exception of the trade for Brandon Marshall, who does very much weigh into this grade (well 50-60% of Marshall, since they gave up a pick next year). With Marshall in the fold, Miami was able to trade back in the 1st round, add some more picks, and still get the guy they wanted DE Jared Odrick. Odrick is a perfect fit for the 3-4 end position and should generate a decent pass rush from that slot. Miami then grabbed a couple of solid linebackers, in 2nd rounder OLB Koa Misi and 4th rounder A.J. Edds, both have starting upside and should help immediately on special teams. Misi, especially should develop into an excellent starter and pass rusher. In between the two LB’s the Dolphins selected their lone offensive player (not counting Marshall) in guard John Jerry. Jerry is a very solid prospect, who helps give the Dolphins one of the deepest offensive lines in the league. There is a ton of potential with this unit’s backups, which will go a long way in helping the offense move the ball. Miami did pick up Reshad Jones in the 5th round. He is a bit raw as a safety, but has the talent and athleticism to develop into a starter at either safety spot. Grade B+

New England Patriots:

The Patriots went up and down this draft at will, which of course surprised no one since they do it every year. What’s even better is they even were able to start setting the table for next season, by trading a 3rd round pick for a 2nd rounder next season. Even with giving up a 3rd rounder, the Patriots still ended up with 12 draft picks including 5 in the top 3 rounds. The Patriots bolstered their defense early by adding CB Devin McCourty in the 1st round, OLB Jermaine Cunningham and ILB Brandon Spikes in the 2nd round. All three players should find an immediate home in New England, and while none might be a full-time starter in year one, they will all contribute. On offense the Patriots did a great job finding weapons for Tom Brady, by adding a pair of pass catching tight ends (Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez) and a very promising receiver (Taylor Price). Late in the draft New England picked depth picks across the offensive and defensive lines, in addition to a backup quarterback Zac Robinson. Overall this was a very solid and deep draft for the Patriots, and the only complaint might be that they didn’t address the offensive or defensive lines earlier, since they are razor thin at both positions. Grade B+

New York Jets:

The Jets only ended up with 4 picks but they made the most out of them. It is even more impressive considering they were able to trade for Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes using draft picks, giving Mark Sanchez all the weapons he needs to be successful. CB Kyle Wilson was an absolute steal at the bottom of the first round, and gives New York the best corners in the league. With an improved pass rush, the Jets defense should go from dominate to unstoppable. Adding Vlad Ducasse and Joe McKnight, both should be solid players and Ducasse should be a full time starter from day one. The only thing I don’t like about the Jets draft is that Ducasse and McKnight both only replace holes that the Jets created over the weekend, and aren’t a huge upgrade. While they are younger and cheaper than the players they are replacing, I’m not sure if they will be better this next season, which is troubling since the Jets are built to win the Super Bowl. I was shocked with how little they got in return for Leon Washington, one of the better 3rd down backs in the league. Overall I liked the Jets draft and I think they got solid value, but I don’t love the corresponding moves New York made. Grade B

Check back throughout the day as the rest of the divisions are posted!

Pats Franchise DT Vince Wilfork:  Despite Wilfork not wanting the tag, the Patriots didn’t really have a choice here. Wilfork would have been one of the top players on the open market, and likely signed elsewhere if allowed. New England had to keep Wilfork, easily their best defensive player. The Pats defense might not be on the level it was during their Super Bowl runs, but its still pretty good and Wilfork is the key piece of the unit.

The Patriots did use the ‘nonexclusive’ franchise tag, meaning another team could sign Wilfork and give up two first round picks. Given the excessive price tag it should be safe to say Wilfork will be with New England next season. Now the question is will the Patriots be able to keep Wilfork beyond next season. Wilfork has made it very clear that he either wants to be in New England long term or move on to another team. The Patriots can’t ignore this situation, because the last thing New England needs is for their star defensive player to be unhappy and wanting to play elsewhere.

