FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Black Text - Pre-game Pix : Red Text - Post-game Recap 

   There were a few surprises in Week 15.  The Dolphins knocked off the Ravens, ensuring their historical anonymity.  A couple of playoff-bound teams got wake-up calls as well.  The Eagles surprised the Cowboys… the Panthers shocked the Seahawks… the Redskins knocked off the Giants… and the Jaguars beat the Steelers, old-school style.  The fight for the playoffs continues… 

   I'm just going to file this under "better late than never".             

Week 16 Pix: (9-7) 

Steelers at Rams : STEELERS : The Rams have enough talent to be in the playoff hunt, but can’t seem to stop from self-destructing.  The Steelers’ playoff express has come to a grinding, shuddering halt after losing 3 of their last 5 games… and their last two in a row.  With two games remaining, the Steelers and Browns have matching 9-5 records in the AFC North.  The Steelers own the tiebreaker.  If they win BOTH of their last two games, they win their division.  If they win ONE game, they make the playoffs.  Will they do it?  Will they beat the Rams, and at least guarantee themselves a playoff spot?  Will I find somewhere to watch the game? (NFL Network, my behind)  I believe so.  Steelers win… and I’ll find somewhere to watch it happen.     

Final Score: STEELERS 41 -Rams 24 : The Steelers managed to remain atop the AFC North for one more week, and ensured themselves a playoff spot.  QB Ben Roethlisberger finished with a perfect 158.3 passer rating, and 3 TDs.  Unfortunately, the Steelers lost league-leading rusher Willie Parker for the remainder of the season with a broken ankle--on his only carry of the game.  Parker's early exit left the Steelers dependant upon backup Najeh Davenport.  All he did was run for 123 yards, and score twice.  Promising third-string halfback Gary Russell, a rookie free-agent from Minnesota, will likely dress next week for the first time since preseason.  The Steelers defense continued to give up chunks of yardage on the ground and through the air, but held late to secure the win.  The Rams looked like... the Rams.  They were, at times, brilliant on offense... vulnerable to big plays on defense... and found a way to shoot themselves in the foot, with a late interception return for a TD.  I ended up watching the live webcast on nfl.com.  It wasn't the same as watching a televised game, but it was better than nothing.  They alternated between live game coverage and "expert" analysis, ad nauseum.  The real-time field graphics helped fill in the blanks.  If you can't get NFL Network, and can't find a sportsbar... it's a viable last resort.            

Cowboys at Panthers : COWBOYS : One great thing about being in the military is that my co-workers are sports fans from literally everywhere.  Sort of like Fan Nation… but more reserved.  One co-worker (returning home from… somewhere) just came by my office.  He’s a Panthers fan, and he started lamenting the season they’re having.  I reminded him that they shocked the Seahawks on Sunday, and he broke into a big grin… “Yeah,” he said, “that was pretty cool… especially with an undrafted rookie QB (Matt Moore)”.  I asked if he was ready to have Jake Delhomme back yet… and he looked a little bit crestfallen. “Yeah, we need Jake back,” he said, “Everyone plays better when he’s around.”  And that pretty much sums up the Panthers’ season.  The Cowboys are just trying to win out, and have home field advantage for the playoffs.  Unless ALL the starters sit… Cowboys win.                                      

Final Score: COWBOYS 20 - Panthers 13 : The Cowboys won.  Owens hurt his leg.  That about covers it.                        

Giants at Bills : BILLS :  The Bills offense disappeared last week versus the Browns, but the defense managed to hold the Browns offense to a pair of field goals.  The Giants should be poised to make a solid push for the playoffs… but we all should know better than that. It’s season-ending collapse time.  Even if they stagger into the playoffs… they’ll be one and done.  I think the Giants will take the Bills for granted, and get burned for it.  Bills win.                       

Packers at Bears : PACKERS :  Hooray for December football in the north!  Outside in the snow… as God intended.  Packers!  Bears!  Snow!  THIS is football!  If you don’t love it, you’re not a fan.  The Bears never really came out of hibernation this year… and it’s about time for them to go back to sleep.  The Pack is guaranteed a bye week… guaranteed a home playoff game… and might yet manage homefield advantage through the playoffs.  That’s worth playing for.  Packers win.        

