Wild and crazy stuff

If you are a fan of the NFL the next two weekends are as good as it gets. Sure, championship weekend is a lot of fun with the best of the AFC and NFC squaring off and of course Super Bowl Sunday is a national holiday. But Wild Card weekend and the Divisional Round are the two best weekends of football. Two games Saturday. Two games Sunday. Grab a beer, some snacks, and your spot on the couch.

AFC



Cincinnati (10-6) at Houston (12-4): The Texans were the team to beat in the AFC for the first three months of the season. In December, they just turned into a beaten team. They lost three of their last four games and looked bad doing it. They were stomped by playoff team New England, Minnesota, and Indy. Can they pull it together for the playoffs? I think so, but the Bengals will certainly make it difficult for them. The Texans are 8th in the league in rushing yards and seventh in the league against the run. And they are solid in the passing game. All the talk is about Matt Schaub but he is not the key. Schaub will be lucky to get out of this game alive against the Cincy pass rush led by Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson. The key is Arian Foster. He is the best player on the field for either team (slight edge over A.J. Green). If Foster can dominate on the ground and make life easy for Schaub then Houston, with the home field, should be able to get the win. Cincy's best chance rests with Green. He's one of the top playmakers in the game. The Bengals need QB Andy Dalton and Green to have a huge game. That's going to be tough to do with J.J. Watt getting in the way. Texans 27, Bengals 24.






Indianapolis (11-5) at Baltimore (10-6): You couldn't write a script better than this. Colts coach Chuck Pagano, who missed most of the season being treated for leukemia, has returned to the sideline just in time for the playoffs. Playoffs? Playoffs? Yes, last year's worst team won a very surprising eleven games and is in the playoffs. And they are playing the Ravens in Baltimore. The team that Pagano was a defensive coach with for four years. And the Ravens' Ray Lewis, who is very close with Pagano, has announced that he will retire when the Ravens season ends. Talk about your story lines. The Ravens are like the Texans, they have stumbled towards the playoffs, losing four of their last five games. And their defense is no longer elite. Old and injured, but not elite. So the question is can the Colts led by rookie QB Andrew Luck and a young group of players go on the road and beat the veteran, this-might-be-our-last-chance Ravens? I don't think so. Ray Lewis won't be winning a title in his last game, but he won't be losing at home either. Ravens 23, Colts 17.

NFC





Minnesota (10-6) at Green Bay (11-5): This is the one man vs. the team game. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson came back from major knee surgery to post one of the greatest seasons in NFL history, coming up just nine yards short of the single-season record for yards rushing. He is the Vikings. Just like Aaron Rodgers is the Packers. It's a great running game vs. a great passing game. The difference is that Rodgers has a lot more help around him than Peterson. Jennings, Cobb, Jones, Nelson, Finley. And the Green Bay defense is better than the Minnesota defense. And the game is being played at Lambeau Field. The Pack won the title two years ago. They are still a serious contender. Packers 30, Vikings 20.




Seattle (11-5) at Washington (10-6): Two of the most exciting and surprising teams in the league meet up in the first round. It should be a great game. It's a rare thing when two rookie quarterbacks play each other in the playoffs. RG3 and Russell Wilson are rookies in name only. They are the "new breed" of quarterback that can run and throw on a dime. Of course there have always been quarterbacks like that (ever hear of Randall Cunningham) but that's OK. It makes for a good headline. All the attention will be on  the quarterbacks but it's the running backs that will decide the game. The two runners that I had on my fantasy team -- Seattle's beast Marshawn Lynch vs. Washington's beast Alfred Morris -- will set the tone early and often. It's a tough decision as to which back will prevail. I'll go with the home team again. Redskins 21, Seahawks 20.

Playoff picture

As they say on ESPN... "If the playoffs started today..."

In the AFC, the Pats would host their longtime rivals the Steelers and in the other game Peyton Manning and the Broncos would host his old team the Colts. In the NFC, the Bears would host the Seahawks in a battle of nasty defenses and the Packers would get another shot at the Giants, the team that has knocked them out of the playoffs a few times in the last several years.

That's a great Wild Card weekend. I wish the playoffs did start today.

Communication breakdown

Well ... it has sure hit the fan now.

