The NBA regular season will end later this week as we head towards the post-season. The Cleveland Cavaliers have locked up home court advantage throughout their Eastern Conference playoff run and are one game away from clinching home court advantage in the NBA Finals if they can make it that far in the playoffs. The Cavaliers are coming off a huge blowout win over the defending Champions the Boston Celtics 107-76 on Sunday. The Cavaliers big win over the number 2 ranked team in the East is actually Cleveland’s biggest victory in franchise history over the Celtics. The Cavaliers amazing home game run extended to a mark of 38-1 inside Quicken Loans Arena with the victory. The Cavaliers appear to be big favorites considering they will get the majority of the games at home were they have been unstoppable. However, the Eastern Conference has been extremely tough this year as Orlando blew out Cleveland a few short weeks ago similar to the Cavaliers big win over Boston. The 3 horse race all season out of the East will carry over to the post-season. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the big favorites after a big win over Denver last Thursday night. The return of Andrew Bynum will only be more beneficial for the Lakers who have appeared as the top notch team in the West all season. However teams like Denver, Houston, and Portland have really closed out the year strong and could be teams to put together impressive runs in the playoffs. We give brief breakdown of the major contenders for the 2009 NBA Playoffs along with their odds to win it all.

Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers (7/5)

The Cavaliers extremely impressive home record makes them big favorites in the NBA playoffs. Their 38-1 record is among the best ever string of runs by a home team in NBA history. Lebron James is averaged 28.3 points per game, but more importantly is getting a lot of help from the rest of the team. Cleveland only lost one game all season at home meaning for them to be beaten in the playoffs a team is going to have to win at least one game in Cleveland while sweeping the Cavaliers away from Cleveland. Good luck with that.

Boston Celtics (4/1)

The Celtics chances to repeat as NBA Champions took a big hit with their embarrassing loss to Cleveland. However, Boston has played very well to close out the season winning 8 of their last 10 games. The Celtics are another team that plays very well at home with a 34-6 record for the season. However, Boston is only 4-4 against Orlando and Cleveland on the year meaning they have been anything but dominant over the top teams in the East. Still the Celtics know what it takes to be Champions, but can they do it again?

Orlando Magic (8/1)

The Magic got the big win over Cleveland back in the first week of April, but they have now lost 3 of their last 4 games. Orlando got off to a tremendous start to the season, but really suffered a hit with the loss of Jameer Nelson despite putting together some solid winning streaks in recent weeks. Also, Rashard Lewis will likely miss the final games of the regular season with a knee injury and the Magic simply look to be too banged up down the stretch to be a legitimate threat as they appeared earlier this year.

Team to Watch – Chicago Bulls (100/1)

The Chicago Bulls have won 4 straight games and 12 of their last 15 games during that stretch. Chicago has put together a solid home record this season that is always crucial during the post season. If the Bulls can keep up the momentum and get some more big performances from Ben Gordon, they could really pull off a string off upsets and perhaps take down either Boston or Orlando who they will be likely playing in the opening round.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers (8/5)

Thursday night’s victory over the emerging Denver Nuggets was icing on the cake for Western Conference bragging rights. The Lakers simply looked too strong for their closest competitors in the West and are big favorites at 4/9 favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. The Lakers got beat by a streaking Portland team on Friday 106-98, but they still appear to be too strong in terms of being beat in an entire series. The Lakers have had more problems with the teams in the Eastern Conference this season and until someone proves us wrong we will ride the Lakers bandwagon.

Denver Nuggets (20/1)

The Nuggets are really playing well to close out the season despite their setback to the Lakers last Thursday. Carmelo Anthony and J.R Smith are becoming a dynamic duo posting big figures every night. The Nuggets have put together wins in 13 of their last 15 games The Nuggets could face the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round if things were to stay the same. Denver would not mind the pairing considering they are a perfect 4-0 on the season against Dallas. If the Nuggets could keep the momentum rolling I am sure they will be eager to get their chance at a series with the Lakers.

Portland Trailblazers (25/1)

The Trailblazers are in a heated battle with the Houston Rockets for 3rd place in the West as both teams stand at a mark of 52-28. The Trailblazers and the Rockets have also both put on a solid 4 game winning streak as Portland will get the Thunder and the Nuggets in the final two games. The battle for 3rd dictates whether they will get New Orleans or San Antonio in the playoffs. The Trailblazers have played the most solid basketball the 2nd half of the season and they should give teams problems if they can stay hot.

