Championship Week

For my money (admittedly that is not saying much), this is the best football weekend of the year and one of the top sports days of the year (along with Day 1 of the NCAAs and the first Monday in April -- Baseball's Opening Day and the NCAA Final).

This year we get two very interesting games, if not the ones we thought we'd get and that we really wanted (as my 1-3 record against the spread and 2-2 on winners indicates). Still we get the "Greatest Offense of All-Time" against a resurgent Chargers team with some dominant playmakers themselves, including the best guy in the league at their position in LT and Gates -- admittedly a bit banged up; And then we get Brett Favre, on what will literally be "The Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field" against the Giants, Eli (who now has the same .500 winning percentage as his brother -- although admittedly not his fancy ring -- )and the New Yorkers vaunted pass rush. It should at least be fun.

A few questions:

Is Atlanta so screwed up that USC or being the Cowboys coordinator looks better then being the Head Coach there?

At what point do we have to look at last year's Championship as the anomaly for the Colts and Peyton rather then their legacy of premature playoff exits? Or, is it just that 'winning football games is hard"?

Dallas has not won a playoff game in 11 years -- that seems incredible to me, even the Redskins have won two post-season games in that span. (Not the Bills though) - yes, that is not a question.

This week we will take the favored home teams to win (did you really think I was going to go against the Packers inexorable playoff run now??)

Against the spread though, things are more difficult. The Pats have beat the spread only once (against the Steelers) since their thrashing of Buffalo. This week the line is 14 -- seems like a lot in the winter against the resurgent Chargers (even if Norv Turner is coach them). We'll go with the trend and take the points.

We will however take the Pack and give the 7.5 over the Giants.

Enjoy this Sunday -- after that there is only one more game, plus the rest of the Dillon Panthers season on 'Friday Night Lights'

Jono