If you foolishly stayed up late last night to watch all of the Seahawks-Packers game like I did then you saw the NFL's fake refs implode on national television. You think the officiating in the Pats-Ravens game was bad? Around midnight last night the fake refs took a big road victory away from the Pack and handed it to Pete Carroll and his Seahawks. The final play of the game -- a Hail Mary by Seattle -- was intercepted by Green Bay's M.D. Jennings in the corner of the end zone. Anyone but the most diehard Seattle fans (and the NFL) looking at the video below would have to agree with that. Seattle receiver Golden Tate gets an arm in there and claws away at the ball but it's clear who has "possession" and who doesn't.

It was even clear to one of the two refs on the field who made the call. The other ref, the one who signaled touchdown but really had no idea what had just happened, takes a look at his fellow fake ref and sees him starting to put his arms up so he too throws his arms up ... to signal touchdown. Problem is that the other ref was raising his arms to signal ... an interception and a touchback. Ooops. The two officials never talked to each other before making a signal as the regular officials would have. And after they made different calls they just stood there. Lost. The head ref, the man in the white hat, is no where to be found for a long time, thus allowing mass confusion to ensue. It was a mess. And it was all caused because there was no communication between the officials.

And that's where the real problem with the fake refs comes in. All refs -- real or fake -- make bad calls. It's just going to happen. Even to the best of refs. They have to make hundreds of split second decisions each weekend. But what the real refs do is prevent a game that is played on the edge of chaos from actually devolving into that chaos. And that's no easy feat.

Simply put .... the real refs, most of them in their 50s and 60s, manage to maintain total control and authority over giant athletes who are playing a ferocious game in an almost-out-of-control state of mind. Guys like Ed Hochuli never look confused. They are always in command and always communicating with their fellow officials. Everyone knows who is in charge. That's why the regular refs are a very important part of the game.

The fake refs have totally lost control of that game. ESPN's Gregg Easterbrook writes a good piece about this. The Pats-Ravens game had more skirmishes and pushing contests after the play than you normally see in a month of football. The regular refs know how to take control in those situations ... toss a lot of flags high in the air so all the players can see them and get in their faces. The fake refs mostly just stand there looking like I would ... lost in a scrum of NFL players.

Packer Greg Jennings was asked about the rough play after the game last night. The veteran wide receiver said he had never played in an NFL game where players were just taking shots at each other and the refs were doing nothing about it. The only way to make the players think twice about unloading on someone is to keep control of the game. The fake refs can't seem to do that. Someone is going to get hurt. And then the NFL will have a real problem.

Reading material

Wild-card weekend lived up to its name... mostly due to the instant-classic the Steelers and Broncos staged yesterday evening in Denver. The Saints offense looked awesome (again). The Giants D looked even better than it did in '07 (yikes). The Texans, even with TJ Yates at QB, looked good enough to go into Baltimore and pull the upset (please). But it was the Broncos and the Steelers that are the talk of the football world today. Well, as usual, most of the talk is about Tebow.

• The Christian Science Monitor -- how fitting -- weighs in with an interesting piece on how Tebow not being great is what makes Tebow great. 
• The Denver Post is finding religion. Tebow's performance in the thriller over Pittsburgh has lifted the holy spirits all around Colorado. It's been that magical.
• And let's not forget the Steel City. Pittsburgh is not used to losing games like that. I'm not used to seeing Pittsburgh losing games like that. I could get used to it. Reading some of the Steelers stories today, it was clear that this loss was less of a surprise in Pittsburgh than it was to me.

The Saints, Giants, Broncos, and Texans all looked capable of being this year's "team that gets hot in the playoffs." Their victories set up one of the most promising divisional rounds I can remember. In the NFC, the high-octane offense of the Saints against the stone-wall D of the Niners is a classic speed vs. brute force contest. The other NFC game is the Giants, looking very dangerous, going into Lambeau to take on the 15-1 defending champs. If the Packers are going to repeat, they are going to have to beat the Giants and either New Orleans or San Fran. That's a tough road back to the Super Bowl. In the AFC, the game that has the least buzz is Houston at Baltimore. It could turn out to be the best game of the weekend. Both teams can run and play nasty defense. And each can pass just enough to make plays. I will be hoping Houston pulls the upset, of course, because I'd rather not see Terrell Suggs chasing Brady all over the field during the AFC title game. THE game of the weekend will take place Saturday night at Gillette. There will be lots of talk this week about how lucky the Pats are to get Denver. That they should win rather easily. There are no sure things in the playoffs. Just look at yesterday's Broncos game.

