While most of the world focuses on the new start of the Major League Baseball season and the NBA playoffs, the guys of the grid iron are hard at work during the off-season. Nearly two weeks after teams wrapped up the 2009 NFL Draft, teams are now holding the customary mini-camp and other off-season festivities. Betus.com has officially released the new odds to win the NFC Championship following the draft and we will take a look at some teams to consider in 2010. Take advantage of off-season odds at our sponsored sports books and consider placing a wager for next year’s Super Bowl contender. We break down who to watch out for in the NFC in 2010 and will follow up with a breakdown of the AFC during the middle of the week.

NFC East

Odds to win the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys +300
New York Giants +150
Philadelphia Eagles +160
Washington Redskins +700

The NFC East is possibly the most unpredictable conference of all-time. Last year all four teams had legitimate chances to win the division throughout the season. The Giants were the most consistent team finishing with a record of 12-4. However, New York really faltered down the stretch after Plaxico Burress was apart of the off the field trouble. The Giants either never got back focused mentally or suffered offensively from not having Burress. The Giants lost 4 of their last 5 games of the season due to the flat offense. New York is a team with a lot of question marks heading into 2010. Could Hakeem Nicks be the spark they need back at wide out to get the offense rolling again? One thing is for sure is that the Giants defense did play solid all year and should be a force again in 2010. Philadelphia caught fire during the 2nd half of the season after Donovan McNabb was benched for the first time in his career. The Eagles defense was another strong unit that played very well. The question this year will be again surrounding the offense and quite possibly McNabb. Will the veteran quarterback have his act together early or will he show more signs of inconsistency? The Eagles top pick Jeremy Maclin could make an immediate impact especially if he gets the chance to help out the special teams. Philadelphia has strong possibility to be strong again as they fell one game short of the Super Bowl last season losing to Arizona. The Dallas Cowboys landed a lot of depth through the off-season, but there are still a lot of question marks in the air. How will the defense play and will the offense be better or worse after Terrell Owens? The Cowboys definitely have the ability to be a front runner, but they late season stumbles have become an unwanted tradition. Washington first round pick Brian Orakpo has a bright future in the NFL. The Redskins simply had problems moving the ball last season and will need more explosiveness. The defense like the rest of the division had its bright spots, but the offense still needs some work. Clinton Portis had strong start to the season running the ball, but that dwindled away towards the end of the year. The Redskins were 5-1 when Portis reached the 100 yard mark and 3-9 when he was held to less than 100 yards.

Pick – Philadelphia +160

NFC North

Odds to win the NFC North:
Chicago Bears +200
Detroit Lions +1500
Green Bay Packers +160
Minnesota Vikings +150

The NFC North is another division that could be wide open in 2010. The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers are both moving in the right direction with their franchises, but how long will it take them to truly get there? The Bears landed a big fish during the off-season with Jay Cutler. Cutler should finally end all the question marks behind center and put the focus on another aspect of the field. The offense lacks the playmakers needed for them to be among the best in the NFC, but things could see an upswing with Cutler at quarterback. The Packers made some moves to fill the defensive side of the ball with the 2009 draft. The Packers were on the verge of having a great year last season. In their 10 losses, 7 of those defeats came by less than 4 points. Turn just half of those around and Green Bay would have been in the playoffs easily. With most of the offense returning and some more depth on defense, look for Green Bay to turn some losses into wins this time around. In this division, 10-6 could win the division again. Minnesota won the North last year behind the legs of Adrian Peterson. Peterson posted 1760 yards on the year and Minnesota developed into an offensive threat during the closing weeks. Percy Harvin could add to the explosiveness or could become a let down as well. The Vikings main concern may be behind center. Gus Frerotte threw 15 picks last season and Tarvaris Jackson just has not been what they have hoped. However, the Vikings will still grind out some wins through a talented running game and a defense that matured at the end of the year. As far as Detroit is concerned, do we really have to consider them for winning the division? The question for this team is how many games they will win this year. Better days are ahead for the Lions, but 2010 would be a success with as little as 4 victories.

Pick – Green Bay +160

NFC South

Odds to win the NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons +180
Carolina Panthers +200
New Orleans Saints +180
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +600

