So, a few weeks ago, we had one historically huge match up between the top two teams in the AFC, with the 8-1 Denver Broncos meeting the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs. It reached historical status because the combined record of the two teams participating in the game was better that deep into the season than any two teams meeting together since 1970. You are talking about a lot of games.
That game offered a contrast in styles. The Kansas City Chiefs went in as big time underdogs, but managed to acquit themselves fairly well, by bogging Denver down at times, and making the Broncos earn it. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, that was the first in a string of three straight losses, and they now need to rediscover their earlier, winning ways. But at the time, it was a truly huge, even epic, match up.
Then last week, we had the big showdown in New England between the Broncos and Patriots. Brady versus Manning, Part Fourteen! And it lived up to it's billing as well. Denver raced ahead, and made it look like it would be a laugher. But New England exploded right back into it, took the lead, and eventually won the huge game in epic fashion in overtime.
Both of those games seemed to have huge ramifications for home field advantage.
Now, this week, another huge match! This time, it was the top two teams in the NFC, at least in terms of combined record. This was a game that would easily belong on that list a few weeks back, between winning teams with awesome records meeting so late in the regular season, with the 9-2 New Orleans Saints visiting the 10-1 Seattle Seahawks, and the winner having the inside track on home field advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs.
Yes, it looked like a huge match up, but it did not nearly live up to the billing that those other games somehow managed to live up to.
Like Denver did last week, the Seahawks exploded early and often to get a big lead. But New Orleans did not respond like the New England Patriots did last week. In fact, New Orleans did not really respond at all, and were essentially bullied and beaten down all night long. It reinforced the impression that Seattle is virtually unbeatable at home, which does not bode well for the other teams in the NFC, since the road to the Super Bowl in this conference will surely go through the Pacific Northwest.
For New Orleans, not only did they get blown away, but they now find themselves no longer very relevant in the race for home field advantage, but with their long held lead in the NFC South - a lead that was one time a seemingly comfortable three game margin over each of the other teams in the division - suddenly evaporated. The Carolina Panthers are on fire, having won eight straight games, and those two teams are about to meet each other twice the rest of the way. Another contrast of styles, and contests with huge playoff ramifications. The winner in the NFC South will likely get the second seed in the NFC playoffs and, with it, the coveted playoff bye, and a chance to rest up.
So, yes, those games will be huge.
And my sense is that New Orleans, a team that themselves looked very elite only a few weeks ago, might just be in trouble. They suffered a bad loss at New York against the Jets, and an even worse loss on national television last night. Now, they are facing a team that is looking historically good on defense, while they themselves had their prolific offense bullied and effectively shut down in Seattle.
Should Carolina win and emerge as the team in the NFC South, I will say this: they are the only team that I see as capable of going into Seattle and beating a healthy Seahawks team in the playoffs. I don't see the Saints, 49ers, Lions, Cowboys, Eagles, or anyone else being truly capable of this.
But they have to get through New Orleans first. They still have a lot to prove. But if their accomplishments so far this season are any indication, they very well may be on their way to proving it.
Predictions for Week 14
Okay, I just spent quite a bit of time talking about it. Now, here comes the prediction for the Carolina Panthers at the New Orleans Saints. I like the Panthers smothering the Saints, who could appear shaken, if Carolina manages to capitalize on the weaknesses that the Seahawks exposed this past week. Carolina's defense appears to be for real, and their offense has the potential to be very dangerous. And the Saints seem to be slumping a bit as of late. Look for that to continue.
On Thursday Night Football, I like the suddenly hot and focused Jacksonville Jaguars handing the suddenly hapless Houston Texans their eleventh straight loss.
Tampa Bay should bounce back from their tough loss and beat the Bills on Sunday. I see the Chiefs bouncing back from their recent slump, and beating up on Washington. The Jets will rebound against the Raiders, who are a mediocre team from a warm climate, on the road in outdoor, cold weather elements, against a halfway decent team. Likewise, the Ravens should hold serve at home and knock off the Minnesota Vikings in a battle of purple and gold teams. I like Atlanta upsetting the Packers at Lambeau, as the woes in Green Bay's suddenly disastrous season continue.
There are plenty of games with potentially huge playoff implications! One would be the Detroit Lions visiting the Philadelphia Eagles. For a long time, the Eagles seemed helpless at home. But they are trying to keep pace with Dallas, and so I like them taking care of the Lions, who are still on shaky legs. The Miami Dolphins are hot, and hope to stay that way after visiting the Steel City. But I see Pittsburgh playing spoiler, and smothering the Dolphins, dampening their playoff aspirations. The Colts will visit the Bengals, with the winner having the inside track for the third seed in the AFC, and I actually will take Cincy in this one. New England should win relatively easily at home against the Browns. The Broncos should handle Tennessee.
The G-Men have been impressive of late, but visiting San Diego is tough. I see the Chargers emerging victorious in that one. The Cardinals should beat the Rams, and the 49ers should be able to end the Seahawks hot winning streak in San Francisco.
Finally, on Monday Night, I actually see Dallas winning on the road in Chicago to keep the race between the Eagles and the Cowboys red hot. Hate to say it, but I never really had much faith in Chicago's seeming resurgence earlier this season. Their recent seasons have been similar: start off hot, then fade away as the season goes on. It may be taking a little longer than usual this year, mostly because of the epic ineptitude (as well as bad luck) of the other teams in the division, but I don't see the Bears as a serious contender, or anything. And with each week, they will likely show this more and more. Dallas takes this one convincingly.
European Football:
MLS
The championship match for the MLS features the red-hot and usually stellar Sporting Kansas City at Real Salt Lake.
Tough game to call. Real Salt Lake have not had too many problems scoring goals throughout the season. Plus, they have home field advantage, which could be huge.
Sporting Kansas City seems to rely far more on their defense, and goals do not come nearly as easily.
So, this game offers a contrast in styles.
In their only previous match up earlier this season, Sporting Kansas City managed to win, 2-1. But that was in KC, and it was relatively early in the regular season.
This is an entirely different ball of wax. Experience should be a factor, since Real Salt Lake has more playoff experience, and actually won the MLS Cup a few years ago, while Sporting Kansas City has never won it.
I will go ahead and predict Real Salt Lake to do it at home against Sporting Kansas City.
France Ligue 1 Standings (taken from Yahoo Sports: http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/ligue-1/
Standings
| Rank | GP | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSG | 15 | 26 | 37 |
| 2 | Lille | 15 | 13 | 33 |
| 3 | Monaco | 15 | 13 | 32 |
| 4 | Marseille | 15 | 9 | 27 |
| 5 | St. Etienne | 15 | 6 | 24 |
| 6 | Nantes | 15 | 7 | 23 |
| 7 | Guingamp | 15 | 3 | 22 |
| 8 | Bastia | 15 | -2 | 22 |
| 9 | Bordeaux | 15 | 3 | 21 |
| 10 | Lyon | 15 | -1 | 19 |
| 11 | Reims | 15 | -4 | 19 |
| 12 | Toulouse | 15 | -5 | 19 |
| 13 | Rennes | 15 | 1 | 18 |
| 14 | Lorient | 15 | -5 | 17 |
| 15 | Nice | 15 | -6 | 17 |
| 16 | Evian | 15 | -12 | 16 |
| 17 | Montpellier | 15 | -3 | 15 |
| 18 | Valenciennes | 15 | -10 | 10 |
| 19 | AC Ajaccio | 15 | -16 | 8 |
| 20 | Sochaux | 15 | -17 | 8 |
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