Portis 26
Madden Freak
It's all beginning to fall into place. The contenders are beginning to drop back. It is now becoming increasingly likely that there will be a Packers-Patriots Super Bowl.
Let's take the AFC first of all.
The Texans could have been a threat to the Pats but now they've lost not one, but two, QBs in Schaub and Leinart so although they may still scrap their way to the playoffs, they're not going to the big game.
The Chargers have enough firepower and a good enough QB to threaten the Pats but they keep losing and now it looks like they're nearly out of it.
The Chiefs were beginning to roll until they lost Cassel and they are now done.
The Jets and Bills are both talented enough in different ways to have threatened the Pats in the East but their weaknesses have been exposed in recent weeks.
It looks like the Patriots could be joined as division champions by a Texans team without a QB and either a flimsy Raiders team or a freakishly over-achieving Broncos team.
The only real competition the Pats will have in the playoffs will come from the North division, where the Ravens and Steelers should both make the playoffs and the Bengals have a shot too.
But even there, the Steelers are seriously beat-up and the Ravens are wildly inconsistent, so neither should be able to defeat New England. Cincinnati is a nice story but a rookie QB is not going to beat Brady in the playoffs.
Over in the NFC, the contenders keep falling by the wayside too.
Chicago could have caused some trouble but they're pretty much out of it with Cutler gone.
Detroit would be more dangerous if they had not lost their top RB.
San Francisco is likely to be the #2 seed but they have been exposed as a good D with an average at best QB and I don't see them beating Green Bay.
The Giants were looking pretty good but they lost Bradshaw and keep losing too so they are nearly out of it.
The main contenders for the Pack will be Dallas, Atlanta and New Orleans, but all those teams have been up and down this season and have some obvious weaknesses.
The Pack face tougher competition than the Patriots but they are unbeaten and a better team overall.
It would be a surprise if they don't meet in the Super Bowl, and I like Brady to pull out the surprise win as the underdog.
Full disclosure: I support neither New England nor Green Bay.
Let's take the AFC first of all.
The Texans could have been a threat to the Pats but now they've lost not one, but two, QBs in Schaub and Leinart so although they may still scrap their way to the playoffs, they're not going to the big game.
The Chargers have enough firepower and a good enough QB to threaten the Pats but they keep losing and now it looks like they're nearly out of it.
The Chiefs were beginning to roll until they lost Cassel and they are now done.
The Jets and Bills are both talented enough in different ways to have threatened the Pats in the East but their weaknesses have been exposed in recent weeks.
It looks like the Patriots could be joined as division champions by a Texans team without a QB and either a flimsy Raiders team or a freakishly over-achieving Broncos team.
The only real competition the Pats will have in the playoffs will come from the North division, where the Ravens and Steelers should both make the playoffs and the Bengals have a shot too.
But even there, the Steelers are seriously beat-up and the Ravens are wildly inconsistent, so neither should be able to defeat New England. Cincinnati is a nice story but a rookie QB is not going to beat Brady in the playoffs.
Over in the NFC, the contenders keep falling by the wayside too.
Chicago could have caused some trouble but they're pretty much out of it with Cutler gone.
Detroit would be more dangerous if they had not lost their top RB.
San Francisco is likely to be the #2 seed but they have been exposed as a good D with an average at best QB and I don't see them beating Green Bay.
The Giants were looking pretty good but they lost Bradshaw and keep losing too so they are nearly out of it.
The main contenders for the Pack will be Dallas, Atlanta and New Orleans, but all those teams have been up and down this season and have some obvious weaknesses.
The Pack face tougher competition than the Patriots but they are unbeaten and a better team overall.
It would be a surprise if they don't meet in the Super Bowl, and I like Brady to pull out the surprise win as the underdog.
Full disclosure: I support neither New England nor Green Bay.
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ittBaltimoreHoustonOaklandCincyJets have an outside shot at making the postseason, we know what happened last time they faced NE in the playoffs..I doubt the SB has anything to do with NE.. more likely Baltimore v. GB, or a repeat of last season, Pitt v. GB..from the NFC I'd give the Saints a shot at the SB, or Giants and of course SF..I doubt NE could beat any SB contending team from the NFC..
But while NE might not match up well with the Steelers per se, there is no way I think that the Steelers will beat them again if they face off in the postseason. The Patriots under Belichick usually own the Steelers, and while the Steelers got them last month, if they play again in January, there is no doubt in my mind that the Patriots will beat them. No matter where the game is.
No, but fans of teams can align stats to fit their argument.
