85th Edition - 1/19/07

• NFL: The Final Four

Colts vs. Patriots

Indianapolis Colts - Everyone forgets that this team won 13 regular season games in a row last year, and started the season 9-0 this year. That's a pretty good run. Keep in mind, they were 9-0 inspite of their defense. Now, the defense has performed well two weeks in a row and no one is truly believing in this team. Plus, EVERYONE on the Colts thinks the only reason the defense was bad was because Bob Sanders was out. So why don't I feel good about the Colts? because they are playing the ...

New England Patriots - Tom Brady had an awful overall game last week against the Chargers, and he won. It's the first time he's had a bad playoff game. Odds are, he won't have another. Plus, the Patriots have a better road record this year (7-1), than home (5-3), so playing at Indy shouldn't be a big problem. I think the game will be close because neither team is amazing, they both have flaws, especially on defense. In all likelihood it will come down to a late 4th quarter FG ... Imagine the scenario ...

Adam Vinateri lines up for a 47- yard FG, enough to make any team nervous, but then again it's Vinateri, and he hasn't missed at home all season. The snap ... what's this!?! He's walking away from the hold?! The Patriots gang tackle the holder. Game over, Patriots win 21-20 ... And now Vinateri is ripping off his jersey! Dear god it's a Patriots shirt underneath! This must have been Belichek's plan all along. Brilliant.

Bears vs. Saints

New Orleans Saints - Only four teams have a city name and team name that ends in a "s" (can you name the other three?) and I don't like any of them to win this weekend. Drew Brees is due to throw an interception. Deuce McAllister doesn't have back-to-back monster games any more. Reggie Bush can count the number of games he has played in really cold weather just using his thumbs. "America's Team" will perform just like America, overconfident and when things don't work they will just do it more.

Chicago Bears - The early forecast of below 30 degrees and snow has to point against the domed team. It just has to. I know the Bears don't practice outside in the cold, but sports is a head game. And cold weather teams are convinced they play better when a domed team comes to town. Rex Grossman threw a perfect pass to Bernard Berrian last week. He can muster up one of those again. Turnovers will be key, and the Bears already did that last week against the Seahawks, it's out of their system. Cedric Benson will run like Brittney Spears to a camera (fast, hard, and with little regard to the people around).

The end of the game will come down to a nail-biting drive by the Saints, who are down 17-20. Everything looks good for them. Each 7-yard gain, kills me a little bit more each time. Then, Peanut Tillman -- a man that makes me WAY too nervous -- will intercept the ball and run it back for the back-breaking touchdown. 28-17, Bears.

This, of course, will set up the rematch everyone is dying to see -- Bears vs. Patriots. It's Super Bowl XX all over again.

• The Picks

If it wasn't obvious by my comments above ...
Patriots +3 over the Colts
Bears -3 over the Saints

NFL Season Standings
j : 25-24-4
Mike D: 27-24-2

NFL Playoffs
j: 3-5
Mike D: 5-3

NFL Overall
j: 28-29-4
Mike D: 32-27-2

Look for Mike D's comments later in the day.

• Michael Vick is probably stupid

I will not officially go on record as saying Michael Vick is stupid for bringing a water bottle that is probably used for smoking up with him on his Air Tran flight. And I won't talk about what a moron he is for NOT wanting to throw it out and that making airline security suspicious. I do like that a man worth more than $100 million is flying Air Tran. That's good stuff.

• More NFL

Three good artclies today:
Jason Whitlock - NFL Real Talk
David Fleming - 30-second column
and look for Bill Simmons later today - The Sports Guy

• Stuff

*"The Office" was amazing last night, and the "Scrubs" musical was pretty good. The theme for both seemed to be "guy love." Whether is was J.D. and Turk or Dwight and Michael, men loving men, in a hetrosexual way, was the message. A hunch on "The Office" -- both new people, Andy and Karen, will be gone shortly.

*Since there is nothing new worth seeing in the theater, I will be catching my final two important movies of 2006. "The Last King of Scotland" and "The Painted Veil." I've decided "The Good German" isn't necessary to see. After this I will be able to create my top ten of 2006. Did you just get goosebumps?

*News on Fountains of Wayne's new album - click here

*Age-O-Matic. Now you can see what you will look like 50 years from now. If you do this, I hope you will send the link our direction. click here