Tournament teams

The very entertaining 2011 NFL regular season -- the one that almost wasn't -- has come to an end. Tebow. The Pack's run at 16-0. The Jets' collapse. Passing records falling like Ocho trying to catch a ball. The Harbaugh brothers. Very entertaining indeed. I thought the Pats would barely win the AFC East with an 11-5 record. They won the division a little easier than that. The Pats are the top seed in the AFC again. The defending champs are the top in the NFC. Will they stage a rematch of the '96 Super Bowl? New Orleans, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, or San Fran might have something to say about that. Here's my final Top 12. Why 12? Because that's how many playoff teams there are.

1. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Can they repeat like the '04 Pats? Yes they can. Will they? We'll see. Aaron Rodgers and his offense can score from anywhere on the field. Ryan Grant's return to health has gone under the radar but will be big in the playoffs. The Packers D gives up just as many yards as the Pats, but none of the experts seem to be concerned about that. Preseason rank: #3.

2. New Orleans Saints (13-3): Can they stop the Pack from back-to-back titles? Yes they can. Will they? We'll see. Drew Brees is unstoppable. He led my nephew Pete to a fantasy title almost single-handed. He looks ready to do the same in real football. If I were given a grand and told to put it on one team right now ... it would be the Saints. Preseason rank: #7.

3. New England Patriots (13-3): Since the two teams ranked ahead of the Pats are both in the NFC, that puts the Pats in the Super Bowl. Right? But that's getting way ahead of things. First they have to win a home playoff game. If it's Cincy or Denver coming to town in two weeks, I think the team gets the playoff monkey off its back. If it's the Steelers, well I think the Pats will still get that win but that is typed with a lot less confidence. Two words: Brady. Belichick. Preseason rank: #2.

4. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): The team that has the best chance of ruining another January for Pats fans. I've been expecting the team in black and purple to make a deep playoff run for a few years now. It's still hasn't happened. And the Hall of Fame defense is getting a little old. If the offense can make some plays they will be hard to beat. There is one guy I don't want to see walking into Gillette this month... Terrell Suggs. Preseason rank: #4.

5. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): The Niners will get a bit overshadowed by all the talk about the Pack and the Saints. They shouldn't. They are the dark horse that just might lap the field with their defense. They allowed the second fewest points this season. Patrick Willis is a beast. As is running back Frank Gore. The key will be how does young QB Alex Smith handle the playoff pressure. Preseason rank: #16.

6. Detroit Lions (10-6): Any playoff game that the Detroit Lions are playing in I am watching. This team is entertaining on so many levels. The passing game is explosive. As are the tempers of the head coach and the best defensive player. Big passes. Big penalties. You never know what can happen when the Lions are on the field. Good and bad. Preseason rank: #17.

7. Atlanta Falcons (10-6): The Falcons did not look sharp in their game against New Orleans two weeks ago. Not sharp at all. But the Saints can do that to teams. Atlanta has some talent. Matt Ryan leads a strong passing game and that's balanced with a power running game. The defense makes plays. Atlanta is very strong at home. Unfortunately they won't be having any home playoff games. Preseason rank: #6.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): The Steelers would be a few rungs higher if not for the small issue of their starting running back and starting quarterback being unable to walk. But Mike Tomlin's Steelers have always been dangerous when wounded. It's the signature of his teams. Tough. But their road through the playoffs will be just a little too tough this time around. Preseason rank: #8.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): I think Cincy goes into Houston and wins easily. So they get the nod in the rankings. The Bengals started fast this year, running up wins against a group of mediocre teams. Their second half schedule was filled with playoff teams -- and losses. But I was at the Bengals loss at Baltimore in  November and I liked what I saw. The Bengals are a good team that has played some good football but lost to better teams. That changes. Preseason rank: #31.

10. Houston Texans (10-6): The Texans would be higher too if not for the small issue of the team being on its fourth starting QB. If healthy, the Texans would be a major threat. They are still a threat thanks to their defense, but not a major one. The Texans are hoping TJ Yates is healthy enough to play. That's what kind of year it has been for Houston. Hoping TJ Yates can play. Cincy's defense is probably hoping that too. Preseason rank: #9.

11. New York Giants (9-7): The best pass rush in the playoffs. Is that enough to launch Eli on another improbable Super Bowl run? I hope not. But any Tom Coughlin team is dangerous. Any team with little Manning is dangerous. Any team with both Bradshaw and Jacobs at running back is dangerous. Any team with Cruz and Nicks at WR is dangerous. I might have the Giants ranked too low. Preseason rank: #18.