Chargers Release LT:  Monday the San Diego Chargers released their all-time leader in rushing yards, LaDainian Tomlinson, in a cost cutting move. It was not too long ago that Tomlinson was considered the best running back in the league. In just 9 seasons he already ranks 8th on the all-time rushing list with just under 12,500 yards. Tomlinson led the NFL in rushing in both 2006 and 2007, winning MVP honors in ’06. Tomlinson has fallen on hard times since then, and managed just 730 yards on a 3.3 yards per carry average.

This doesn’t mean the door is fully closed on LT’s career. He might have lost a step, and will no longer be a top running back, but he’s not done yet. The good news for Tomlinson is his game wasn’t completely predicated on speed. Tomlinson was always known for his vision and powerful legs, that should help him continue his career. If he can find the right situation and can stay fully healthy, then there is no reason he can’t be an effective ball carrier for a few more seasons.

As for the Chargers, they were in a tough spot here. They didn’t want to see Tomlinson go, but they couldn’t justify paying him millions of dollars for the production he was giving them. Now San Diego will not only have to watch one of their icons leave, a player who as much as anyone is responsible for the success they’ve had over the last 6 seasons. But now they have to find a new feature running back. Its not a great free agent market for running backs, so unless they can find a back in a trade, San Diego will likely draft Tomlinson’s replacement in April.

Revenge Meeting:

After their earlier regular season meeting it was apparent that there was no by the Ravens for New England, (though does any team really like Bill Belichick and the Patriots?) so I would expect Baltimore to come out with a chip on their shoulder. I’d also expect the Ravens to blitz Tom Brady early and often, not only to disrupt the offense, but to send a message for the phantom ‘Brady Rule’ call imposed upon them earlier this season. Regardless of the outcome, this will be a hard-hitting contest that’s fun to watch.

Baltimore has a good chance to go into New England and upset the Patriots, if they can stick to their game plan. The Ravens have a great running game led by Ray Rice, but Rice is complimented nicely by Willis McGhee and Le’Ron McClain. Their offensive line has given Baltimore big holes to run through all season, and should be able to win the battle in the trenches today. QB Joe Flacco is developing in to a fine starting quarterback in this league. He still has some issues with decision making, (holding the ball too long, or forcing it into coverage) but overall is a good quarterback. His receiving corps is far from top flight, but it does have a number of solid options. I’d look for Ray Rice to have a big game catching the ball out of the backfield. He’s not an easy task to cover for a linebacker, and if the Patriots defense blitzes he will find himself as the safety valve for Flacco. The real key to this game is the Ravens defense, though as a unit it was as dominate as its been in the past, down the stretch they played excellent football. When the Ravens needed them to come up big they always played their best. If they can keep up that performance today, I don’t see how New England moves the ball on them.

On New England’s side things aren’t looking good for the Patriots. Their running game has been awful this season, partly due to the ineffectiveness of the offensive line, party due to struggles at running back. That lack of a rushing attack is a big question plaguing New England as the Patriots start the playoffs. They still have one of the best passing attacks in the league with Tom Brady and Randy Moss, but that unit had a major blow when it lost Wes Welker in week 17. Welker is Brady’s safety valve and multiple people will need to step up to replace his value. New England does have a promising rookie in Julian Edleman, but he has big shoes to fill unless the Patriots change their game plan. I would guess we see TE Ben Watson and RB Kevin Faulk involved in the game more, in an effort to open up things down the field for Moss. The biggest issue for New England is their offensive line play, usually they do a good job of keeping Brady upright, if they don’t the Patriots could be in some trouble. As good as a quarterback as Brady is, he really struggles under pressure, and his numbers fall off big time when he’s getting hit. Without Welker there, Brady will need to find another safe receiver to get the ball too once he sees the pressure coming. Another issue with the Patriots is their defense, when New England was winning Super Bowls it was because of the defense more so than their offense (Adam Vinatieri didn’t hurt either). Now their defense is just good and not the great, dominating defense that was successful for them in years past. They have a good secondary, one that can make plays when quarterbacks make mistakes. But therein lies the problem, this defense doesn’t attack the QB like they used to, and that lack of pressure has led to a decrease in the number of take-aways they have. The Patriots defense will need to find away to slow down Flacco and Rice and not let them match the Patriots offense.

