The Diary of a Fantasy Virgin Week 17 Jan 3, 2007

Happy New Year Again! The season is over so the articles take a turn down football lane and do some prognostication and then strive for some football insight.  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.  I am forced again to ask why the last game in January is not the final game of the 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 very tight games. All teams and all opponents can get through this weekend and it wouldn’t be a big surprise.  So we have to look for the home field upset.  First up this week is Kansas City heading into Indianapolis.  The boutique pick is that Larry Johnson will run all around the town but if the Colts win 45 to 42 it doesn’t matter how much running was going on.  I am sticking with Indianapolis.  Next is Dallas at Seattle.  This is another tough game because both teams have stumbled into the playoffs.  The Seahawks were in the big game last year and are playing at home.  Look for an upset and a Dallas surprise. Then on Sunday there are the N.Y. Jets at New England.  New England proves that they can still win and come through with a victory.  Last are the N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia.  And as evenly matched up on paper these teams appear to be, it is surprising that tailored offenses seem to unravel in the playoffs.  Look for the Philadelphia magic to end this week or possibly next when the Giants come through with an upset.  So this year I have 2-2 for the home teams.  Let us see what happens shall we?

Things To Look For

Watch the REAL NFL story start to form this weekend.  These ending chapters of the NFL season become that memorabilia everyone purchases the second weekend of February.  Defensive Schemes like the one in store for New England from an upstart coach like Mangini make this a game within the game.  Look for unlikely heroes.  Be aware that the team least thought to win it all may come from this weekend as it has a few times in the last few years.  Sometimes it all comes together for one player or coach and they become the symbol or rallying point.

Master D.