Can’t say I care who manages to win out of the carnage that is the wild card race in the AFC, so long as the Bengals finally do the job and capture the North crown. Personally, I hope the Steelers and the Ravens tie, just to really muck up the works.
As for the NFC, it’s time for the Packers to put an end to the stupidity and start the drive into the playoffs. Wins over Seattle and Arizona should do that quite well. Then it’s work like hell to go as far as we can, and pray for the usual Favre implosion that takes his team with him. Which might not happen this year, dammit. :mad:
Vince Young on one side and Philip Rivers on the other. The Battle of the Wonky Throwing Motions. I think Rivers has an odder style than Young. Seems to work for him though.
It actually hurts the Giants if the Eagles win, but not by much. It kills the Jets if they lose, though, so from a Green perspective it’s an absolute must.
I grouped the teams I’m rooting for based on who they help:
Giants over Panthers
Redskins over Cowboys
Seahawks over Packers
Jets over Colts
Patriots over Jaguars
Eagles over Broncos (barf)
Steelers over Ravens
Texans over Dolphins
Chris Johnson has a good shot at breaking the all time yards from scrimmage record, he 74 combined yards next week.
But more quietly, Josh Cribbs has a shot at breaking the all purpose yards record too. He needs 354 total yards over 2 games, and he’s definitely got a shot. Johnson’s feat is more impressive, but Cribbs is still awesome.
Guess who owns the current all-purpose yards record. Nope, you were wrong. Derrick Mason. Who would’ve thought?
Incidentally, Cribbs is the first player I’ve ever seen have the fans all chanting “PAY THE MAN” about. Usually fans aren’t so eager to see players under long contracts to get a big raise. He deserves it, of course.
I don’t think that’s possible, really. Just start with their physical makeup. Cribbs is a much bigger and more physical runner than Hall. Cribbs initiates contact rather than shies away from it.
I also don’t see the Browns trying to force a square peg into a round hole trying to make Cribbs a full time wideout like the Bears have done with Hester, or like the Chiefs tried to do with Hall.
Kick returners generally burn out fast, true. But Cribbs has been good since his rookie year. He may break the all time total yards from scrimmage record this year, and it’s not even his best return year - he was utterly amazing in 2007, the best special teams season anyone has ever done IMO.
And he’s not just a returner - he leads the team in special teams tackles every year - he’s not just a good all around special teamer, he’s actually amongst the best at covering kicks too. He looks like a linebacker out there crushing the other team’s return guy. And he can make stuff happen in gimmick plays and they should give him more time running the ball.
The guy deserves to get paid for what he’s already done - not a Hester contract, but he makes like 1m a year now, give him a 10m signing bonus, bump it up to 4m a year, and make him a Brown for life. For some strange reason he actually really wants to be there.
Specifically, it forces the Vikings to play for real in week 17 or lose the first round bye, which is strong incentive. The Panthers last week made me lose all fear of Minnesota, though, so I don’t much care if old man Favre plays for real or not. If the Giants can’t beat the Vikings’ starters they won’t beat anyone in the playoffs, either.
Just as long as this season meets the Wellington Mara criteria for success, I’ll be happy. He considered a season successful if the last game is meaningful, which it’s still looking like it could be regardless of if the Giants win or lose it. (Lose this week to the Panthers and the season is a failure. Playing for the playoffs in week 17 is absolutely meaningful, as opposed to playing for a draft pick or something.)