The Carolina Panthers closed out the 2009 regular season out very strong led by one of the best running back duos in the league. DeAngelo Williams had 1515 yards for the season while Jonathan Stewart added 836 yards as well and the two combined for 28 touchdowns. Carolina went out on a limb to draft Everette Brown as Julius Peppers made it public that he was exploring options out of Carolina. The offense will be another similar Panthers offense with Steve Smith at wide out and strong rushing attack. However, Jake Delhomme still has not convinced anyone that he is a true winner. Also, the Panthers will have to defend their NFC South crown from some talented up and coming teams. The New Orleans Saints could be one of the surprise stories this season. The Saints offense is a lot like the Cardinals offense that shined in 2009. However, New Orleans had one of the worse defenses in the league last year that allowed 24.6 points per game. The Saints drafted Malcom Jenkins in the first round that could start from day one in the weak secondary. If the Saints defense could just come together and improve, New Orleans offense could have the Saints marching again. Atlanta will be looking for superstar sophomore quarterback Matt Ryan to lead the Falcons back to the playoffs. The Falcons possess a solid balanced passing and rushing attack that keeps defenses on their hills. If Ryan can continue to impress the world, there is not much reason to bet against the Falcons as they are solid in all aspects of the field. Tampa Bay has finished at 9-7 the past two seasons and mediocrity appears to be the future. The Buccaneers drafted Josh Freeman with their first round pick who they hope can be the Matt Ryan type lottery pick. However, Freeman will need time to develop and nothing looks to immediately impact the struggling offense.

Pick - Atlanta +180

NFC West

Odds to win the NFC Wtst:
Arizona Cardinals +140
San Francisco 49ers +260
Seattle Seahawks +180
St Louis Rams +800

The Arizona Cardinals were the biggest surprise story of 2009. Kurt Warner return to the main stage was a great feel good story, but for the possibly Hall of Fame quarterback it will be another work in progress in 2010. The Cardinals had 3 receivers to reach the 1,000 yard plateau in that impressive offense last season. If Kurt Warner could just hook up with Larry Fitzgerald like they did in the playoffs that could be enough to win the division. After all, the Cardinals won the NFC West last season with only a 9-7 record. The St. Louis Rams completely fell apart last year as they lost their last 10 games of the season. The Rams drafted Jason Smith at the number 2 overall pick to try and help Steven Jackson at running back. Unfortunately, the Rams defense gave up 29 points per game last season which was among the leagues 2nd worse defense. The Rams just have not made enough changes to see a big difference this fall. Seattle sported another weak defense in 2009 that gave up 24.5 points per game. However, Aaron Curry was the best defensive pick in the draft and should give some help in the heart of that defense. The offense needs some playmakers as well before they can contend with the rest of the NFC. However, the Seahawks may have what it takes already to contend in this division. San Francisco actually finished the year fairly well despite only having a 7-9 record for the year. The 49ers lost 6 straight games through the middle of the season, but did finish winning 5 of their last 7. Michael Crabtree should add excitement at wide receiver and Glen Coffee is a downhill runner who may be very under rated. The 49ers could just focus on the NFC West wins and make some noise in the division race next season.

Pick – Arizona/San Francisco

The 2009 NFL Draft turned out to be an exciting and unpredictable event as usual. The staff here at bankrollsports.com did a pretty good job with our prop bet picks so hopefully that added some extra money to your wallet. If you are wondering how your favorite team did in the draft, don’t worry we have a full review and grade for every team. For many teams, their selections could make immediate impacts on the field next season while other teams selections may need some time before they make a difference on Sunday. Check out the teams that did well and the teams that could have managed their selections better in our NFC Draft Grades. Also, be sure to check back to see how the AFC faired in tomorrow’s report.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals got a big boost when they were able to snatch Chris “Beanie” Wells at the end of the first round. Wells give speed and explosive to the back field was has been missing in action. Imagine Arizona having a running game to go with their air attack. Wells ability for an immediate impact will be sought after, but that could be asking a bit much. LB Cody Johnson and safety Rashad Johnson should fill some needs on defense, but both players will need time to develop. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B

Atlanta Falcons

I believe it is safe to say that Atlanta was focused on filling the need on the defensive side of the ball. The Falcons drafted 6 out of 7 defensive players over the weekend. Peria Jerry was selected 24^th at the defensive tackle position. While we do not see most of these guys coming in to make immediate impacts, the defense could become a force in a few years. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers went well out of their way to secure selecting defensive end Everette Brown. Brown was listed as high as a top 5 pick on a few draft boards before fading in the final weeks. With questions looming around Julius Pepper’s future at Carolina, the Brown move makes a lot of sense to keep the defensive effective as they need to be. Sherrod Martin and Captain Munnerlyn both were chosen at the safety positions. Munnerlyn was a last round sleeper and Martin could get playing time early.  Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Chicago Bears

Well the Bears biggest move over the off-season was their trade to get Jay Cutler, but they still have a lot of concerns. The Bears got Juaquin Iglesias with the 2nd pick in the draft. The former Oklahoma wide out was a step slower than most in the combines and I believe he could be a bust. The bottom line is we do not see things taking any dramatic turns here. Overall NFL Draft Grade: C

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys gave up some early round picks in other transactions, but picked up a lot of late round picks that should add depth to the lineup. Some experts say they did not feel their need in the secondary, but I believe Michael Hamlin out of Clemson is a considerable sleeper. LB Jason Williams could see some playing time considering how inconsistent the Cowboys have been in the middle of the field. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Detroit Lions

