NFL Playoffs - Ice Cold

Looking ahead to this weekend's NFL games, things are pretty chilly. In fact, I'm getting chills just thinking about it - not because of marquis matchups are giving me goosebumps (though both games should be great) - but because of the ACTUAL COLD!

Gameday Forecasts:
Philly: hi 32 - low 25
Boston: hi 30 - low 14

So grab a warm drink and cozy up to the screen - here's my hack analysis of the upcoming Super Sunday.

AFC Title Game: Colts @ Patriots
LINE: Patriots by 3

Patriots Head Coach Bill Belicheck has gotten the best out of his football team from the opening snap, and the team hasn't lost since Week 4. But while 13 wins in a row is impressive, the Patriots' schedule has not been. Until playing the hobbled Titans last weekend, the Patriots hadn't played a playoff-caliber opponent since disposing of Denver in week 5 (aside from escaping Indianapolis with a 38-34 win over the Colts in Week 13).

The Colts have been destroying conventional NFL wisdom since the playoffs began. Quarterback Peyton Manning and Coach Tony Dungy are supposed to be perennial playoff losers - but not this year. In fact, one could argue that Manning single-handedly beat the vaunted Chiefs last weekend all by himself.

Things will be a lot tougher for Manning this week, but if there's a QB in the league that can handle the pressure of the Pats' irregular blitz packages, I believe it's him. It could be close but in the end I see it coming down to the offensive playmakers. With Manning, Eddgerin James and Marvin Harrison, the Colts have more weapons.

Pick: Colts 31, Pats 24


NFC Title Game: Panthers @ Eagles
LINE: Eagles by 4 1/2

Like Al Franken tried telling us several years ago, Rush Limbaugh is a big, fat idiot.

In the first real flare-up of the 2003 regular season, it was Limbaugh who so wisely declared that McNabb's success was just a mirage created by a left-wing league conspiracy to pump up the credentials of black QBs for the good of the league. Limbaugh was subsequently fired, but not until about a week later did we learn the true source of Limbaugh's inexplicable viewpoint - he was on drugs!

Now that Limbaugh is out of rehab, he's been uncharacteristically mum on the subject of McNabb, and it's hard to blame him. With few exceptions, McNabb has been fantastic since the Eagles' bye in Week 3 - and only twice in that has the Eagles' offense featured a 100-yard rusher.

The Panthers have to be applauded for their resilience and for their versatile defense, you have to wonder who would have won the game if The Worst Coach In Football wasn't calling the shots for the Rams. One also wonders how Panthers Coach John Fox can get away with having the least-prepared, most disorganized offense in the playoffs for yet another weekend. In last week's matchup with the Rams, Carolina was called for 13 devastating penalties for 95 yards, a few of them killing momentum in short-yardage situations. If the Panthers are forced to throw too often on third down against the Eagles' blitz, they'll be sorry.

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers defense - like many in the NFL - has no answer to Donovan McNabb at his best. If the guy wearing #5 in the second half of last week's game against the Packers shows up again, the Panthers will be history.

As far as intangibles go, the Birds have been here before - and will be eager to erase their memories of two consecutive losses in NFC Title Games. The notorious Philly crowd will be at their best, having all day to tailgate before the 6:45 p.m. kickoff. Not looking good for these underdogs.

PICK: Eagles 25, Panthers 13

Countdown to Iowa - Four To Go

Things are getting nasty in the Democratic primaries. Too nasty.

Yeah, we get it - John Kerry has invested a ton of his own money and therefore has a lot at stake. But enlisting dirt-diggers to work overtime in Vermont to wound (perhaps mortally) Dean's campaign? Isn't that a bit over the edge?

I'm tempted to say yes, but there is another way of looking at it. Do you think John Kerry's campaign has done anything the Bush campaign won't be doing next September if not sooner? Not even close. So Howard Dean, - if you're reading - what doesn't kill you at this stage in the game can only make you stronger.

Quick Flash Top Four In Iowa with Four Days Left... (NOTE: Generael Wesley Clark is not a player in Iowa)

1. Dean
I've been impressed since the first time I saw him on Meet the Press , and he's done well as the frontrunner. He and his wife are both doctors, so he might know something about health care. Seems to have the conviction and focus to take his lead all the way to the convention. His Rolling Stone Interview is sure raising eyebrows on the right. [excerpt here]

2. John Edwards
Would carry more weight in the southern states than pretty much any other Dem. Seems to be succeeding in recent days by simply pounding the pavement and getting his message out the old fashioned way, and without much infrastructure in Iowa.

3. Kerry
I want to like him a lot more than I do... something about him, even when he was the frontrunner back in the days before anyone had declared, he always seemed like he was getting his ass kicked. All the press says he's finally making some noise in Iowa, but if he can't steamroll New Hampshire as well (his neighboring state), how can he be expected to win anything in the south against Dubaya?

4. Dennis Kucinich
The truest liberal of the bunch, for what that's worth. Has stayed on message about the budget, health care and pulling out of Iraq (his fatal flaw) this whole time, though being in the basement in the polls has meant that there's been little pressure or spotlight on him.