You Can Win With Tony Romo (But Probably Not in Dallas)

On Sunday night Tony Romo had another fourth quarter meltdown that cost the Cowboys the game, thus giving the news media reason to criticize his play all week, most of which has been unjust.

Does Romo wish he didn't fumble the ball? Sure, but Romo made the right decision. In opting for the safest play call, Romo caused a turnover, but it was a turnover that could have happened to any quarterback in the league. Of course not fumbling would have put the game away, but the fumble itself isn't what cost the Cowboys the game.

Was it probably a bad idea targeting an injured Dez Bryant and picking on the best defensive player in the league? I'd say so, but if the coach is going to put the player on the field you need to utilize him. Some say that Bryant missed the route, but it was still a risk a more cautious quarterback might not have taken. Though Romo had some success against Revis over the course of the game, there is only so much you could do to Revis before you pay for it. Throughout his career, Revis has been the sort of player who gets better as the game goes on, and if you're going to get to him it's going to happen in the first half.

This week summed up Tony Romo's stint with the Cowboys: offensive success, a lot of great plays, but a few costly mistakes. There was no Wade Phillips to blame on Sunday, no T.O, and no grumpy Bill Parcells. This was Romo's loss, with Romo's coach, and it looks like it may very well be time for Tony Romo and Dallas to go their separate ways.

The problem with this is that Dallas are built to win now so they don't have time to wait for a Landry Jones or Matt Barkley. In order to part ways with Romo they would need a better option to go with to win in 2012, and franchise quarterbacks don't come on to the market every year, and when they do it's for a reason. The exception would be Joe Montana to the Chiefs or Brett Favre to the Jets, but it doesn't look like we have any situations like that... Yet.

But let's say we did. Where would Tony Romo go, and who would want him? In a quarterback free agent class led by Carson Palmer, Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, Chad Henne, Vince Young, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Charlie Whitehurst, it would seem as though Romo would be the blue chip on the market and the first domino to fall. I anticipate Fitzpatrick staying in Buffalo, but those other quarterbacks leaving should open up jobs in Denver, Miami, and Seattle, three potential destinations for Romo.

Miami, like Dallas, are built to win now. Next year they'll probably have a new head coach that is brought in to help sell tickets. The coach's name could be Gruden, it could be Fischer, it could even be Billick. Whoever it may be it'll be a coach who throughout their career has opted toward veteran quarterbacks. Enter Romo the Dolphin, which would likely be the best case scenario for Romo's career and mental health. In the AFC East no one will expect the Dolphins to do much. If he could beat New England and the Jets once each he'd initially be a hero. If he could get the team to the playoffs he'd be a savior. In a city that has embraced LeBron, Tony Romo would no longer have the weight of the world on his shoulders in Miami, and I could see it being a wonderful fit.

Then there's Denver, with head coach John Fox who has a rule against QB's under the age of 28: he hates them. Denver is a mess for any quarterback to step into, but it's really not that bad. The Denver defense should be competitive by this time next year, and the wide receivers and running backs are adequate. Romo in Denver would instantly put Denver back in the race that Kyle Orton has held them out of, but he'd be thrown into a poor situation with the expectations and popularity that Tebow (who would now presumably be gone) thrown onto his shoulders. This situation is not ideal but it could work.

Then there's Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks. Going to the NFC West would be great for Romo, but it might be hard for Jerry Jones to send him there. If this happened though, Romo would instantly have a chance to rebuild his career and his self esteem by picking apart the Cardinals and 49ers. Carroll seems to be looking for a quarterback with some athleticism, and Romo has enough, plus several other intangibles that would instantly turn the Seahawks into divisional favorites. The weapons are poor in Seattle, but who ever thought that Miles Austin would become what Romo has helped him become?

Christian Ponder and Blaine Gabbert prevent Romo from heading to Minnesota or Jacksonville, and there is an outside chance he could end up a 49er, but again I don't think Jerry Jones wants Romo in the NFC. That leaves Cleveland as the final potential destination for Romo, but they seem like the sort of franchise who would think rookie before they went veteran.

Wherever Tony Romo ends up next year, in this scenario everyone benefits. The Cowboys would have the Montana or Favre type (hint, hint) and Romo would be somewhere in the AFC with less pressure and a decent shot to take his team to the playoffs.

Pre-Pre-Seaon NFL Power Rankings

We’re really close to the start of the NFL preseason, so now is the right time to make the first power rankings of the year. We’ll call these the pre-preseason power rankings. Before you get upset at where your team ranks remember what power rankings really are: a ranking 1-32 of the teams with the best chances of winning the Super Bowl. That’s the goal. A team like the 2008 Chargers at 8-8 had a better chance of winning the Super Bowl than the 11-5 Patriots who were absent from that year’s tournament, thus San Diego would have finished the season ranked ahead of New England.

My format for power rankings has the 32 teams broken up into four categories: the elite; or the teams with the best chance to win the Super Bowl, the very good; otherwise known as the teams with an average chance to win the Super Bowl, hanging in there; or the teams who are alive but barely, and the dead; or the teams with no chance of winning the Super Bowl.

For the sake of a fresh start to a new season no team is currently classified as “dead.”

So here they are, Funk Football’s first power rankings of the new NFL season. What lockout?

The Elite

01. Green Bay Packers – The defending Super Bowl champions only got healthier, which makes them better and more dangerous. Aaron Rodgers is one of the league’s top difference makers, and their schedule is easy enough where even if they don’t win the division they should be in the playoffs. This team is built well and built to win anywhere, and if Rodgers is healthy enough they can beat any team.