It definitely helps when you have the overall number 1 pick in the draft and then you also have another late first pick to back that up. Matthew Stafford has all the ingredients to be a long term quarterback and late first round selection Brandon Pettigrew is an excellent addition. Pettigrew does everything well from blocking to catching passes. Detroit definitely had needs all over the field, but these two picks could really blossom into something nice. Overall NFL Draft Grade: A-

Green Bay Packers

The Packers possibly the best job of any team over the weekend. Grabbing DT B.J Raji was a perfect solution to the new defense. Clay Matthews will add more support in the 4 linebacker figuration. Offensive tackles T.J Lang and Jamon Meredith should come in and give Green Bay some much needed depth along the front line. Looking back no other team fit their specific needs as well as the Packers. Overall NFL Draft Grade: A

Minnesota Vikings

This could be one of the disappointment classes for the Vikings. Actually it could go either way as they have some talented players, but a lot of question marks surrounding them. Percy Harvin was tremendous at the college level, but size could play a factor. However, Harvin could make it the size factor with blazing speed all depending on how he fits into Minnesota’s offense. Jasper Brinkley had big junior season at South Carolina, but suffered a knee injury and red shirted his true senior year. Brinkley looked a step slower in all directions after the injury and that could throw up some red flags for the long haul. Overall Draft Grade: C plus

New Orleans Saints

The Saints did a fairly solid job over the off-season. Selecting Malcom Jenkins at the number 14 overall selection was a strong pick considering Jenkins could become a legitimate defensive force and quickly. Jenkins was the only pick in the first 3 rounds considering other transactions that acquired Jonathon Vilma and Jeremy Shockey. Chip Vaughn should also give defensive support in the distant future as well which was a big need for New Orleans after a dreadful secondary last season. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

New York Giants

Hakeem Nicks was a gamble selection in the first round, but could be a big time player. William Beatty should have been taken earlier and New York benefited from the offensive tackle being overlooked. WR Rhamses Bardin at one time or another was a sleeper pick on nearly every board and is another big target for Eli Manning. While it’s unfair sometimes to lay an entire class in the hands of one player, this one definitely falls on Nick’s ability to progress into an every down receiver. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles got a few selections that could make immediate impacts while a few others may never see the field. Jeremy Maclin could be a special team’s explosive threat and eventually develop into a big time receiver that possesses a lot of speed. After RB LeSean McCoy and Cornelius Ingram selections, it was a big fall off. However, those 3 guys should make some type of difference. The question is how long will that take? Overall NFL Draft Grade: C+

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco did not necessarily have a bad class of players, but just wondering if they really addressed the needs. However, Michael Crabtree has the size and hands to make him an exciting offensive threat. Expect to see Crabtree on the field this year and by the 2^nd half of the season to become a threat. Many have doubts on Alabama’s Glen Coffee, but he is a solid hard nose runner that should be able to find away to get playing time in the future. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B

Seattle Seahawks

Aaron Curry was listed as high as a possible number one selection and to be honest he may very well be the best all-around player in this year’s class. Curry will be a threat up the middle for some time to come. 2^nd round selection Max Unger has a lot of upside. He has great quickness for a center and could be used in a lot of pull down running situations. Expect WR Deon Butler to also find the field before too long as well. The entire group may not be a solid as hoped, but some solid talent nonetheless. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B+

St. Louis Rams

The Rams chose Jason Smith as the top offensive linemen in possibly the most talented class in the history of offensive big men. Smith could be ready to play on Sunday today and do not expect it to take him long to be extremely effective. James Laurinatis is another solid grab in the second round. St. Louis has had some problems with keeping guys on the field for long periods of time. These two selections should put those worries to rest. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers may get some eventual help from QB Josh Freeman who they selected in the first round. Freeman appears to have what it takes to make the field and be an effective quarterback, but still will need time to learn. DT Roy Miller and DE Kyle Moore should add some depth to the defensive side of the ball. However, the big problem with this class is that there is not one person that is going to come in and make an impact. At best they may have two or 3 guys in a few years to develop into solid players, but again that is only at best. Overall NFL Draft Grade: D

Washington Redskins

Brian Orakpo has the speed and explosiveness that NFL experts were drooling over after the NFL combines. Orakpo definitely has the ability to have a long tenure in the league. Kevin Barnes is a solid cover guy who could also make his way onto the field next season. After these two guys, the Redskins are another team that had a big drop off towards the bottom of the class. Robert Henson was a late selection that could blossom, but there will need to be a lot of work done to change some bad habits. Overall NFL Draft Grade: C+

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On November, 28th New York Giants superstar wide receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg while carrying a concealed weapon. At the time, the New York Giants were 10-1 on the field clearly the best team in the NFC and perhaps the entire NFL. However when Burress troubles began, so did the Giants troubles on the field. Plax caught the game winning touchdown in last Year’s Super Bowl and was a huge threat for the New York offense. When Burress issues kept him off the field, the New York Giants air assault vanished. The Giants closed out the season losing 4 of their last 6 games without Burress. QB Eli Manning only averaged 180 yards per game the rest of the season and the New York offense that had been so dominant become average at best. Plaxico Burress could be the blame in the Giants downfall, but then again it could be the Giants were simply not as good as many may have assumed. Plaxico Burress was not having an exceptional year only catching 35 passes for 454 yards, but his off the field issues definitely seemed to affect the Giants in the long run.

