January 11, 2010 - Morning Burn

Playoff Football

You can't beat the NFL playoffs... I mean March Madness is great, but it is all about rooting for an underdog and about the office pool. Fun to watch, but since players graduate or go to the pros, you don't get great story lines that go for multiple years. MLB playoffs are great, but because of the series format, only the clinching games seem to be must-see tv; same goes for the NBA. But the NFL playoffs, starting with Wild Card weekend, is the best sports month a fan could wish for. Even though my beloved Giants did not make it, I'm still able to root for each team in each game without worrying about Big Blue implications.

I am a professed Eagles hater, so it was wonderful to see the Dallas Cowboys wash the Birds out of the playoffs this year. I have a great respect for what the Reid-McNabb Eagles have accomplished, bringing their franchise out of the basement and making them a dangerous, perrenial playoff contender. But I think they have seen an official closing of their window, as Brian Westbrook's health is in question, and the defense is not what it used to be. Losing both Jim Johnson and Brian Dawkins has finally come back to haunt them. However, the Birds would be foolish to trade McNabb, as he is the only QB that will give them a chance to make the playoffs every year. It would be crazy to think that Michael Vick, and or Kevin Kolb could replace McNabb, but it might happen. Or, they might trade Vick, and keep McNabb, leaving Kolb as QB in waiting. We'll see.

It was also great to see the Patriots get rocked by the Ravens. It was embarrasing how much the NFL covered up "SpyGate" and annoited BB a genius. Well, since he got busted cheating, he's looked human, losing the Super Bowl to Eli and Co, and now losing for the first time at home in the playoffs. This doesn't take away the three SBs that he's won, but the 2010 Patriots looked alot like the 2006 New York Yankees. If they don't reload, they will be in big trouble.

Here are my predictions for next week:
AFC
Jets at Chargers: Chargers 28 Jets 17
Ravens at Colts: Ravens 21 Colts 14

NFC
Cardinals at Saints: Cardinals 34 Saints 31
Cowboys at Vikings: Cowboys 24 Vikings 17

By the way, NY Knicks are 15-21... currently the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference... Lets Go!