12. Denver Broncos (8-8): I don't have the Broncos ranked too low. That's for sure. What the heck happened to Tim Tebow? Ever since "SNL" did that Jesus skit the team hasn't won a game. The "SNL" jinx? Hmmm... Not surprisingly it didn't take NFL coaches long to start slowing Tebow down. I caught the last quarter of the team's loss to KC. Tebow looked like he had regressed back to his first few weeks. Or maybe the whole offense had. They come into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak. A well-earned losing streak. Preseason rank: #23.

Dishonorable mention:: I've been waiting to write this for two years... The New York Jets. (Sorry Jim). Rex Ryan, Mr. Big Mouth and Bigger Toes, reportedly cried when addressing his players the day after their season ended in flames. Really, there were almost actual flames. Team "captain" Santonio Holmes was benched after getting into an argument in the huddle. LT was his usual back-stabbing self at the end. Ryan cried. Bursting ... into ... flames. Mt. Ryan has already started making his Super Bowl predictions for next year. It was kind of laughable the previous two years after the team lost in the AFC title game. This year, after their train wreck 8-8 finish, it's Stooges funny. Preseason rank: #1. Very funny.

Romeo. Oh, Romeo.

ROMEO: Telling it like it is.

Romeo Crennel -- defensive coordinator for the Pats Super Bowl teams -- has another shot at a head coaching job. He left the Pats after the '04 title and ran the Browns for four long seasons. He was let go after a four win 2008. Romeo just didn't catch too many breaks during those four years in Cleveland. Injuries. A tough division. Bad drafting. Angry fans in dog masks. Just not much luck.

Now he has the controls of the Chiefs for the final three games of the season to show what he can do. He starts this weekend against ... the undefeated Packers. His bad luck continues.

Romeo doesn't really seem to be cut out to be NFL head coaching material. He's just too nice. But he's a great defensive coordinator and his players seem to love him. But he's just too nice. And just too honest. Take his press conference today as a good example.

Romeo announced that he was benching Tyler Palko in favor of veteran Kyle Orton. Not exactly a shocker. Palko has been awful. But most coaches don't announce a QB change until the last second. You know, keep the opponent guessing. Keep the media clueless. It's the Belichick way. It's the NFL way. But it's not the Romeo way.

When asked why he decided to announce the QB change, Romeo answered honestly. Nicely.

"I thought about Green Bay not knowing but then I said, "Hey, they don't care who our quarterback is.' When they look at the quarterbacks on our roster, they don't care who plays. They look at Tyler and what he's done the past couple of weeks and they look at Orton and know he's got a finger injury (uh, they do now) and they look at a rookie (whatever his name is). I don't think they are shaking in their boots."

An NFL coach saying "All our QBs suck, so who cares who starts."

Love that Romeo.

Final quarter

There are four games left in the NFL regular season. One quarter of football to go. Some teams have firmly established themselves as the top contenders once the tournament starts. Some are still battling to find their spot. Several of the divisions are pretty much settled (like the AFC East) but the fight for the wild-card spots among some good teams should make for an entertaining stretch run.

1. Green Bay (12-0): I'm rooting for the Pack to go 16-0. I'm hoping if they are the second team to accomplish that feat then Mr. Kraft will finally take down the perfect regular season banner hanging in the North end zone. Please take it down! As for the Packers... They look like a team ready to defend their title come playoff time. Rodgers is having an MVP season. And the defense is good enough.

2. San Francisco (10-2): The Niners have already clinched the NFC West. Not much of an accomplishment. But they are also in position to take the #2 seed behind Green Bay. That is an accomplishment for a team that self destructed time and time again last year. Jim Harbaugh is going to be coach of the year. His true coaching ability will be tested in about a month.

3. Baltimore Ravens (9-3): The question to ask in ranking the 9-3 teams is who can beat who. The Ravens have beaten the Steelers twice and if they were playing the Pats, Saints, or Texans in a playoff game they would be the pick of most people. They have lost a few games against bad teams (the Jags and the Seahawks) but when they are playing in a game with playoff intensity they have just that -- playoff intensity. Their pounding running game and pounding defense will make them very hard to beat.