Team to watch – Houston Rockets (20/1)

The Rockets have put together 4 straight wins along with Portland. The only difference is Houston beat up on the Trailblazers 102-88 to start their winning streak. The Rockets have what it takes to match-up with the other teams from the West in the playoffs giving them a chance to knock off some wins in the postseason. The only thing is the Rockets have failed to beat the Lakers once this season at 0-4 meaning any dream type run at an NBA Finals may be more of a dream than a reality.

The NBA regular season a little more than halfway through and there is a pretty clear sight of who are the front runners with the chance for a few more teams to make a surprise down the stretch. The Eastern Conference appears to be the strength of the league with the powerhouses of Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando. Out West we still await a contender to emerge to be able to challenge the L.A Lakers and the most likely team to take that role is the San Antonio Spurs. At this time in the season is when all the predictions start coming out and the betting lines are changing every day with new future odds. We break down the top 3 teams in each conference and provide some insight on some teams to keep an eye on that could surprise down the stretch.

Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics (36-9)

The defending NBA Champions had the best start in NBA history at 27-2. However, the Celtics rang in the New Year poorly losing 4 out of their first 5 games and even 7 out of 9 at one point. The tough weeks of basketball exposed the first sign of troubles from Boston that we have seen in some time. Despite the tough stretch that featured 3 of 4 of their last losses on the road, Boston has bounced back with a vengeance. The Celtics have now knocked off 7 straight wins including a big win over what many call the best team in the league the Orland Magic last Thursday night 90-80. The difference in the wins and losses is how the Celtics play defense. In the Celtics last 4 defeats, the opponents were averaging 100.2 points per game. However, in the last 7 victories the Celtics have held opposing teams to only 88 points. The Celtics are 2^nd behind Cleveland in scoring defense this season and that has always been a big attribute to their success. With the troubles seemingly out of the way, Boston appears to be right back where they left last off last year.

Orlando Magic (33-9)

The Magic that is Orlando comes in the form of 6’11 Dwight Howard. Howard has been superb this year and so has the rest of the Orlando lineup. Howard leads the league in rebounds (14rpg), blocked shots (3.2bpg), and also supports with 20 points every game. However, it has not been all the achievement of one man. Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jameer Nelson are all averaging at least 17 points while the Magic are averaging 101 points per contest. Orlando had won 8 straight games before their loss to Boston on Thursday night and they own a 7 ½ game over Atlanta in the Southeast. Orlando is the only team out of the top 3 in the Eastern Conference to have captured a victory over the L.A Lakers this season which is clearly the best team right now in the West. The Magic are actually 2-0 over the Lakers and many think they are the most complete team at this point in the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers (32-8)

Cleveland appeared to be the best team out of the East only a matter of a few short weeks ago. However, the Cavaliers have gone 2-2 in their last 4 games with losses over the Lakers and Trailblazers. Not to mention Cleveland is facing some key injuries over the last few days. Starting shooting guard Delonte West has a broken wrist and will miss 4-6 weeks. Also starting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has a fractured ankle and will miss 3-4 weeks. Despite the small dark cloud that has recently developed over the team, Cleveland is still among the best in the NBA. Lebron James is 2^nd in the NBA in scoring with 27.8 points and the team seems to be playing better behind him than they have in past seasons. The Cavs also are a perfect 20-0 at home meaning that they could be very tough to beat at playoff time.

Team to watch…

Philadelphia 76ers (20-21)

The 76ers have risen from the dead after they were nearly written off with a 13-20 start. However, they have now put together 7 straight wins before a tough loss to Dallas on Monday night. Considering how inconsistent the rest of the East is behind the top 3, the 76ers have a chance to really make things interesting if they can put together another similar streak.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers (34-8)

The Lakers clearly look to be favorites again out of the Western Conference as they have a 5 game advantage over any other team from the West and a huge 10 ½ game lead in the Pacific division. Kobe Bryant’s 26.4 points per game is good for 3^rd best in the league and the Lakers lead the NBA with 108 points per contest as a team. A few short weeks ago the Lakers appeared that they would be unchallenged this year in the conference, but they are realizing that the San Antonio Spurs are playing very well and will attempt to give them a challenge for frontrunner in the West. Los Angeles has won 13 of their past 16 games including big wins over Boston and Cleveland in the process. If nothing else drastically changes, the Lakers will likely make another run towards the NBA Finals.

San Antonio Spurs (29-13)

A lot of questions arose after the Spurs got off to a slow start losing 5 of their first 7 games. However, San Antonio bounced back winning 7 of their next 8 and the momentum has not slowed down much since. The Spurs have now won their last 4 games and 8 of their last 10 including a huge battle where they took down the Lakers 112-111. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker continue to lead the way both averaging 20.4 points per contest. The Spurs win over the Lakers proved that they are back on the right track and not ready to hand over the season quite yet to the Lakers considering Los Angeles is everybody’s pick to win the West. San Antonio gets another big match-up with the Lakers this Sunday and it will be interesting to see how things shake up this time inside the Staples Center. Look for the Spurs to be playing their best basketball as they usually do around post season time.