Final Score: Bears 35 - PACKERS 7 : Yeah... I'm the only one that didn't see this coming.  What is it with the Packers?  They just have to go play in Dallas again this year?  I don't get it.            

Browns at Bengals : BROWNS :  Welcome back to the scene of the crime.  The Browns’ remarkable season began with a stunning 51-45 win over the Bengals in Week 2.  It foreshadowed the rest of the season for both teams, as the Browns have continued to find ways to win… and the have Bengals continued to find ways to lose.  Last week, the Browns gutted out an ugly 8-0 win over a tough Bills team.  Meanwhile, the Bengals went to San Francisco and collapsed.  Pitiful.  It wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all for the Bengals to get some rivalry juices flowing and take down the Browns.  The Steelers could use the insurance.  But I don’t see it happening.  Browns win.    

Final Score: Bengals 19 - BROWNS 14 : This didn't come as a great surprise.  Versus the rival Browns, the Bengals finally showed up and played to their ability.  They have the talent to beat nearly anyone, and their losses have been self-inflicted.  If they could ever get past their "Bungles" tendancies... they would be a serious contender.  This loss may have killed the Browns' playoff chances, and handed the Steelers another AFC North title... and a home playoff game in the first round.  I can live with that.     

Chiefs at Lions : LIONS : The Chiefs are just miserable.  Even when they manage to play well, they can’t sustain it for 60 minutes.  The Lions frustrated me for weeks, before I finally just made a blanket prediction for their season, in Week 11.  So far, the season prediction is 4-0.  Why mess with perfection?  Lions at home, versus losing team from outside their division = Lions win.     

Final Score: LIONS 25 - Chiefs 20 : After weeks of frustration with the Lions, my Week 11 blanket prediction for their season is 5-0.  It's too bad I can't manage such an accurate formula for the other 31 teams...                                

Texans at Colts : TEXANS :  The Colts don’t really have anything left to play for, until the post-season.  They got past the Raiders last week, 21-14.  The Texans should not be confused with the Raiders.  The Texans are no joke.  They could very well end up, at worst, 8-8 this season.  They might even manage a winning record.  This is a winnable game for them, against a team they would love to beat… especially if the Colts lift off the gas pedal against them.  Initially, I picked the Colts.  It’s a no-brainer, right?  But I think I just changed my mind.  Yeah…I did.  Trap alert!  Texans win.      

Final Score: Colts 38 - TEXANS 15 : Apparently the only trap was the one that I set for myself.  

Eagles at Saints : SAINTS :  My reflex reaction is to take the Saints at home.  But then I start think about the Eagles almost taking down the Patriots… and knocking off the Cowboys last week.  And I think… surely THAT team could get past these shaky Saints.  Problem is… that Eagles team doesn’t show up every week.  That Eagles team shows up for a week, then completely disappears.  This would be their off week.  Saints win.   

Final Score: Eagles 38 - SAINTS 23 : Pitiful... just pitiful.                      

Raiders at Jaguars : JAGUARS : If not for the Colts, the Jags would be looking for a home-field playoff game, and a bye week.  They are THAT good.  Please… a cross-country trip for the Raiders... to play the big, nasty, physical Jags?  Jaguars win.   

Final Score: JAGUARS 49 - Raiders 11 : Ouch.  Welcome to playing teams that aren't from the west coast, Raiders.  You have much work to do this offseason.  Did anyone need another reason to be nervous about playing the Jags in the playoffs this year?  Too bad... they gave you one anyway.                                         

Falcons at Cardinals : CARDINALS : The Falcons season of despair is nearly at an end.  These guys will need an entire offseason to put 2007 behind them.  The Cards are lousy against teams they COULD beat, reliable against teams they SHOULD beat, and dominant vs. the AFC North.  The Cards SHOULD beat the Falcons… and they will.  Cardinals win.

Final Score: CARDINALS 30 - Falcons 27 : The Cards tried to give this one away, but the Falcons refused to take it.  This win makes an 8-8 season a genuine possibility for the Cards.  Hey... it's not a losing season!  For the Falcons... a long offseason and much soul-searching lies ahead... after next week.  *insert groan here*          

Buccaneers at 49ers : BUCCANEERS :  The 49ers had the great fortune of playing the bumbling Bengals last week, and found themselves a win.  I hope they got the most out of it.  The Buccaneers are doing a good job of dominating weaker teams this season, no matter where they play.  The 49ers are a weaker team.  The Bucs should dominate them.  Buccaneers win.

