Week 12 Foosball

Overlying Themes for Week 12

"Getting over the hump"

Only two teams who were 5-5 last year made it to the playoffs...

Who's 5-5 this year? Buffalo @ KC, Chicago @ STL, MN @ JAX, GB @ NO (both 5-5)

So with all of these teams away, except NO, it makes for an interesting week for playoff hopes...

If the season ended today, this is who would be in the playoffs: TEN, PIT, NYJ, DEN, MIA, NYG, CAR, CHI, ZONA, TB

In the AFC there's actually 4 teams tied @ 6-4: BAL, IND, MIAMI, NE

In my opinion, either MIA or IND have the best chance to get in. Yes, I said Miami. Don't look now boneheads, Miami has won 4 games in a row. They also have the remaining schedule: NE, @ STL, @ BUF, SF, @ KC, @ NYJ. I can almost guarantee you that they win @ STL, SF, @ KC which puts them at 9-4. You also have to agree that if they continue to play how they have, they will steal one of the other three. Only three times in the past ten seasons has a ten win team NOT made the playoffs. (Yes, the Browns were one of them last year. Don't worry, since Philly won the WS, you are now the most cursed city in sports history)

Regardless of all of the ranting above, the three or so teams that were 5-5 before this week and lose, can consider their season OVER.


"BIG Conference Implications"

NE-Miami:

This game could very well decide the AFC Wild Card winner. This is the rematch of the 38-13 destruction of NE that unveiled the almighty "Wild-Cat" offense formation. You know, the game where Ronnie Brown magically came out of his fantasy shell and ran for 133 yds, 4 TD's and passed for another. You have to believe that NE has that game box score up in the locker room. Not only did Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams embarrass them, but Joey Porter sacked Cassel four times and he looked like he had absolutely no idea what he was doing all day. Miami came into the first game looking like a three win team and came out looking like a completely different animal, let's see what comes of their second meeting.





Carolina-Atlanta: (Carolina beat Atlanta 24-9 in their 1st meeting)

When Carolina and Atlanta played earlier this year the final score was 24-9 and most probably thought Atlanta was an after thought for first place in the NFC South. At the time, they had only beaten Detroit and KC, granted by considerable margins...but still, and they had a rookie QB at the helm; not exactly a team most would choose to win the NFC South. Carolina on the other hand, had a double headed monster of a backfield with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, a new elbow on their old QB and the best WR in the NFL...with a very solid defense.

Now we stand in a different place:

Matt Ryan turned out to be the 2008 Big Ben and is performing better than half the QB's in the league. Michael Turner panned out to be worth every penny, being a workhorse between the tackles, as well as a threat to break it on any carry. Roddy White has turned into a pro-bowl receiver (currently tied for third in yardage and TD's for receivers) and their defense is, as of late, coming up with timely big plays to keep them ahead in games.

Carolina is kind of in the same boat. Delhomme has been ho-hum, Steve Smith has been out-shined by Mushin Muhammed and their RB's have carried them to their 8-2 record. Actually, their defense has had a huge part in it too, somehow allowing only 15.5 points a game. (3rd in the NFL)

This is going to be an interesting rematch to watch, I don't think it's going to be 24-9 again.





INTERESTING GAMES TO WATCH:

1:00 PM

Philadelphia @ Baltimore:

Philadelphia's season, barring a miracle, is done. Their QB AND head coach don't know the rules in the NFL, they just tied the FREAKING Bengals, and they are in sole possession of last place of the NFC East. It's going to be interesting to see how they handle this game. Baltimore is one of THE toughest places to play in the NFL. Not because of their fans per say, as much as how their defense plays there. Don't believe me? The Ravens defense is giving up an average of ten points per contest at home this year. If that doesn't sell you, just ask the Patriots from last season...

New York Jets @ Tennessee:

I think the Jets are going to get smoked in this game. Not on the scoreboard necessarily, but on the field for sure. The Jets are going to find it a lot harder to run on this defensive line than they have every other one, and their defense is going to get killed. The only reason I'm going to watch this game is going to be because I love hearing the halftime explanations for why it isn't as close as they all predicted.

LATE GAMES

New York Giants @ Arizona:

The "we're the real deal" vs. "we can be better than 8-8" is going to be a VERY interesting game to watch. I bet the Giants didn't have this bad boy circled at the beginning of the year, eh? The ridiculously STACKED Cardinals offense goes up against a solid defense while the consistently productive Giants offense goes up against a revamped, yet still mediocre, Cardinals defense. The real battle here is going to be the Giants pass rush against Kurt Warner's fumbling habit. My guess? Justin Tuck 3 - Kurt Warner 0.

Indianapolis @ San Diego:

Ah, the game of under achiever's, well kind-of. What a difference on year makes right? San Diego is one blown call and a miraculous last second touchdown away from being 6-4, but the bottom line is they are still 4-6. Indianapolis has had a TOUGH schedule but have come on as of late and sit at a healthy 6-4. It's going to be interesting to watch this game for two reasons: A) These are both two VERY good teams B) These teams really HATE each other

I'm hoping for the following:

- Un-necessary contact with Peyton Manning, which in turn makes Marvin Harrison lose it and pull out his Glock and shoot Shaun Phillips
- A TD celebration which includes LT pulling out a Colts shirt and pretending to pee on it
- A TD celebration in which a player punts the ball into the stands (how has this not happened yet)
- A "inside scoop" half-time prep talk in which Norv Turner reveals that the rumors are true that he is dying of cancer. Then he reveals to "surprise on-field announcer" Erin Andrews that it "wasn't really true, he just heard stuff likes that sometimes works."
- That new Peyton Manning commercial where he politely turns around every aggressive comment he hears from his hotel staff.

Never mind, now I can watch it whenever I want.