It looks like New England should lose this game, but I think they will pull it out in the end for two reasons. Home field advantage and their previous playoff experience. I think Brady and Co. will pull this game out in the end 23-21.

By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Geoff Nelowet

Can the Arizona Cardinals Match Last Year’s Magical Playoff Run?

Last week the Green Bay Packers won a meaningless game over the Arizona Cardinals 33-7. Both teams knew they had nothing to play for, and they knew they would face each other in seven days for an NFC wild card game. Surprisingly, Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt and Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy took very different approaches last week: Whisenhunt benched most of his starters in fear of potential injuries, and McCarthy played his starters for most of the game.

It will be interesting to see which team will benefit, as Green Bay may find itself in a better flow and more in-sync, and Arizona may feel more rested with essentially a game off.

Last week’s game, though, will in all likelihood prove itself irrelevant to this weekend’s playoff match-up, as both teams will ostensibly play with more intensity than weeks prior.

The Cardinals are the reigning NFC champions, and they come into the playoffs with much more respect than last year. They will not be given the opportunity to sneak up on anyone, and their road to the Super Bowl will be incontestably more difficult. Not to mention, the NFC in its entirety is loaded with more elite teams this year than last.

In consideration of last year’s run through the playoffs, the Cardinals are very difficult to judge. At the end of the regular season last year, they looked like dead weight in the playoffs, and they were expected to get blown out in the first round. Instead, they looked like an entirely different team – they played defense, and they were nearly unstoppable on offense.

It seems unlikely that Arizona can muster the same playoff effort as last season’s, and, like last year, they are going up against a better team on paper. Green Bay has one of the best defenses in the NFL, and they also have one the best quarterbacks in Aaron Rogers. This is a team built for the playoffs that has gotten better each week. They, like Philadelphia, are a major scare team that could do a lot of damage.

Kurt Warner and Co. will keep the game exciting for the Cards, but Green Bay will be too much in the end. Rogers will guide the Packers to an efficient, close win, and their defense will keep the explosive Cardinals air attack in check. Final score: Green Bay 27 Arizona 24.

By Guest Blogger Megan Shoup:

As 2009 and this decade draw to a close, its fun to think about what have been your favorite sports moments this year.  What about this decade? 

This year I think started with an exciting Super Bowl to end last NFL season with the Steelers ending up as the Champions!   But that was just the beginning, as all the major sports had intriguing playoff and championship match ups.  What about 2000 to 2009?  Tons of great Championship memories!  The one that sticks out in my mind the most was that catch by David Tyree in the Giants vs. Patriots Super Bowl.  That catch saved the game, and led to a Giants Super Bowl victory and spoiled the Patriots perfect season.  We also had several exciting Olympic games, with Michael Phelps breaking the Olympic record. 

Fanspeak.com will new a more in depth look back on 2009 and this decade before New Year’s.  But what is your favorite moments from this year?

Tonight’s New Orleans Saints versus the New England Patriots has all the makings of an epic game. The Patriots are the most prolific team of the past decade with three Super Bowl wins and four appearances. They have a dominate defense that always seems to make the big play, as well as having one of the top quarterbacks and wide receivers in the league. The Saints on the other hand, usually don’t get the same credit as the Patriots and other great teams. Part of that has to do with their history; never winning a Super Bowl (or even going to one), and being an up and down playoff contender the past few seasons. Another reason why the Saints don’t get respect is that with the exception of Drew Brees, they don’t have the star power that New England, Indianapolis, Minnesota and other great teams have.