Final Score: 49ers 21 - BUCCANEERS 19 : The Buccaneers have always been susceptible to this.  I just don't understand it.  They go on the road against a clearly weaker team... and just collapse.  It's a weird dynamic that predates Gruden... or even Dungy.  It's just part of that Bucs heritage, I guess.            

Jets at Titans: TITANS :  The Jets held up fairly well against the Patriots last week, only losing by 10.  The Titans have been a little erratic lately, but are usually tough at home.  I think they’ll have enough for the Jets.  Titans win.

Final Score: TITANS 10 - Jets 6 : This is football the Jeff Fisher way.  It doesn't matter how many points you score, as long as the other team scores less.  Not the greatest philosophy to take into Indianapolis next week...                        

Dolphins at Patriots: PATRIOTS : All hail the mighty Dolphins, who have avoided the eternal humiliation of a winless season!  A Dolphins-fan co-worker was just in here telling me how he went to the laundrymat last Sunday, rather than watch the game.  His sister was calling him every 5 minutes with game updates.  He said when the game was over, his mom and sister called him crying.  At first, he thought they had lost again.  But eventually he figured out they were telling him that the Dolphins had won.  He said he almost cried, too.  God bless Dolphins fans everywhere.  The Patriots have no reason to play their starters at all in this game, and risk an injury.  But they will… because that’s who they are.  They will gamble their entire season to prove HOW far superior they are to the 1-13 Dolphins.  If they get someone hurt… it will serve them right.  Talent or not… season of misery or not… that perfect season belongs to the Dolphins.  They’re going to fight for 60 minutes to protect it.  Too bad it won’t matter.  Patriots win.

Final Score: PATRIOTS 28 - Dolphins 7 : The greatest team in the history of football beat the second-worst team in the history of football... by 3 touchdowns.  Only 3, you say?  Must have been an off day for the super friends.  Whatever.      

Ravens at Seahawks : SEAHAWKS :  If ever a team needed a rebound win… the Ravens need to beat the Seahawks.  How would you like to be the ONE WIN for a team that ends up 1-15.  That’s enough to wreck your entire offseason.  The Seahawks couldn’t handle the Panthers last week.  The PANTHERS.  They deserve to lose… but they probably won’t.  Because they’re at home, and the Ravens have the long trip… Seahawks win.   

Final Score:  SEAHAWKS 27 - Ravens 6 : It's not fair for the Seahawks to go on winning like this... getting their fans' hopes up and everything.  It's kind of cruel, actually.             

Redskins at Vikings : VIKINGS : The Redskins beat the Giants pretty convincingly last week.  Despite their record, the Redskins aren’t that bad… just a few plays here and there.  The Vikings, though, seem to really be this good.  Out of nowhere, they suddenly started winning… with or without Adrian Peterson.  Good as the Redskins have been, the Vikings are better, especially at home.  Vikings win. 

Final Score: Redskins 32 - VIKINGS 21 : After weeks of staggering, stumbling, and coming up short... now the Redskins decide to show up?  Anything the complicate the playoff picture...               

Broncos at Chargers : CHARGERS : Whatever’s going on in Denver is criminal.  There is no excuse for the Broncos being this bad.  I hope that those responsible are held accountable.  The Chargers are rolling, and seem to be picking up steam.  Could they survive the first round of the playoffs?  Could they actually go as far as the AFC Championship?  With Norv Turner?  Wouldn’t that be wild?  This much I’m sure of… they’ll beat the Broncos.  Chargers win.

Final Score: CHARGERS 32 - Broncos 3 : What's the deal with Phillip Rivers trash-talking Jay Cutler from the sidelines?  That was classy.  I'm not sure whether to laugh at the absurdity of it, or be entirely disgusted by it.  Seriously Phil... don't you have some defensive alignments to look over, or coaches to talk to... or something?  Grow up.

Last Week's Pix: (10-6)  

Last 8 Weeks: (92-43)