Denver Nuggets (28-15)

Giving up Allen Iverson may not been a big of mistake as people first thought. Chauncey Billups is averaging nearly 20 points and the Nuggets seem to be in better shape than the Pistons. Carmelo Anthony leads the team with 21 points, but has missed some valuable playing time recently due to a broken hand. Despite their star player missing time on the court, the Nuggets have still managed to win 8 of their last 11 games. Anthony participated in some workouts on Thursday and it should not be long before he rejoins the lineup. Denver will desperately need him back considering they are bout to embark on an 8 game road adventure at the start of February. The Nuggets are only 11-9 on the road this year and how they perform in the next few weeks away from home will definitely make an impact on their ability to maintain their 2 ½ game lead over Portland in the Northwest.

Team to watch…

New Orleans Hornets (26-14)

The Hornets proved last year that they could really come alive during the playoffs. Chris Paul has played like Chris Paul with 21.2ppg and an NBA leading 11 assist per game. New Orleans may have been expected to be in better position at this point in the season, but they are still only a mere 2 games back to the Spurs and definitely in striking range.

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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.

The Big D in Dallas may stand for many things in the month of December. Drama, downfall, doom, deterioration, and others come to mind. The Cowboys have been anything but stellar in the closing months of the football season in the last decade and their troubles continued this week with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Dallas needed another big win in the month of December and failed for the 2nd time in 3 weeks. Luckily for the Cowboys the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles lost paving the way to a week 17 showdown with the Eagles that could still land Dallas in the playoffs. However with the trend of late season success the Cowboys have taken, one must ask has “America’s” team lost their star status?

The Dallas Cowboys are the most popular franchise in professional football. With the spotlight, come big anticipations for the team loved by so many. The Cowboys were perhaps the best team of the 90s winning 3 Super Bowls that tied them for the most Super Bowl victories in NFL history. However, since 1996 the Cowboys have not posted one postseason victory. Dallas has performed well at times, but like recent years has fallen apart at the end of seasons. Since 2002, Dallas has won 11 times in 28 games in the month of December equaling a 39% winning percentage. Outside the month of December since 2002, the Cowboys are 50-35 equaling a 70% winning percentage. That is a huge difference at a time when you need to be playing your best football. Perhaps now you may understand why the Cowboys have not won a playoff game in over a decade. The reasons for the Cowboys constant late season downfalls may not be known, but here a few possible reasons.

Especially over the last few years Dallas entire team has been based around the performance of the offense. Many times the defense simply showed up hoping that the offense would score more than they would allow. Last year, the Cowboys averaged 33 points per game heading into the month of December. However in the month of December, Dallas only averaged 15 points per game. The reason may be that when you have a high power offense a lot of times they fade off towards the end of the season. The defenses get better, teams have seen the films more, and the offensive players wear out down the stretch. Even the New England Patriots of last season who were perfect during the regular season slowed down a little on scoring in the latter part of the year. Dallas best years of scoring in the months of December have been based around teams that performed well defensively as opposed to offensively. However, if this was the sole reason owner Jerry Jones would be stacking up the defensive side of the ball rather than signing star after star players on offense.

Another reason that the Cowboys may have late season trouble is the weather. Despite many people beliefs, the weather plays an important factor in the closing months of the season. Face it, Dallas is almost as good as a Desert town when it comes to warm temperatures. Could the guys in blue simply not play as well in the cold? Perhaps that reason can not be proven, but it must be considered. Coaching has been discussed as a problem for the Cowboys late in the season as well. Good coaches are known for changing up schemes and designs so teams will not be able to plan for their game style. Dallas plays in the NFC East meaning they get to play the Redskins, Giants, and Eagles twice every season. In the month of December since 2002, the Cowboys are 2-10 against these opponents in their 2nd match-up of the season. That number may surprise even those who despise the Cowboys. Can part of the blame be on the coaching staffs of the past few years? I mean after all you should be able to have a better winning percentage when facing teams for the 2nd time around. Before their victory over the Giants two weeks ago, Dallas had not won a NFC East game in December since 2004 against the Redskins. The Cowboys simply have to be better than that in their own division so late in the year to have any kind of success.