4. New England Patriots (9-3): The mood of the Blabosphere seems to be that the Patriots are a paper contender. True, the only people the defense scares are the fans. But a team that has Brady, Welker, Gronk, Wilfork, Carter, Mankins, Hernandez, Mayo, Branch, BenJarvus, Ninko (just to name a few) is one tough team. And dangerous. The defense took a lot of heat in the one-and-done playoff losses the last two years. But it was the offense not clicking on all cylinders that really hurt. If the offense can get on a roll come January it's going to be a fun ride.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3): I know. The Steelers beat the Pats just a month ago. But in the playoffs the Pats have owned the Steelers time and time again. I don't think that will change if they should meet again. Even at Heinz. It still amazes me that a QB as Big as Ben can avoid pass rushers like he does. The two-time Super Bowl champ is great. And he has a great group of young receivers. All I want for Christmas is a Steelers-Pats AFC title game at Gillette.

6. New Orleans Saints (9-3): NFL analysts ask the same question week after week. Who can stop the Pack? The Saints. That's who. Drew Brees often gets left out of the Brady-Rodgers MVP debates but he shouldn't. The Saints stumbled as defending champs. Much like the Pats did in '02. We know what the Pats did the next two years. The Saints may be that team.

7. Houston Texans (9-3): Houston had the playoff door opened for them when Peyton Manning went down for the season. But then All Pro receiver Andre Johnson got hurt. Then RB Arian Foster went down. Just when they came back starting QB Matt Schaub was lost for the year. Then his backup Matt Leinert followed him to the IR. And yet the Texans keep winning. It's like the Texans know they will never get this good a shot to win their division again.

8. Detroit Lions (7-5): The talk of the early season is now the talk of the late season. But for very different reasons. The Lions started off 5-0, more than living up to preseason expectations. Those expectations were based on an aggressive defense but it was the Stafford-to-Johnson connection (two TDs per game) that was key to the fast start. The offense has cooled off and the defense has taken aggressiveness to the level of stupidity. Now all the talk is how out of control the Lions are.

9. New York Jets (7-5): There they sit. Gang Green. Mt. Ryan's boys. Once again battling just to make the playoffs after an off-season of predictions of how they were going to dominate the league. Once again dealing with inconsistencies from their quarterback and their coaching staff. Once again having me hoping that they don't make the playoffs for fear that once they get in they will do some damage -- in Foxborough.

10. Denver Broncos (7-5): What the hell are they doing on this list? Oops. Sorry Tim Tebow. I mean what the heck are they doing on this list? The Denver Tebows are the story of 2011. The team started off 1-4 with  Kyle Orton as their QB. He is no longer their QB. Rookie Tim Tebow took his place and has ran (and sometimes passed) his way into the hearts of Denver fans.

11. Dallas Cowboys (7-5): The 'Boys have had one of the craziest regular seasons I have seen in a long time. The have blown games that they should have won to the Jets, the Lions, the Pats, and most painfully, the Cards last week. Dallas could easily be 9-3. But they're not. That must be driving Jerry Jones crazy. The Cowboys will be tough to beat in the playoffs if they can stop beating themselves.

12. Atlanta Falcons (7-5): There are a total of eight teams with a 7-5 record. They are all good teams. Not great. The best five are listed here. (The other three -- Oakland, Tennessee, Chicago -- are not far behind when healthy.) I give Atlanta the nod over them because they have a good balance of offense and defense. And they went 14-2 last year.

Dishonorable mention: I could put the 0-12 Colts here again. But I'm going to take it easy on Indy fans. This quarter the honor goes to the New York Football Giants. I know, they are 6-6 and a pretty good team. And they have had a brutal schedule. But since they pulled off another last second comeback to beat the Pats at Gillette a month ago to go to 6-2 they have lost every game. They might not even make the playoffs. They were talking like champs when they left Foxborough. Way to build on that momentum.

Half 'n half

Every team in the NFL (including the Pats) has now played at least eight games. It's the half-way point of the season. What a first half it has been. There was a lot of talk in the first few weeks about the trend towards 45-40 games. A lot of wasted talk. The defenses -- as they always do -- are starting to assert themselves. The scores are dropping along with the temperatures.

The defending champs are the last unbeaten team and look to be helmet and shoulder pads above the rest of the field. Other than that the league is a free-for-all. Eleven of the 16 teams in the AFC are .500 or better. The AFC North alone has three teams with six wins. The NFC has nine teams at .500 or better. Take away the NFC West (please) and the quality of play throughout the league is as competitive as it's ever been. The football has been highly entertaining. The playoff races should come down to the wire in several divisions. The NFL Redzone is going to get a workout.

