Since there is no Monday night game this week, I can review my picks right now.

Let’s see how I fared and what type of record I’ll wind-up with.

Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons

My Pick: Seahawks 17-12

This game became an absolute shootout. The Falcons looked like they had something to play for, which is better than they’ve looked al year. Seattle continues to struggle against “inferior” teams.

The Result: Falcons 44-41

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears

My Pick: Bears 20-17

All I can say is, if Devon Hester hasn’t already reserved his spot as the best returner of al time then who is better? In the history of the game, who is a better returner?

No one.

The Result: Bears 33-25

Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins

My Pick: Dolphins 24-14

The Dolphins are officially on the clock.

The Result: Bengals 38-25

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

My Pick: Packers 20-14

The Pack looked good, really good. The Lions looked like they just wanted to go home. Are you disappointed Jon Kitna? You should be. And ashamed too.

The Result: Packers 34-13

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans

My Pick: Jaguars 38-17

The Texans played their hearts out and beat a Jags team that didn’t have anything to play for.

The Result: Texans 42-28

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

My Pick: Panthers 20-13

Carolina beat the Bucs. Tampa Bay will have to face a stiff test next week with the Giants coming to town.

The Result: Panthers 31-23

Buffalo Bills at Philadelphia Eagles

My Pick: Eagles 30-17

The Eagles won again. They finished the season strong. That means ho team in the NFC East finished with a losing record.

The Result: Eagles 17-9

San Francisco 49ers at Cleveland Browns

My Pick: Browns 31-14

The Browns looked strong but it was a little too little, a little too late.

The Result: Browns 20-7

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

My Pick: Steelers 27-3

I don’t care the Big Ben didn’t play. I don’t care the Steelers had little to play for. How do you lose to the Ravens? How?

The Result: Ravens 27-21

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

My Pick: Chargers 40-14

Yup, the Chargers kept rolling. Watch out Indy.

The Result: Chargers 30-17

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

My Pick: Redskins 20-13

A sloppy, very sloppy day at FedEx. The Redskins had everything to play for, the Cowboys had nothing to play for. Dallas left behind 4 of their best players and played most of their other good players only a half. If not for a missed FG by Nick Folk and a dropped TD pass by #5 receiver Miles Austin, Romo would’ve left with the game tied. Yet the Skins want Dallas again in 2 weeks? They better be careful what they wish for.

The Result: Redskins 27-6

St Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals

My Pick: Rams 24-20

I still don’t care, but the Cards did look good.

The Result: Cardinals 48-19

Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos

My Pick: Vikings 26-21

What a difference two weeks makes. The Vikes were the hottest team in the NFL. Now they are going home losers of 2 straight.

The Result: Broncos 22-19

Kansas City Chiefs at New York Jets

My Pick: Jets 13-10

Again, I still don’t care. But wait… I predicted this one exactly right.

I care a little.

The Result: Jets 13-10

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

My Pick: Titans 23-21

Again, another game where one team had everything on the line while the other team had nothing on the line.

The Result: Titans 16-10

This Week: 10-6

Season: 88-50

(61)

It’s the New Year and this is Barca coach Frank Rijkaard’s first real test of 2008. The Barcelona fans and directors demand a good showing here after the humiliation of losing to arch rivals Real Madrid at their own stadium, and if Mallorca can pull off a win or even a draw, heads could begin rolling. There is already speculation that Rijkaard’s job is on the line, and one or two declarations by key players haven’t helped matters at all. Only a couple of days ago, Deco publicly stated that he would love to see Jose Mourinho managing Barca. I wonder what Rijkaard thought of that. Leo Messi is back in training but will still miss this game which is another blow for the Catalan side, and Eto’o will soon be leaving for the African cup. The ongoing ‘will he go or will he stay’ saga is keeping Ronaldhino busy, too. Rijkaard made him play the full ninety minutes against Real Madrid and he was pretty much a disaster, receiving quite a lot of boos from members of his own crowd. Many see Rijkaard’s decision to play the Brazilian from the start and not substitute him as a declaration of intent. He knew Ronaldhino wouldn’t make an impression but he wanted the world to see it also.
Mallorca must be dying to play this match. They know Barcelona have a lot of problems, especially away from the Nou Camp, and will see this as their opportunity to beat Barcelona for the first time in eight attempts. They don’t have any injury problems worth mentioning, and their star striker, Dani Güiza, is attracting a lot of interest from various Premier league sides as his form this season has been outstanding.
I’m going to put my head on the line and go for a Mallorca win. The defeat to Real Madrid has left Barcelona in a very bad position, plus there are a lot of internal problems going on which will affect the players. This could also be Rijkaard’s last match in charge and more than one Barcelona player will be happy to see him go.
Prediction: Home win (1-0)