Burress was later convicted of two felony charges for a concealed weapon and criminal weapon charge with the initial possibility of serving up to 7 years in prison. Burress later would post a $100,000 dollar bond and walked out of jail until his next hearing in late March. However, the New York Giants suspended their star wide receiver for the remainder of the season. The popular belief quickly became clear that it would be unlikely if Plaxico ever stepped on the football field wearing a Giants jersey with some rumors claiming he would never play in the NFL again. However Burress is likely going to get the opportunity to play football again when that will be is the big question, but most people doubt that it will be for the Giants. After all, this is not the first time Plaxico has been in off the field issues. Even most recently new legal troubles have submerged; there are now reports that have been released with a new law suit against Burress in the last few days. Apparently, Burress agreed to appear in some publicity events for a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche for a car dealer. Not only did Burress not appear for those events, but the car was impounded by police while a friend had the car. The car had damages and was never returned to the original owner. Burress is being sued for the value of the car.

The question now is if and where will Plaxico will play next season? Monday a statement came out describing how the Giants General Management declared how valuable Burress is to the team and how much they missed him during the playoffs. The statement also stated the if Burress could avoid prison time and get cleared to play next season that the Giants would still be interested in keeping him on the team. Plaxico still has the chance to receive prison time depending on how the court rules on his weapons charges on March 31st. It will be an interesting ruling with big implications. If Burress does escape without having to do time like so many popular names do, the focus will then go back to the Giants and what they decide to do with their star wide out.

The Giants offense with Burress averaged near an NFL best 29.9 points per game. However after the Burress incident, the Giants only averaged 18 points per game to close the season. Clearly that is no coincidence considering all the attention defense show when Plaxico lines up on offense. While his numbers were down this season, the primary reason for that was teams doubled down on Burress and forced the offense to beat them in other ways. Something the Giants were doing well. Once Burress left the passing game went as well. New York then focused on the running game to carry them the rest of the season. Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs performed well both eclipsing the 1,000 yard barrier on the season. The problem is that New York became one dimensional. Defenses loaded the box to stop the run and the passing offense could never capitalize like it could when Burress was in the lineup.

There is a ton of different ways you could look at Plaxico’s situation and it is interesting to hear what the public’s opinions are as well. Does Burress deserve jail time considering he knew he was breaking the law by carrying a handgun? Or you could say he is a star football player that carried a handgun for protection and all this is a situation gone bad. The Giants organization is in a no win situation. If they do not keep their star receiver, then they will be criticized tremendously for turning loose one of the biggest factors of their potent offense. If they keep Burress on the team, they will still be criticized for taking it lightly and if any more situations were to arise then it hurts the Giants reputation that much more. How do the Giants fans feel about this? Do you want your playmaker back on offense for 2009 or do you ship him away given he gets cleared to play? I would love to hear how the readers feel on this subject that will consistently make headlines during the off-season.

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The Division Playoff Round is out of the picture along with yet another exciting and crazy weekend of football leaving us with NFL’s version of the final four. Championship weekend is among us as we have a pair of games to determine both the NFC and AFC Titles and more importantly decide who will be playing in this year’s Super Bowl. Amazingly the NFC will be hosted by the #5 and #6 seeded teams in the Title game for the first time in history when the Arizona Cardinals host the Philadelphia Eagles. The AFC match-up will be a colossal rematch between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens dominated the majority of the game earlier this year, but Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a game winning drive late in the 4^th quarter to steal the victory. Take a look at what to watch for during Championship weekend.

NFC Championship

Philadelphia Eagles (11-6-1) at Arizona Cardinals (11-7)

The Arizona Cardinals have been the biggest surprise this postseason. The Cardinals started off the year strong, but were nearly written off for dead losing their last 4 of 6 games of the regular season. However, the Cardinals would find the spark that would need to ignite their electrifying air assault. The Cardinals blew out the Carolina Panthers last week 33-13 a team that many people thought were the best in the NFC heading into the playoffs Arizona will host their first playoff game this weekend since 1947 and will become the final NFC team to host at least one home playoff game. Kurt Warner has looked solid finding targets Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Boldin missed last week’s game and his status for the NFC Championship game is unknown. Larry Fitzgerald has been spectacular to say the least. Averaging 130 yards per game in the playoffs receiving with a pair of touchdowns, Fitzgerald has been uncontrollable for opposing secondary. The Cardinals will match up well again this week when they lead a high power offense against a brutal Philadelphia defense. The Eagles defense has been superb especially in the trenches. The best way to attack the Philadelphia defense if there is any is to try and pick apart the secondary. Warner and company will attempt to shock the world once again and earn a bid to the Super Bowl when they host the Eagles on Sunday.