The league's top team is an easy one. After that it's a battle for We're No. 2!

1. Green Bay Packers (8-0): The Pack has outscored its opponents by almost 100 points. Aaron Rodgers is having what could be the first of several MVP years. Brett Favre will soon be a distant memory for Green Bay fans. Interestingly, the Pack's pass defense is second-to-last in the league. Maybe pass D isn't that important after all. I thought the Pack was a decent team that got hot at the right time last year to win their title. I was wrong. They were a great team that finally started putting it all together. A Pats-Pack rematch in the Super Bowl would be great.

2a. San Francisco 49ers (7-1): The Niners have only allowed 118 points. By far the lowest in the league. That's how you turn an underachieving team into a division champ. The rest of the NFC West has combined for just five wins. Two less than San Fran. Pete Carroll won't be sneaking into the playoffs this year. The Niners could wrap the division up by the time we all sit down for our turkey dinner. That really isn't a good thing for anyone, including the Niners.

2b. Baltimore Ravens (6-2): The Ravens accomplished their main goal for the regular season. Sweep the Steelers. But the Bengals were on the other side waiting for them. Now the Ravens will have a chance to sweep the Bengals and take the brutal AFC North. I think they will. Anquan Boldin has started to look like he did in Arizona. That makes Baltimore very dangerous.

2c. New England Patriots (5-3): They may have lost their last two games and their offense may be "struggling," but the Pats are still a top five team in the league. Hopefully they will prove me right Sunday night. The Pats had an off game in Pittsburgh coming out of their bye but losing at Heinz is no disgrace. Neither is losing to the Giants in a tight battle. The Pats -- as they often do -- got away from the run in the two losses. They need to get back to it. And -- stop me if you've heard this before -- they need more of a pass rush.

2d. New York Giants (6-2): Eli Bleeping Manning. Who would have thought that little Manning would ultimately become more of a pain in Belichick's side than his big brother? He pulled out another clutch win last week and has Tom Coughlin's G-Men back on top in the NFC East. They have maybe the best pass rush in the game and some young, explosive receivers to go along with a pounding running game. This is a very good team. They will be tough in the playoffs.

2e. New York Jets (5-3): How good are the Jets? They sure looked bad in their three-game losing streak. And they really haven't looked all that great in their current three-game winning streak. But the defense is starting to play like a Rex Ryan D and the running game is starting to show signs of life. And the big guy on the sideline is still doing a good job coaching. They play the Pats Sunday night and then have to fly out to Denver for a Thursday night game. Two games in five nights that could decide their playoff fate.

2f. New Orleans Saints (6-3): The Saints biggest problem so far has been winning on the road. Brees and the offense are averaging a league best 445 yards a game. That will win just about anywhere. The Saints are averaging about 320 yards passing and 125 yards rushing. That's balance. Darren Sproles was by far the best free agent pickup this year. He can do it all. The Saints D is even improved, averaging in the middle of the pack in most categories.

2g. Detroit Lions (6-2): The Lions were the hot story of the early season but have stumbled just a bit. Just a bit. Their red-hot offense has cooled down due to no running game. That has put more pressure on Stafford and he has looked more like a young QB lately. But the defense is still fierce. Surprisingly, Detroit is unbeaten on the road but only 2-2 in Motown. The Lions biggest problem is they are in the Pack's division so their only path to the playoffs is the wild card. Not an easy path in the NFC.

2h. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3): The Steelers got stomped at home on opening day by Baltimore. They looked old. Since then they have gone 5-2. Steelers! Geez. They just keep winning. They have had a a habit the last decade of following up a great year (AFC champs) with a bad year. I was betting on that again. It doesn't look like a good bet. Big Ben keeps getting it done. Mike Wallace has taken over for Hines Ward very nicely. The defense continues to play solid, ranking third in the league in yards per game and fifth in points. Guess they aren't so old after all.

2i. Houston Texans (6-3): The team that is flying under the radar in the AFC. Houston usually has succumbed to the Colts by this point of the season. Freed from that shadow, the Texans are steadily heading towards their first division title (and playoff spot) in franchise history. The defense is leading the way. Houston is first in yards allowed, second against the pass, and fourth against the run. Mario Williams was worth the pick. The fact that they are winning without Andre Johnson says a lot.

