The Diary of a Fantasy Virgin Week 19 Jan 20, 2005 | More

The week that was last made the point of my previous article.  Home field advantage seems more and more important this time of year.  There was a complete sweep for the home teams last week.  They came in at 4-0.  I also wonder where Indianapolis went.  The receiving core looked soft and Manning looked really frustrated.  This guy is the league MVP!  What does that mean this week? Well its now a toss-up.

And Then There Were Four

So now there will be two games.  Atlanta at Philly is the first one and the Patriots at Pittsburgh.  This is the problem I am having.  I could accidentally get caught under something heavy or be unable to get to a TV or remote control.  Sure it can happen!  So on Monday and I could read the results in the paper.  I would not be surprised at any outcome.  Philly/Pats or Philly/Steelers or Atlanta /Pats or Atlanta /Steelers.  These are all the possible combinations.  All of them are rational outcomes because of parity and weather.  Don’t forget the great equalizer called weather.  Snow may be lingering around Pennsylvania but even if it is gone by that time, it should be cold and miserable.  But this is for the end all and be all!  How did this time fly by?  I guess I still have to make picks.  So here they are.

Look For Home Cooking Part Deux? Noonka!

Now it is all about home field advantage.  I said those very words last week and the home teams were 4-0.  The great equalizers are great defenses and poor weather.  So in the first game, Philly entertains Atlanta.  Look for conditions to cause that speedy and powerful offense of Atlanta to get into a quagmire.  Philly finally gets to the big game on their fourth try.  Hey fourth try is a charm!  If they do not make it, Philly may go the way of great teams not to get there.  Playing this many games a year start wearing the regular core team members down.  Its only 1 extra game we are talking about here.  It does start to add up.  For the second game, it’s the Patriots at the Steelers.  If you think Manning looked confused.  I think Big Ben is going to get a scheme that may be a bit disconcerting.  If the Pats can hold Indy to 3 pts, I say Steelers?  2?  The battle of the P’s will rule the weeks to come.  That would be Pats and Philly.  It will be the The All-American bowl.  The battle of the symbolic Patriotic Patriot against the Iconic American Eagle. God Bless America!

Master D.