Philadelphia has looked scary good during the playoffs and knocked off the defending Super Bowl Champions last week 23-11. The Eagles are flying high since their 5-5-1 start this season equaling 6 victories in their last 7 games. Philadelphia is getting it done on the defensive side of the ball. The Eagles have not allowed over 14 points in 6 straight games and only allowing 10.8 points per contest during that stretch. The Eagles may have surprised many with their victory over the Giants, but I knew if New York did not make some plays through the air that they would be in for a long day. The Eagles have opened up as 3 point favorites over the Cardinals and they will have to withstand a strong passing game that was 2^nd best in the NFL this season averaging 292 yards per game. The Eagles let some Giants receivers get open last week, but New York failed to make the big plays. The Eagles secondary will have to be solid this weekend to slow down the Arizona passing game. Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb has been wonderful since being benched in week 12 for not performing up to par. Since that time, McNabb has averaged 240 passing yards per game with 11 touchdowns and only 4 picks. McNabb has the offense back to performing the way they should have been all year. Michael Westbrook is a big time playmaker that had a big 71 yard screen pass that lifted the Eagles over Minnesota in the first week of the playoffs. Westbrook was not very effective last week, but his presence alone is a big play threat for the Eagles offense. The Eagles made a Super Bowl appearance in 2005. McNabb and Westbrook will look to lead the Eagles back with a win over the Cardinals.

AFC Championship

Baltimore Ravens (13-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4)

The first meeting between these teams this season was a wonderful defensive football game and the re-match has all the makings to be very similar. In the first meeting, Santonio Holmes caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger with 43 seconds left to get the victory over the Ravens 13-9. The Steelers have been nearly untouchable in the latter part of the year winning 7 of their last 8 games against some of the best teams in the NFL. Pittsburgh had a convincing performance last week when they man-handled the San Diego Chargers 35-24. Pittsburgh has one of the best defenses to ever step on an NFL field. The Steelers rank 1^st, 1^st, 2^nd, and 1^st in all 4 major defensive categories. Pittsburgh’s success is based around the performance of the defense because before last week the offense had really not been that good. The Steelers offense only averages 21 points per game along with 312 yards of total offense that both rank in the bottom half of the NFL. However when you have defense as talented as this unit, like the 2000 Baltimore Ravens proved that alone can be enough to win a Super Bowl. The Steelers looked like more of an offensive team last week, but that could be due to a poor San Diego defense as well. Still Pittsburgh is playing very well. Willie Parker leads the way on the ground and had a big performance against the Chargers. When Parker is effective on the ground, the Steelers are nearly impossible to defeat. Parker racked up 146 yards and 2 touchdowns last week and will get a load of carries this weekend for certain. Pittsburgh has yet to lose a game this season when Parker rushes for at least 50 yards or more. The Steelers defense will certainly be stout, but will the Pittsburgh offense be strong enough to hold off the Ravens for a second time?

I said before the playoffs started the Baltimore Ravens looked like the best prepared team to really make a strong run at a Super Bowl. The Ravens have really matured on the offensive side of the ball and the defense is a very tough unit. Baltimore has played better than anyone in the 2^nd half of the season winning 11 of their last 13 games. In the last 8 games, Baltimore is only allowing 10.2 points per game. If you throw out the Cowboys high scoring game, the Ravens are only allowing an amazing 8 points per contest. On top of that, the Baltimore offense has really come around late in the year. Rookie QB Joe Flacco is throwing more passes and controlling the ball well. The Ravens ground game has been solid this season as well behind the legs of Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee. Both running backs will share carries and they have both shown the can be effective backs. Baltimore was shut down by the Pittsburgh offense in their last meeting only putting up 202 total yards. The offense should have a bit more confidence this time around and it will be interesting to see if they can get the job done. The turnovers will be a key category in this game. Last meeting, both teams have two turnovers a piece and it will be very crucial for each team to hold onto the ball in a field position type ball game. Look for this ball game to possibly be another very low scored game controlled by defense.

The NFL Playoff scenario is set in stone after a season of teams battling to earn their right to play in the postseason. Many teams had already clinched going into week 17 this Sunday, but many others had fight their way in during the last week of the season. The San Diego Chargers blasted the Denver Broncos 52-21 to win the pitiful AFC West. The Chargers have the worse record amongst any playoff opponents at (8-8) and benefit from a weak division. Other teams that had to earn their way in this past weekend include the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles blew out the struggling Cowboys 44-6 to pick up the final wildcard spot in the NFC. The Eagles really come on strong winning 4 of their last 5 games to edge into the playoffs. The Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens both clinched playoff berths in the AFC with wins this week improving to 11-5. The Dolphins won the division with a 24-17 win over the Jets while the Ravens earned a wildcard spot knocking off the Jaguars 27-7. The Atlanta Falcons also were another team that earned their way in the postseason with a close win over the Rams 31-27.