2j. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2): They haven't played the Steelers or the Ravens yet. Actually, they've barely played anyone. But they are 6-2 and their defense is playing great. Of all the teams at the top of their division, the Bengals are the biggest question. As in... Who the hell plays for the Bengals? Rookie Andy Dalton from Texas Christian is playing solid rookie quarterback. Not making too many mistakes. First-round pick A.J. Green is playing outstanding rookie wideout. But it's the D that is the story. The Bengals are second against the rush and only allowing 17 points a game. If they keep that up they should make the playoffs.

2k. Atlanta Falcons (5-3): Another team flying below the radar. The Falcons had the best record in the NFC last season only to get bounced at home in their first playoff game. Like the Pats. Unlike the Pats, they have a defense that can stop people. Matt Ryan and Michael Turner give the Falcons balance on offense. Julio Jones is another rookie wideout who would have looked good in a Pats uniform. The Falcons are better on the road this year which should help them come playoff time.

Dishonorable mention: I said at the start of the year this could be a rough one for Indianapolis Colts fans. I had no idea how rough. 0-8. Wow. I guess Manning really was the reason that team won all those games. GM Bill Polian should be embarrassed. He apparently thought Manning would stay healthy and play another ten years. Because it's clear there was no Plan B. Sorry, Colts fans. You'll have lots of free time on Sundays come January. I know that's not very appealing since you live in Indianapolis.

10 from 4

The NFL Network has lots of great series. "America's Game." The new "A Football Life." "Playbook." One of my favorites is "Top 10." The show highlights the top 10 of a variety of NFL subjects. Top 10 Coolest Uniforms. Top 10 Ugliest Uniforms. Top 10 Quarterbacks. Top 10 Super Bowls. Top 10 Bad Weather Games. Hmmm. Wonder which Pats' game would be high on that list?

The latest edition of "Top 10" came on tonight. The Top 10 Greatest Brett Favre Moments. Can I please -- please -- have a break from this guy? After his multiple pre-mature retirements can we have a rule of no Favre programs for a year? I guess not. After all, we're talking the greatest human on the planet.

OK. I'll admit it. Favre was a great player. Just outside the ten best quarterbacks to ever throw a pass in the league. He made lots of amazing plays that I certainly can appreciate. So I stopped to think what my Top 10 Favre moments would be. I mean #4 is a legend. He has so many huge game-changing plays. So many. Let me see...

There was the interception he threw in overtime against the Eagles in the "04 playoffs. That was awesome. There was the six interceptions (six!) he threw in the playoffs against the Rams in '02. Brady hasn't done that. Of course Brett's greatest moment of all -- in my opinion -- is the pick six he threw in the '08 NFL title game against the Giants ... in overtime. To lose the game. Huge. And those are only the on-field moments. There were also the three separate drawn-out, tear-filled, American hero retirements. And something with a cellphone. I can't remember the details.

So many great moments.

I think Jon Gruden summed it up best when talking about the classic Vikes-Saints NFC title game in 2010. It came in at #9 on the list.

"If Brett Favre hadn't thrown that interception at the end of that game and instead led the Vikings to a victory and the Super Bowl, that game would have been his greatest moment ever by far." As usual, Gruden has hit it right on the nose when it comes to Favre.

Yes. If only he hadn't thrown that game-killing pick it would have been one of the greatest performances in league history. If only.

The Favre list counted down to the inevitable #1. Yes, the Monday night game he played just days after his father passed away. How could he do that? Such a hero. How can you not watch those highlights without a few tears?

The one thing that made watching this "Top 10" less annoying was this thought: One day the "Top 10" will feature the Top 10 Greatest Tom Brady moments. There won't be any interceptions in that list.

Four on the floor

The 16-game NFL season is broken down into quarters, just like each game. The league has come to the end of the first quarter of the 2011 season. There are definitely some surprises so far. The defending champs are 4-0. No surprise there. The other undefeated team? The Lions. They have exceeded even the highest expectations -- so far.

There have been some changes among the rankings for best team since the start of the season. Here are the top 12 after four games. Why 12? That's how many teams make the playoffs.

1. Green Bay Packers (4-0): Guess the Pack wasn't too happy with my preseason rankings. OK. I stand corrected. The defending champs are the best team in the league. They were kind of lucky to win the opener against the Saints. Since then Aaron Rodgers and his offense has been on a tear. Their offense is not as dynamic as New England's. But their D is much better. They are still the team to beat.

