The Saints are going to the playoffs. The only thing still to be determined is date and time. If you still want to say, “It’s not official. They haven’t done anything yet. They could still go 9-7.” Be my guest just sell crazy somewhere else because we are all stocked up here.
What about the rest of the NFC?
Besides the Saints and Vikings I’d say the NFC is mediocrity to the power of 10.
The Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Packers, Bears, 49ers, Falcons, and Panthers will fight it out for three spots. All have huge flaws.
Arizona looks to have locked up the West but they are as up and down as you can get. The Cardinals are great on the road but strangely average at home. By the way, they are they team I absolutely want the Saints to play in the 2nd Round.
I can almost see the so called experts falling all over themselves picking Arizona to upset the Saints.
Why?
Because the Cardinals beat Carolina last year on the road so why wouldn’t it happen again? The Saints are in the NFC South…just like Carolina was.
My it’s practically crazy identical to last year!
(I can almost see Mark Schlereth picking the upset.
“Kurt Warner is a football playing Jesse. A man, a quarterback, a warrior! The Saints haven’t been good since October and if you can’t stop the run you can’t win Super Bowls. I won three. Did you know that? I won three Super Bowls. I won three Super Bowls…”
Why does ESPN subject us to Schlereth and Matt Millen? Do they hate us? Do they want us to curse the heavens and question our own existence?)
Whenever the media picks a playoff upset it never happens.
That’s why I want the Saints to play the Cardinals in the playoffs.
But enough about my wants and needs let’s figure out who will and won’t make the playoffs
Won’t make it
Green Bay: Anytime your coach is a distracted enough to get a part time grounds crew guy fired like Mike McCarthy did you deserve to watch the playoffs from home. Also, Aaron Rogers just got sacked for the fourth time this week and it’s only Thursday! ZING.
Chicago: Jay Cutler. Have you seen this guy? He makes Aaron Brooks leadership skills look Lombardi-like. Although watching him sulk on the sideline like a 13-year old girl who didn’t get Jonas Brothers tickets is delightful.
San Francisco: Their schedule actually is pretty manageable with easy games left (Rams, Lions, and Seahawks). If Alex Smith wasn’t…Alex Smith I’d really like them.
Atlanta: They seem ready to collapse. Michael Turner is injured and Matt Ryan suddenly doesn’t seem like he’ll dominate the next decade.
(By the way the Saints are a great 2010 draft away from owning the NFC South until 2013.)
New York: The only coach funnier in cold weather than Tom Coughlin is Wade Phillips. Coughlin’s face turning blood red in 20-degree weather in late November always makes me giggle. Wade Phillips in the puffy coat and snow cap makes me spit up my beer.
Are we sure Eli Manning’s $100 million contract was a good idea?
Will make it
Carolina: Their schedule isn’t easy (Patriots, Vikings, Saints still to play) but when Jake Delhomme isn’t throwing interceptions they are pretty good. Delhomme is like that one friend we all have who everybody likes but when he’s at social events he makes us nervous. It could all go horribly wrong at a wedding for example. He might say something horrible during the toast or take off his clothes on the dance floor. When he goes wrong…he goes really wrong. Delhomme is like that.
Still, I think the Panthers are playing the Saints third team in the season finale to make the playoffs.
Philadelphia: This pick is pretty dicey. Andy Reid might be horrible at the end of games but he always gets the Eagles to the playoffs. Plus, just for comedy don’t we want Wade Phillips and Andy Reid matching wits in a 1st Round playoff game? I say yes. And for some odd reason I have a soft spot for Wade Phillips. The man was coach of the Saints when I saw them win in the Superdome the first time (A 1985 29-3 mauling of the Rams.) after all.
Dallas: The Cowboys are all over the place. Why does Wade Phillips take all the heat? Yeah he’s not great but offensive coordinator Jason Garrett isn’t exactly making Tony Romo better. How often does it seem the Cowboys fall on their face and it’s the offense’s fault? Wade Phillips coaches the defense. I’m just saying… Dallas has two good receivers (Jason Witten, Miles Austin), a bunch of good runners, and a great pass rush and…. In the NFC that’s enough.
So my second half predictions for the NFC look like this
#1 Saints
#2 Vikings
#3 Cardinals
#4 Cowboys
#5 Eagles
#6 Panthers
On to this week’s games
Last Week: 2-3
Season: 28-22
Tampa Bay (+11.5) vs. New Orleans: The Saints signed 450-year-old Chris McAllister because somebody has to play corner this week. I’m not sure if the move was good or bad but what else was there? The Saints hit the lottery signing another supposedly washed up defensive back (Darren Sharper) so maybe the Saints have the magic touch in the old secondary player market. This game will be highly entertaining. Tampa QB Josh Freeman will make some big plays but the Saints offense will score more. The Reggie Bush revival will be in full effect after this game because Mr. Kim Kardashian is going to have a huge game. So is Drew Brees. I imagine he’s tired of reading about how his turnovers are causing unemployment, global warming, and a swine flu epidemic in Asia.
Saints 38-31
Houston (-4.5) vs. Tennessee: How awesome was octogenarian Bud Adams giving Bills fans the one-finger salute? The only thing funnier than old people cursing and being inappropriate are children under the age of four swearing. Bud really seemed to enjoy himself and I bet he thinks the $250K fine was totally worth it.
Texans 24-23
Indianapolis (-1) at Baltimore: The Colts are only a one-point favorite over a team that only scored 16 points against the Browns? I will let my editor Tom sum up the awfulness that is the Cleveland Browns following Monday night’s loss to Baltimore:
“Has there ever been a worse NFL team than the 2009 Cleveland Browns? I don't care if Detroit and Tampa went winless...there has never been a worse display of football than I witnessed last night.”
Indeed. The 2009 Browns make Ditka’s 1999 Saints look like the 1999 Rams.
Colts in a romp.
Colts 34-13
New England (-10.5) vs. New York Jets: Did you know Jets coach Rex Ryan cried last week after the Jets lost to the Jaguars and it’s all Gregg Williams fault. The Jets were flying high and 3-0 then the Saints defense destroyed Mark Sanchez’s bubble and the Jets then crashed and burned driving Ryan to tears. Gregg Williams what do you have to say for yourself? Probably just more tears for Ryan after another beating by an angry Patriots team.
Patriots 45-10
Chicago (+3) vs. Philadelphia: I’m just picking the Bears because I want the NFC playoff picture to be a total mess. The Eagles always slump in November, their fans go insane, and then they rally in December.
Lovie Smith is either trying really hard to get fired or his team is playing like it wants him fired. I’m still picking them.
Bears 23-20
Ralph Malbrough is a Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at ralphmalbrough@hotmail.com, find him on facebook, or listen to his Saints podcast at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/forecastradio