There were a number of promising teams that were left out of the playoffs this season and highlighting that group are the New England Patriots. The Patriots were perfect in the regular season a year ago, but were plagued with key injuries this season. The Patriots needed a Miami loss along with their win over the Bills this Sunday, but things were not meant to be. Brett Farve possible final season in the NFL ended on a sour note as the Jets failed to beat the Dolphins. The Jets started the year really strong and at one point this season seemed like the class of the AFC. However, the Jets lost 4 of their last 5 games on a terrible month of football. The Dallas Cowboys have had the most consistent troubles closing out seasons in the last decade. The Cowboys have been known for under achieving late in the season and they were blown out in a game that would have put them in the playoffs in week 17 against the Eagles. Dallas still has not won a playoff games since the 1996 season. Tampa Bay lost every game in December dropping 4 in a row to miss the playoffs. The Buccaneers were a promising NFC team going into that stretch, but simply could not close out the season. Despite the teams that are in and out, the playoff picture is set. The next few weeks of football promise to be exciting and fun to watch. Here is a breakdown of how the playoff bracket looks and a preview of next week’s games.

As you can see the New York Giants are the #1 seed in the NFC meaning they will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs while Tennessee Titans have the #1 seed in the AFC. Both # 1 and # 2 seeds will have first round byes and the #1 seeds will play the lowest seeded team to advance from the wildcard round. The Carolina Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers will both get first round byes as #2 seeds as well this week.

Miami vs. Baltimore

The Dolphins really come on strong towards the end of the season winners of their last 5 games this year. The Dolphins pulled off possibly the best turnaround in NFL history. A year after only winning one game they ended the season 11-5 and winners of the AFC East. Miami will have a tough task to keep the streak going against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens as usual are led by strong and talented defense. Defensively, the Ravens can play with anyone in the NFL. However, it will be interesting to see how rookie QB Joe Flacco performs in the postseason with no prior experience. I don’t know how the betting public will favor on this game, but the Ravens look primed to end the Dolphins winning streak in this match-up.

Indianapolis vs. San Diego

Before week 17 the majority of people around the nation would have thought the Colts would be a lock in this game. On the other hand, the Chargers demolished the Denver racking up 52 points in the process. All of a sudden San Diego has won 4 straight and are possibly one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs. Indianapolis has been even hotter winning 9 straight games behind QB Peyton Manning. The Colts have some key players who have been in this position before and that experience always helps. This game looks to be an exciting battle between two streaky teams. Expect some points to be scored in this game as well.

Arizona vs. Atlanta

Arizona really looked good until the last month of the regular season. The Cardinals dropped 4 of their last 6 games with their only two victories in that stretch coming over rather weak opponents. Atlanta on the other hand has been improving all season behind rookie sensation QB Matt Ryan. Ryan looks like a superstar in the making, but heading into this game he lacks any playoff experience. Keep your eye on the passing game for the Cardinals. QB Kurt Warner and the offense were putting up big numbers most of the season before mellowing out down the stretch. Arizona will need a big offense performance against a talented Falcons team.

Philadelphia vs. Minnesota

The Eagles surprised the nation in how easily they handled Dallas in week 17. Philadelphia closed out the season very strong winning 4 of their last 5 games against quality opponents. QB Donovan Mcnabb has overcome mid-season controversy surrounding his performance and is playing well in recent weeks. The Vikings sport the best ground game in the NFL behind the amazing ability of running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson’s play will be the difference in this game. If Philadelphia can keep Peterson from making a number of big plays, they will have a good chance in this game if they continue their stellar play.

The first week of the NFL Playoffs looks to be very exciting. While I am sure they will probably be a surprise or two, it is almost impossible to predict who is playing the best football right now. Unlike previous years where you had clear favorites, anyone this season has a legitimate shot to make the Super Bowl. These set of teams making up the 2009 playoffs are perhaps the most evenly match from top to bottom to ever make the playoffs in quite some time. Keep an eye on how these teams play this coming weekend and how the playoffs will unwind down the stretch.

With only two weeks to go in the regular football season there are still a bunch of teams battling for playoff positions and games to watch going into week 16 in the NFL. Looking back it was definitely a wild week in professional football with a number of huge plays and unlikely winners. The Dallas Cowboys had a full week of controversy surrounding their offensive standouts. Star wide receiver Terrell Owens accused QB Tony Romo of throwing the ball to tight end Jason Witten too often and it lead to a media field day. However, the Cowboys dominated the New York Giants Sunday night to win 20-8. The Giants were a team many thought clearly to be the best in the NFC. The win put the Cowboys who seemed like a long shot for the playoffs back in the captain’s seat for a wildcard spot. The Giants on the other hand dropped two in a row and now will play in a huge game next week against the Carolina Panthers to determine who has home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Carolina Panthers on the other hand continue to prove why many are considering them favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The Panthers trampled the Broncos 30-10 and improved their home record this season to 8-0. A win next week would make the Panthers very difficult to beat considering they would get the rest of their games at Bank of America Stadium. The Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings both got wins in their quest to win the NFC North. Both teams records are likely not good enough to earn a wildcard position and they are battling it out to try and win the division. The Vikings need one more win to clinch the division, but they will take on two of the better teams in the NFC in the New York Giants and the Atlanta Falcons. The Bears must run the table against the Packers and Texans because a single loss would end their postseason hopes.