La Liga is back after the Christmas holidays, and there are some great games to look forward to as the New Year begins. Real Madrid takes on Zaragoza at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium hoping to make it nine straight home wins from nine games. Indeed, the last time Madrid lost points in the league at home was against Getafe in March. Since then they have made the Bernabeu stadium an impenetrable fortress, where they are almost invincible. I can’t see Zaragoza doing much to change this, as they are having a very bad season and I had thought they would have done much more. At the start of the season a lot of people were betting on Zaragoza being in with a shout for a European spot, but they have been disappointing to say the least. They now find themselves in ninth position in the league, and amazingly just three points from the relegation zone, and they desperately need their seven game run without a win to end as soon as possible. Real Madrid meanwhile are probably one of the hottest teams in European football at the moment. Their one nil away win to arch rivals Barcelona gave them an incredible boost just before Christmas, and they now find themselves seven points clear at the top of the league. Earlier on in the season coach Bernd Schuster was criticized for his team’s boring performances, but now Madrid is playing well and winning.
I can’t see Zaragoza making a serious attempt to win this game. Their defense has been suspect all season, and they travel to the Bernabeu without quite a few important players, most notably ex Madrid goalkeeper Cesar, who went without holidays to try and get fit for this game. Also doubtful are Cuartero, Aimar and Generelo, while Argentinean D’Alessandro is likely to complete his transfer to River Plate.
Real Madrid don’t have any injuries to speak of, but it will be interesting to see if Schuster opts for Baptista in midfield or Guti. You really have to back Madrid in this game. Unbeaten at home for a year, they are playing some really great football and I could see them putting three or more goals past this weak Zaragoza side.
Prediction: Home win (3-0)

Well we’ve reached the final Sunday of the regular season. And I’m 1-0 heading into the day. But I’ll review that game with the rest of them on Tuesday and I’ll also write plenty more about it this week.

So let’s get to my picks…

Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons

Almost all of this weeks’ games have no meaning. This is one of them. The Seahawks know they’ll be hosting the #6 seed in the playoffs next week. The Falcons might be motivated to try and get one last win and if they weren’t such a mess I might go with them.

My Pick: Seahawks 17-12

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears

When the schedule came out, this had the potential to be a battle for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Instead the Bears are going home and the Saints have just a small chance of making the playoffs. The weather is a great equalizer and I think the Bears will win.

My Pick: Bears 20-17

Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins

I like Miami to get their second win.

My Pick: Dolphins 24-14

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

The Packers were horrible in cold weather last week. It will be interesting to see how they play this week.

My Pick: Packers 20-14

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans

I like the Jags in this one. And probably big.

My Pick: Jaguars 38-17

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Panthers have been playing good football the past couple of weeks. The Bucs will be resting many of their key starters.

My Pick: Panthers 20-13

Buffalo Bills at Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are playing good football right now too. I like them to finish the season strong. Their win will give every team in the NFC East a winning record.

My Pick: Eagles 30-17

San Francisco 49ers at Cleveland Browns

The Browns may have blown their chances for the playoffs last week. Not they need the Titans to lose and they need to win. They will take care of their end of things.

My Pick: Browns 31-14

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are probably playing the worst football in the NFL. I think the Steelers could beat them with their third string and practice squad players.

My Pick: Steelers 27-3

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

The Chargers are battling to keep their #3 seed in the AFC. That will keep them away fro the Jags in the first round and the Pats in the second round.

My Pick: Chargers 40-14

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

One of the best rivalries in all of sports. A win and then Redskins are in the playoffs. The game means nothing to the Cowboys (they already have the #1 seed in the NFC). This will still be very close.

My Pick: Redskins 20-13

St Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals

Who cares?

My Pick: Rams 24-20

Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos

The Vikings blew their chance to make the playoffs last week. They will win this one.

My Pick: Vikings 26-21

Kansas City Chiefs at New York Jets

Again, who cares?

My Pick: Jets 13-10

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

The Colts will be resting many of their key starters. The Titans need this game to make the playoffs. I think they will do just enough to win it.