Big D could possibly stand for the biggest disappointment year in and year out for the most popular team in football. However, Dallas still has a chance this season to right the ship. The Cowboys will clinch a playoff spot next weekend if they can pull off the win against NFC East nemesis the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Boys can pull off the victory, they will get another shot to grab their first postseason victory in 12 years. However, America’s team will get a #1 or #2 seeded NFC team in the playoffs. Meaning the Dallas would likely play New York or Carolina. While Dallas may have beat New York two weeks ago, I imagine the Giants would be the favorites this time around and Carolina would be big favorites with their superior running game. Dallas may very well have to wait another year to attempt to end the disappointment streak. Still the Cowboys will get their chance to prove their league’s status. Will the Cowboys finally overcome the troubles of December and January, or will the Big Disappointment continue?

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”

The NFL playoff hunt is in full stride as teams are battling to get every victory possible. Every loss and every win is huge this time of the year because one game can make or break the entire team’s season. Take a look at what teams are in, who still has a chance, and what some need to do to be playing in the postseason. We break down the AFC playoff picture as the NFL season winds down:

Tennessee Titans (12-1) – The Titans have solidified their playoff hopes by clinching the AFC South this past weekend and also sealing a first round bye. Tennessee controls their destiny in the playoffs in trying to capture home field advantage. The Titans simply have to beat Pittsburgh in two weeks or win 2 of their last 3 games to rap up home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They hold the best record in the NFL and look ready to make a deep playoff run.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) – Pittsburgh owns the 2^nd best record in the AFC at 10-3 and winner of 4 straight games. The Steelers have a huge game with Baltimore this Sunday. If Pittsburgh wins, they will clinch the AFC North and guarantee themselves a playoff position. Pittsburgh is in great shape, but has some tough games to close out the season. A win this weekend is a must considering they will battle Tennessee in two weeks. The Steelers would have to lose their last 3 games and then some other teams would have to finish strong for Pittsburgh to be kept out of the postseason.

Denver Broncos (8-5) – Denver has all but clinched the AFC West division. The Broncos just need to get one more victory or even a tie would seal the deal. Also, a loss from the San Diego Chargers in any of their last 3 games would officially put Denver into the playoffs. You can basically count the Broncos into the playoffs given the weakest division in the AFC. Due to that fact, the Broncos will most certainly be playing in the first week of the postseason and there are zero chances for them earning a bye.

New York Jets (8-5) – Two weeks ago the Jets looked to easily make the playoffs as they owned a two game lead in the AFC East. After losing two straight games to weak teams, New York finds themselves in a 3 way tie for the division with Miami and New England. The Jets will have the chance to greatly improve their odds when they take on Miami in the final week of the season. With a fairly easy schedule from here on out, New York must be thinking they have to win out to make the playoffs. If they lose two games, it might not be enough considering Baltimore and Indianapolis hold better records in the wildcard picture.

New England Patriots (8-5) – The Patriots could be in the best position to come out ahead of that 3 way dog fight in the AFC East. New England benefits because Miami and New York will play each other and one of those teams are sure to score a loss. New England has the chance to win the next 3 games if they can manage to pull off a victory over the Cardinals at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots other two games showcase struggling teams such as Buffalo and Oakland. Like the Jets, New England needs to run the table or at least win 2 out of 3 to have a shot.

Miami Dolphins (8-5) – Miami has a chance to make the playoffs? After only winning one game all last year, the Dolphins have a chance to win the division and make the playoffs. Sounds crazy, but Miami is actually playing the best football out of everyone in the AFC East. The Dolphins get New York in what seems to be the game that could decide who makes the postseason in the final week of the season. The Dolphins have San Francisco and Kansas City left on the schedule and there is definitely a possibility they could close out with 3 more wins. Miami has won 6 of their last 7 games and will need at 2 more, most likely 3.

Baltimore Ravens (9-4) – Baltimore will play in their biggest game of the season this Sunday when they basically play for the division championship. If the Ravens lose, Pittsburgh will clinch the AFC North. Still regardless of this weekend, Baltimore still has a good chance to make the playoffs. Their record ties with Indianapolis for the best teams for the wildcard spot. Baltimore has a tough road to get their through Pittsburgh, Dallas, and Jacksonville. If the Ravens can pull out two of those victories, they will be in.

Indianapolis Colts (9-4) – Do not count out the Colts. Peyton Manning has led a late season charge winning 6 straight games and Indianapolis is in the middle of the playoff battle despite being written off after a 3-4 start. The Colts get the Lions next week and one must consider that a win given that Detroit is still winless this season. Indianapolis can win 2 out of their last 3 games and make the playoffs through a wildcard position. Considering the way Peyton and the offense has come on in the 2^nd half on the season, the Colts could surprise some teams in the playoffs as well.

The following teams are completely eliminated from the AFC playoff picture: Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs

The following teams aren’t eliminated but have absolutley no chance: Buffalo Bills

Be sure to check back for the NFC breakdown in the next day or two…