The Washington Redskins troubles continued as they fell victim to the Cincinnati Bengals 20-13. The Redskins have just been torn apart in recent weeks losing 5 of their last 6 games. Sunday’s loss to the Bengals officially eliminated Washington from the playoff picture. The Philadelphia Eagles are set to collide with the Cleveland Browns primetime on Monday night. The Eagles still have an outside shot at making the playoffs and must win their last 3 games. A single loss will eliminate the Eagles from contention. The Eagles have been playing well and if they could pull of the 3 wins, they still could quite possibly need some help to still make the playoffs. However, with absolutely nothing to lose you can expect Philadelphia to keep up their stellar of recent weeks.

One of the more anticipated match-ups heading into last week showcased the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons desperately needed a win and that is exactly what they got as they edged the Bucs out by a field goal in overtime 13-10. Both teams now stand at a season record of 9-5 with the Cowboys. The Buccaneers hold the tie-breaker over the Falcons, but with two games to go anything can happen. Especially considering how well the Falcons are playing and the Buccaneers have now lost two straight. The Falcons really need to win their last two games because one loss simply does not look like it will get the job done. The Arizona Cardinals have already clinched the NFC West, but have now lost 3 of their last 4 games including a blowout loss to the Vikings Sunday 35-14. The Cardinals must get the offense back to playing as they did early in the season. The Cardinals looked like a team that could possibly surprise a few teams a few weeks ago and now look like they could be a cake walk in the first round.

In the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers held a classic grudge match between their two stellar defenses. The Ravens lead nearly the entire game, but the Steelers would stage a comeback in the 4^th quarter for the 2^nd time in two weeks to clinch the AFC North. Pittsburgh now has the opportunity in a big game against the Tennessee Titans this week to earn the chance at home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Titans and the Steelers both have already earned first round byes, but are now fighting for the home field and whoever wins this weekend will claim the home turf. On the other hand, the Ravens are now in a 4 way tie for the final wildcard spot and cannot afford a single loss. The AFC is as tough this year as it has been in the last decade and if a quality caliber team like the Ravens misses the playoffs this season that will say a lot for how strong the AFC has played this season.

The Indianapolis Colts held off a valiant effort from the winless Detroit Lions this week to win 31-21. The Colts now have a record of 10-4 and are one win away from clinching a wildcard position because they would win all tie-breakers due to the fact they only have two losses in the AFC. The AFC East division is wild horse race with 3 teams tied at 9-5 including the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots. The Jets hold the tie-breaker as of now, but every team will need to win out. New York received a gift on one of the wildest plays of the weekend. Down by 3 points to the Bills with under 2 ½ minutes to go in the game, QB J.P Losman fumbled the football that led to a Jets recovery for a touchdown. The play was huge in keeping the Jets in playoff contention and an absolute nightmare for the Bills. Buffalo should have been running the ball, but tried to get fancy and it cost them big time. That single play had huge consequences for a number of team’s playoff chances and hopes.

The Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots both picked up wins this weekend keeping pace with the New York Jets. The Patriots may have a slight advantage considering Miami and New York will meet in the last game of the season. The Patriots blew out the Raiders 49-26 and will get two struggling teams in Arizona and Buffalo to close out the season. Miami held on to a defensive battle to beat the 49ers 14-9 as well Sunday. The Dolphins victory kept things on the right path and they will need two more wins for a chance at the playoffs. Baltimore, Miami, New England, and New York all stand at the 9-5 mark and one loss would be devastating for any of those teams. The Ravens have perhaps been the strongest of the 4 this season, but they will take on the Dallas Cowboys in what appears to be a tough game next week. Week 16 in the NFL season promises to be as exciting as this past week as these playoff contenders leave everything on the field in their quest to make the postseason.

Early this week we broke down the entire AFC playoff race. Now we take a look at the NFC playoff picture and where each playoff contender stands. Who possibly could be the best team and which teams could make a deep run in the postseason.

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New York Giants (11-2) – The Giants own the best record in the NFC and the 2^nd best record in the NFL. They have officially clinched the NFC East and are one game away from a first round bye. New York took a blow from the Philadelphia Eagles last week in a 20-14 defeat. Star WR Plexico Burress is out for the year after the gunshot wound and weapons charges he is currently facing. Will the distraction be enough to derail one of the NFL’s hottest teams? The former Super Bowl Champions have backed up last year’s season well and are favorites to win the NFC. However, one must wonder if New York may have peaked too soon?