My Pick: Titans 23-21

(60)

Rafa Benitez’s side will look to make it three wins out of three when they travel to the Eastlands to face Manchester City, who have turned their home ground into some kind of fortress this season, having never lost in 10 games played there this season.

Liverpool come into this game high on confidence, having beaten Portsmouth 4-1 and Derby County 2-1. Yet, the performance against Derby would have caused a few worries for Benitez, for his side needed an exceptional late goal from Steven Gerrard to win against the Rams. If Liverpool are to be challenging for the title, they cannot afford to drop points against minor sides. Liverpool have some major defensive problems to sort out. Sami Hyypia sustained an ankle injury in the game against Derby, and in all probability, will not figure in this game. Against Derby, Rafa brought on Benayoun for Sami and pushed Riise into the centre to partner Carragher. Will Daniel Agger make a comeback ? The young Danish international is recovering from a broken metatarsal, but is close to being match fit. If Agger and Hyypia are not fit, Benitez might ask Alvaro Arbeloa to play in the centre , and play Finnan on the right. He could even hand young Jack Hobbs a game, but against a team of City’s calibre, it might not be prudent to play Hobbs while the likes of Bianchi and Elano lurk around in the box. Liverpool have lost only once on their travels this season- a 1-3 loss to Reading. Steven Gerrard will again be the key for the Reds with his surging runs forward and crunch tackles. Mascherano and he will face off against Hamann and Fernandes in the centre of the park, and that is where Liverpool will want to take control of the game. Peter Crouch is suspended.

Manchester City currently lie one point behind the team that they will host at the CoMS, but have played one game more then them. City have picked up two points from both their Christmas fixtures- a 1-1 draw against Villa and a 2-2 draw with Blackburn. Rovers remain the only team to have come out of Eastlands with a point, a place where even Manchester United failed. Much of City’s success can be attribute to Elano and Martin Petrov. Petrov has been a real threat down the left wing, and if Liverpool happen to play someone lacking pace, the Bulgarian can cause all kinds of havoc. In Bianchi, City have a centre forward who can put away most crosses in the box with ease. Elano has been a revelation with his attacking abilities, and is joint top scorer for the club with five goals. Richards and Dunne will face a stern test in the inform Fernando Torres. Onuha and Ball will play on the right and left side of defence respectively. Corluka was used as a centre midfielder in the Blackburn game. Hamann was rested for the Blackburn game, and while he is no slouch, his lack of pace can let him down.

Liverpool enjoy a good record at Eastlands. Coupled with City’s impressive home form, this should be an interesting clash. A 1-0 to Liverpool, with Torres or Stevie on the scoresheet.

One week from today the first Wildcard Playoff games will be played. I can’t wait to see them. I can’t wait to get this week over with. I just wish there was one game where the outcome meant something to both teams competing. Oh well, to paraphrase the great Bill Parcells, “It is what it is.”

Tonight will be the New England Patriots visiting the New York Giants. Of course the Pats are going for so-called “perfection”. They will be playing their starters far too long, and no one is questioning it. The Giants claim they will play their starters for much if not all of the game. But I’m not so sure this will happen.

Will the Giants really want to leave their key starters in even if the game is a complete battle? Do they want to play them to the bitter end when they may very well have to play a playoff game in 7 days and definitely no longer than 8 days? I doubt it. It’s more likely that Coughlin will hope the Giants can hang close for the first half and then he’ll shut down 6-8 of his key players and be able to say to them that they hung with the best team in the history of the NFL.

Meanwhile the Pats will play their starters until they’re sure they will win, and that means being up by about 30 points. I’m not sure the score will ever get that high though. The Pats just haven’t looked all that impressive and I wonder how they’ll fare against the Giants pass rush.

It will be interesting to see if the Pats go 5-wide and leave no back in the backfield to help chip on Osi and Strahan. If they do go with an empty backfield, I think Brady might be pressured.

And so to me, it comes down to not whether the Pats will win but whether they’ll lose any key players. In the NFL, the Odds have a way of catching up with teams and the Pats have been extremely lucky with injuries all season. Yes, their RBs and TEs have been banged up at times, but the main cogs of their attack – WRs, QB, and offensive line – have been remarkably healthy. If they are playing at a meaningless time and one of them is lost for the playoffs, suddenly Bellichick won’t seem like such a genius anymore.

My Pick: Patriots 34-17