Happy New Year! The season is over so the articles take a turn down football lane and do some prognostication and then strive for some football insight. Don't forget to participate in our Playoff Contests. It may be perceived as a stretch but last year I did predict correctly which two teams will be dancin’ in the big game.  But that is only luck.  As a football fan it can be sometimes fun writing about the same thing everyone is watching.   And the playoffs lead to the big game the first weekend in February.  Why does it get later and later every year?  I am sure there will be tons of stuff to write about that week.

Home Sweet Home

The loser goes home so it gets to be an exciting atmosphere.  Every error is magnified and fans see the errors as the opportunity to yell at the television screen.  So with one loss, you are out and everyone plays all out.  The home team wins and traditionally out of the four games, we will either have a home sweep or a 3 – 1 outcome.  The idea is to figure out that one loss because home cooking isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be in this first round known as Wild Card Weekend.

Look For Comfort And Solace For Most

This wild weekend sees four offensive games.  You will not see that much in the way of defense but these wild teams didn’t wow us defensively to get here. The first is St. Louis at Seattle.  This is the only real opportunity for a home team to lose so I am taking it.  Look for Bulger to throw more than those lads at Pike’s fish house sending the Seahawks home fishing in the rough Pacific.  Then next comes the Jets and Chargers.  The Jets backed in and although they play well in San Diego, look for Pennington to be harassed all day.  Chargers bust out and win handily.  Now on Sunday comes Denver and Indianapolis part deux.  The exception is that Indianapolis will have their whole team in this game.  Look for Denver to try to run and take time off the clock and when Indianapolis gets the ball, 77777.  What is that?  That’s the zip code for TOUCHDOWN city my friends and Denver will have to do some tough things just to compete.  The last game of the weekend is Minnesota at Green Bay.  Green Bay is relatively hot considering Minnesota squeaked in by the hairs of their chinny chin chin.  How can you win a playoff game after losing 3 out of the last 4 games of the season?  Especially when that one win was over the Detroit Lions by 1 point.  And may I remind everyone that Minnesota started out 5-1?  Meanwhile, Green Bay has won 3 out of the last 4 and it will always be chilly at Lambeau field!

Master D.