Dallas Cowboys (8-5) – The Cowboys looked in good position last week to score a huge victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then the Steelers routed 17 straight points in the final 7 minutes of the game to beat Dallas. The loss really hurt the Cowboys chances at making the postseason given they have a really tough schedule the rest of the way. Many believe Dallas has to win out to make the playoffs, but I believe they still have a good shot if they win at least two of their last 3 games. The Cowboys will hold the tie-breaker over Tampa Bay and Atlanta if those teams were to end with the same record. Still Dallas has to play New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Two wins may be asking enough much less three.

Washington Redskins (7-6) – The Redskins are mathematically still in the hunt even though their chances do not look good. Washington is in dire need to win out or the playoff hopes will be gone. Even if the Redskins do win out they could still need some help from other teams to advance. Washington has a fairly soft schedule the rest of the way but they have a classic NFC East battle with Philadelphia in a few weeks. The Redskins have lost 4 of their last 5 games and the offense has been missing in action. The Redskins have a tall mountain to climb in this one and will most likely not being playing after the regular season.

Philadelphia Eagles (7-5-1) – Ironically a tie is better than a loss. Philadelphia stands much better chance to make the playoffs with that tie and they are playing well right now. The Eagles defeated the Giants last week and blew out Arizona the week before. Their last 3 games are against Cleveland, Washington, and Dallas. The Eagles will be favored to win the first two and the battle with Dallas could very well decide which one of those teams earns the final wildcard spot. The Eagles really need to run the table because a loss would most likely eliminate all chances they have.

Minnesota Vikings (8-5) – The Vikings had a slow start to the regular season losing 3 out of their first 4 games. However, Minnesota rebound nicely and now has won 5 of their last 6 games led by running back Adrian Peterson. The Vikings benefit from a weaker conference and hold a one game advantage of the Chicago Bears. Minnesota has a tough road ahead taking on teams like New York Giants, Arizona, and Atlanta to close out the season. The best option for the Vikings is to hope the Bears can not close the gap in the NFC North.

Chicago Bears (7-6) – Despite having a record barely over .500 the Bears still have a good chance to win the NFC North. Chicago has struggled to post the necessary points to keep up with a few teams and they need to catch on surge on the offensive side of the ball. While they definitely have the softer schedule compared to the Vikings, the Bears will have to win at the very least two games to have a chance. If there happen to be a tie with Minnesota, the Bears would lose to the tie-breaker making their chances even dimmer.

Carolina Panthers (10-3) – The Panthers captured their biggest win of the season last Monday night manhandling the Buccaneers 38-23 in route to nearly 300 yards on the ground. The Panthers have emerged out of the NFC South and are playing very well. Carolina has the tools similar to Tennessee in the AFC in a very dangerous ground attack and a superb defense. Notice how the Titans are doing in the AFC, this type of football works. Despite the strong record the Panthers still can not afford to slip as Tampa could hold the tie-breaker by the end of the season with a better in conference record. Still, Carolina will most likely be in the playoffs and will probably find a way to win the division. The Panthers have the ingredients to beat anybody in the NFL and primed for a deep run in the postseason. If the Panthers manage to win out, they will get home field advantage throughout the playoffs which would be huge considering they have not lost at home all season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-4) – The Buccaneers could have really helped themselves with a victory over Carolina last week. Now they will take on the Atlanta Falcons in a game of equal importance. The Bucs had won 4 in a row prior to last week’s loss and they need to rebound and score a victory. The Buccaneers last 3 games involve two AFC opponents. This could really help because even if they loss it would be an out of conference loss which would help in tie-breaking scenarios. Tampa Bay will be favorites to win two of those games convincingly and a win over Atlanta would pretty much seal the deal. The Tampa Bay vs. Atlanta game could be an elimination game for both teams.

Atlanta Falcons (8-5) – The Falcons suffered a disappointing loss last week 29-24 from the New Orleans Saints. Atlanta still has a reasonable chance to make the playoff, but absolutely must beat Tampa Bay this weekend. Rookie QB Matt Ryan is a superstar in the making and is getting better week by week. Atlanta has a legitimate chance to win out and they may just have to because two wins may not be enough. Since week 4 every loss the Falcons faced, they have bounced back with two straight wins. Well this time they will need to bounce back with 3 straight wins. A loss to Tampa Bay however will end all hopes.

Arizona Cardinals (8-5) – Arizona clinched the NFC West last week with a win over the St. Louis Rams. Kurt Warner has led the Cardinal offense that has become one of the best in the NFL. Arizona offense can give any opposing defense nightmares. The Cardinals are another team that benefits from a weak conference, but they can be a legitimate threat. The Arizona defense has in return struggled this season giving up 25 points per game. If the defense could come on strong and catch a late season surge, this could be a very dangerous football team.

The following teams are completely eliminated from the NFC playoff picture: Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams

The following teams aren’t eliminated but have absolutley no chance: New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins

The following teams are not even worthy of mentioning: “The Winless Detroit Lions”