Also when it comes to star power, Brees doesn’t hold a candle to Tom Brady. Yet with the exception of Super Bowl rings, Brady doesn’t have the numbers to back up the argument that Brady is a superior quarterback to Brees. All you ever hear about when it comes to quarterbacks is that its Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and then everyone else (side note…what exactly does Brett Favre have to do to get out of this ‘everyone else’ purgatory?). If you take a look at the numbers Brees is equal to Brady (if not better).

First let’s look at Tom Brady. In 121 starts (123 games) Brady is 2,562 of 4,046 (completions and attempts) for 29,495 yards and has been sacked 217 times. He has thrown 217 touchdowns to 93 interceptions for a 93.6 quarterback rating. Brees in 116 starts (117 games) is 2,552 of 3,970 for 29,004 yards and has been sacked 152 times. He has thrown for 190 touchdowns to 108 interceptions for a 90.7 quarterback rating. Those numbers are about as close as can be. And when you factor in the five more starts for Brady, his completions, yards and sacks aren’t nearly as comparable to Brees’ numbers (unless Brees was behind the Redskins’ offensive line, I doubt he would get sacked 65 times in five games). Now in fairness, Brady’s touchdown numbers and interception numbers are still impressive even if Brees had five more games to his resume, as there is no way he would throw for 27 touchdowns in five games and the picks would only go up. What is worth noting, is that Brees’ numbers since joining the Saints have been exceptional, and his interceptions, sacks and incomplete passes have all gone down significantly, while his yards and touchdowns have improved. In reality, Brees has been an elite quarterback these past four years, but still carries the weight of his early Charger days with him (his last two years in San Diego weren’t too shabby either).

So why is one quarterback considered a surefire Hall of Famer and the other considered just a very good quarterback? Winning games, and winning Super Bowls. Why didn’t I consider those numbers for comparison? Because regardless what people try to tell you football is a team sport, and games aren’t won or lost by a quarterback alone. How many Super Bowl rings do Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Fran Tarkenton, Dan Fouts and Jim Kelly have combined? The answer is ZERO, despite the fact that all five are Hall of Famers and elite quarterbacks of their day. Is Troy Aikman a better quarterback than Dan Marino because he won Super Bowls? No, (though he might be a luckier quarterback) Aikman is deserving of a Hall of Fame bust, but he isn’t a better signal caller. And I think the same can be said here for Brady and Brees. Brady has played every single season on a playoff caliber team. Brees has played with some great players, but not great teams, until maybe this season. So while everyone else on the planet might want Brady over Brees. I’ll take Brees every Sunday (and Monday Nights) simply because he does more with less.

I don’t think tonight’s game will settle the debate one way or another, but I think the Saints will win tonight, behind a good balanced attack led by Brees. I’ll say the Saints win 31-24.

Last night with the Patriots vs. Colts Sunday Night Football matchup, we expected a battle between two powerhouses, and we weren’t disappointed. But for 56 minutes of this game the Patriots and Bill Belichick were in complete control with a 34-21 lead. Then Peyton Manning, showed that he is Peyton Manning. He drove the Colts 79 yards in 6 plays in just a 1:49, to cut the score to 34-28. The Colts defense came up with a big stop, leaving the Patriots 4th and 2 on their own 28 with 2:08 remaining on the clock.

Belichick elected to punt the ball to give as much distance between the endzone and future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning to go for it to run out the clock. Now, I like aggressive and bold play calling more than most people, but that is something you do playing Madden NFL 10, not on the road playing a game that will have playoff seeding implications. What was Belichick thinking? The first rule of football coaching is “You do not give Peyton Manning the ball on your own 29-yard line”, the second rule of football coaching is “You do not give Peyton Manning the ball on your own 29-yard line”.