2. New England Patriots (3-1): The loss of Mayo is huge. He led the league in tackles last year and was starting to make more of the game-changing plays. Hopefully -- with the bye week -- he will only miss a few games. The defense is still a work in progress. The offense is a work of art. Brady looks in control on every drive -- even the ones that end badly. I can't wait to see if the Jets D can slow them down. I'm thinking no.

3. Baltimore Ravens (3-1): Ray Lewis and the men in black have looked dominant in wins over the Steelers and the Jets. But they looked very beatable in a loss to Tennessee. I think the one that dominated is the Ravens team we will see most of the time. Ed Reed and Ray Lewis will see too it. If Flacco can step up to the next level of QB then Baltimore could be at the top of this list come Week 17. (I don't know what it is... but Ray Lewis is starting to grow on me).

4. Detroit Lions (4-0): The Lions destroyed the Pats in preseason. If the Pats and Lions played this weekend who would win? I lean towards Detroit just because of their pass rush. The best in the game. But then I see the way Romo and Big D pushed the Lions around in the first half and I think what could Brady and Co. do. I'm not sure who would win, but it would be a hell of a game. Detroit has fallen behind big in its last two games only to pull out come-from-behind wins. That can't last.

5. Houston Texans (3-1): You can just see the difference in the Texans. Just the knowledge that -- ding-dong -- the Colts are dead seems to have made them better. They sure look more confident. Matt Schaub is maturing and the Texans have a great pass rush. It's the one thing all the teams in the top 5 have. Except the Pats. Houston has gotten off to fast starts before only to bow to the Colts. This time teams will be bowing to them.

6. New Orleans Saints (3-1): The 2009 champs are a lot like the Patriots. Great offense. Shaky defense. But they are also a couple of fluky plays away from beating the Pack and being undefeated. Now that they aren't the team with the target on their backs, Brees and the Saints can relax and just play. Replacing Reggie Bush with Darren Sproles was brilliant. When this is your sixth best team, you have an entertaining league.

7. Washington Redskins (3-1): Is it Mike Shanahan? Rex Grossman? Uh uh. It's no Phat Albert. And no Donovan McNabb. Addition by subtraction. The Redskins at the top of the NFC East and the Eagles at the bottom? It's only four weeks but only Baltimore has allowed less points than Washington. The offense is making just enough plays to win. And they have an extremely easy schedule outside their division games.

8. San Diego Chargers (3-1): San Diego has gotten off to so many bad starts in the past several years that it felt like a rule that they start of 1-4. Now that Norv has his team sitting at 3-1 they only have to avoid a late-season collapse not to win the division. It's theirs. Then Norv gets to the playoffs. That's a different story as we know.

9. New York Jets (2-2): So much for my "they deserve to start the season ranked #1" statement. They didn't and now they aren't. The Jets have the ego to match Mt. Ryan's gut. It's not helping much. If it wasn't for a Romo meltdown the Jets would be sitting at 1-3 and the Foot Doctor wouldn't be cracking wise at his press conferences. "We're just the guys for the job," Big Rex declared after his team got spanked by the Ravens. The job of getting their march to the Super Bowl back on track starts in Gillette. Good luck.

10. Tennessee Titans (3-1): Matt Hasselbeck? Really? You just never know. If it wasn't for the Titans' win over Baltimore I wouldn't have them ranked. But beat Baltimore they did. And handily. They lost WR Kenny Britt for the season. A big loss. But Chris Johnson has yet to get rolling. When that happens the Titans might actually get better. Especially if Hasselbeck continues his Kurt Warner impersonation.

11. San Francisco 49ers (3-1): The Harbaugh brothers are 6-1. John has been doing well in Baltimore for a few years now. Former QB Jim looks like he's bringing the same focused intensity to the Niners. And it's working so far. It helps that the three other teams in the NFC West are three of the league's worst. And it helps to have a runner like Frank Gore.

12. Buffalo Bills (3-1): It was either the Bills or the Giants here. I'm just not an Eli believer. I don't think the Giants make the playoffs. I don't think the Bills will make it either. They had a chance to go 4-0 and blew a lead against a mediocre Cincy team. That's not a good sign. And their D is really bad. But they are fun to watch. I can't wait till they come to Gillette on New Year's Day.

Dishonorable mention: Philadephia Eagles. The Dream Team '11. They are 1-3 and blew a 23-3 lead at home against the Niners. With mistake after mistake after mistake. The warm and fuzzy Philly fans are getting a little agitated. On the bright side, Vick has led my fantasy football team to a respectable 2-2 start. Oh wait, that's Wes Welker who has done that.