Yeah I get it, Belichick supporters will point out that Manning drove 79 yards in a 1:49 seconds earlier, and the Colts still had one timeout remaining. And those people are right–2 minutes with one timeout is an eternity for Manning (that’s like 8 minutes with 3 timeouts for the Washington Redskins). But you have to have some faith in your defense to stop Peyton Manning with the game on the line. I mean its not as though this was the Browns or Lions defense. New England has a top 10 defense, overall and against the pass. They shut down Manning and co. for a good part of the game, forcing the Colts to punt 6 times in the first half (I think months have come and gone without the Colts punting 6 times). Maybe they wouldn’t have been able to shut down Manning, but at least you would have given them a fighting chance. The field was so short that the Colts were literally wasting time between plays, to make sure they didn’t score too quickly.

In the end, Belichick should have danced with the girl that brought him, his defense. Now I know everyone loves Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, and thinks they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. But they aren’t the reason the Patriots have three super bowl trophies. Don’t get me wrong the Patriots offense has been good during their Super Bowl runs, and in 2007 it was downright exceptional, but their defense has been the key to their success. Without their dominating defense they would have never been in a position to go to four Super Bowls (many times going through the Colts on their way).

Belichick needed to put the game in their hands and let the chips fall where they may. If they hold them, then you are a genius and the Patriots could be looking at home-field advantage in the playoffs. If the defense faltered, then it was a tough loss on the road against a great quarterback, and you wouldn’t be questioned about it ever again. Now Belichick will be second guessed for the rest of the season (and rightly so), home-field advantage in the playoffs is pipe dream right now, and there is a real possibility that New England will miss out on a bye. Last night’s decision was a major mistake, one that he will regret for the rest of the season. But that’s my opinion…what do you think and why?

Steelers v. Bengals +7

While I think the Steelers will win the game, it should be a close battle and I think the Bengals with the points are the right pick.

Jets v. Jags +7

This is another one where I see the Jets winning, but not by enough to cover the spread. Jags can definitely move the ball on the ground.

Broncos v. Redskins +3.5

Yes the Broncos are struggling, coming across the country, and are off a short week. But the Skins have been so bad that I can’t pick them with the points.

Titans v. Bills +6.5

I like the Bills in this matchup. The Titans might win the game, but if so it should be by less than a field goal.

Vikings v. Lions +16.5

Even with the huge spread, I don’t know how I can pick the Lions. If the Vikings want to, they could shut out Detroit and put up 35 points.

Saints v. Rams +13.5

Saints are too good not to win this game by 2 TD’s or more. The Rams haven’t been able to score much against their better opponents and I see them struggling to put points on the board today.

Falcons v. Panthers +1

I know the Panthers are playing better (mainly because they aren’t letting Delhomme throw as much). But I don’t have any faith that they can beat the Falcons even on their home field.

Dolphins v. Bucs +10

I like the Bucs with the points in this match up. I don’t think Freeman’s great, but he should make a few plays to keep this game close. I still have no faith in Henne to really lead the Dolphins offense.

Raiders v. Chiefs +2

This is a game that could go either way. I’ll give the Raiders the edge at home, though this could be the game where a 2 point spread comes back to bite you.

Cards v. Seahawks +8

Arizona is starting to show signs of life again, and if Warner and Fitzgerald get on the same page, I don’t know how you stop the Cards offense. I think they win by a double digit margin today.

Chargers v. Eagles +1.5

This is a great game that could go either way. I like the Chargers at home. You can’t think that in back to back weeks their game will be decided by one point.

Cowboys v. Packers +3

After losing to the winless Bucs, I have zero faith in the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. They have talent, but that offensive line is awful. Cowboys should win this game by at least a touchdown.

Colts v. Pats +3

This is a great game tonight, that really is for supremacy in the AFC. The Colts secondary may be banged up, but I think they can overcome their injuries and slow down the Patriots attack. At the end of the day Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning, and so far that’s been enough for the Colts to remain undefeated.