02. New Orleans Saints – Several of you out there may be calling me crazy for putting the Saints at number two, but this is a team one year removed from one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history, and this year’s version of the team includes an upgraded running game with the addition of Heisman trophy winning running back Mark Ingram and former San Diego Charger standout Darren Sproles. Last year in a “down year” the Saints went 11-5 before an embarrassing loss on the road to the Seahawks. The 2011 Saints should be healthier, stronger on defense, better on offense, and believe it or not under the radar. They should run away with the division.

03. San Diego Chargers – A lot of people seem to think the Chargers were a losing team last year, but they were a 9-7 team, and probably the best team that didn’t make the playoffs. By the end of the season there was little doubt that they were better than the Chiefs, and New England, Indianapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore were shaking in their cleats over the prospect of facing Philip Rivers and company in the playoffs. The Chargers seem to have fixed their major weakness: special teams, which was really the teams only weakness. The running game is underrated, the defense is great, and if Bob Sanders is healthy, the Chargers will have gotten the most game changing free agent of the off season, because after all, how many Super Bowls have Asomugha and Haynesworth carried their teams to? Sanders is the 2007 defensive player of the year and he’s joining a defense where he won’t be asked to be the only guy who can make a tackle. Watch out.

04. Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles made 90% of the headlines in free agency and they certainly got deeper at a ton of positions. The only thing that can stop this team is health, and running into teams like the Packers and Saints who can score on anybody. Michael Vick was a great story in 2010, but it’s important to note that in Vick’s entire career he’s never had solid back to back seasons. In order for the 2011 Eagles to obtain immortality as Super Bowl champions, Vick is not only going to have to have a solid season, he’ll probably have to have the best season of his life considering at some point he’ll like have to face opposing offenses lead by Rodgers, Brees, Ryan, Peyton, Rivers, and Brady, any of which can score efficiently and mistake free.

05. New England Patriots – If the Patriots created 90% of the free agency headlines, the Patriots scooped up 9%, but their moves were far riskier. The acquisitions of Chad Ochocinco, Albert Haynesworth, and Shaun Ellis would all fall under the category of low risk, high reward. The problem is, the Pats aren’t handling it as low risk, instead moving their defense to a 4-3 to better accommodate for Haynesworth, while slotting Ochocinco as their #1 receiver in Brady’s offense. If you look at these power rankings, no other team in the top six would slot Ochocinco as the number one receiver. The move to 4-3 is far riskier than the Ochocinco move, not just because all five of Belichick’s Super Bowl victories have been with a 3-4, but because Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees have obscene career numbers against the 4-3, and relatively poor numbers against the 3-4. Still, I have to give Bill Belichick the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise. A tough division and a tough inter-conference schedule is this team’s biggest concern. A first round bye is paramount to a Super Bowl run for this team.

06. Indianapolis Colts – If the Colts plan to go back to the Super Bowl, this might be their last best chance, at least with this system. I’m not worried about Peyton’s neck, the Colts offense will be better than they were last year with an upgraded offensive line, and a healthy Dallas Clark and Austin Collie. What makes the Colts more dangerous than before are the defensive acquisitions they’ve made: the addition of injury plagued Tommie Harris, who by all accounts is now healthy, rivals that of the Bob Sanders acquisition as the best unsung signing of the offseason. You have to believe that if the Jets, Patriots, or Eagles made those signings it would be the second coming of Warren Sapp for all of those franchises. That’s east coast media bias, which has never stopped the Colts from having a great shot at a ring come January. This year should be no different. Like the Chargers and the Saints they’re flying under the radar right now, and that’s dangerous.

07. Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers have followed their other two Super Bowl berths in the Roethlisberger era with seasons in which they don’t make the playoffs. A part of me believes that will be the case again for the Steelers, but I don’t believe enough in the Ravens or Browns to see that as plausible just yet. I think a Super Bowl loss will motivate this team, and a healthy Troy Polamalu is as valuable as any other team’s best player. The rings speak for themselves in Pittsburgh, and as long as Roethlisberger and Polamalu are there (and healthy), this is the team to beat in the AFC North.

08. Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens have been good enough to get out of the first round the past three years, but not good enough to get to a Super Bowl. The Ravens best shot at getting to one is going to be by getting a first round bye, and if ever that was possible this is the year. The Ravens need to stay healthy on defense, but if Joe Flacco can take that next step to borderline Pro Bowl quarterback, this Ravens team can win the division, and potentially get that first round bye. If they do, then watch out.

09. New York Jets – The New York Jets Super Bowl hopes begin and end with Mark Sanchez. In order for the Jets to get to that next level, Sanchez needs to get to that next level. The Jets have gotten to the conference title game two years in a row the hard way; on the road as a wild card team with a below average playoff quarterback. If they had an average to above average playoff quarterback the Jets would have likely gone to the Super Bowl one of those years. The Jets roster is strong enough where Sanchez isn’t going to be asked to be Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers, instead he’s going to be asked to be Brad Johnson circa 2002. Before you laugh at that here are Brad Johnson’s 2002 numbers: 62.3 completion percentage, 234.5 passing yards/game, 11:3 TD:INT ratio, 92.9 QBR. The only thing to laugh at may be expecting Sanchez to obtain those sort of numbers, nevertheless it’s what he’s going to need to do if the Jets want to get past Brady, Manning, Rivers, Rodgers, Brees, and Roethlisberger, most importantly in the regular season where the Jets have struggled the past two seasons.

10. Atlanta Falcons – Call me crazy for putting them down at number ten, but I just see this as a step back year for Atlanta. A lot went right for the Falcons in 2010, including being in the same division as a hung-over Saints, but in the playoffs the Falcons proved they didn’t belong on the field with the eventual Super Bowl champions. This year it may be the Falcons who have the hangover. I think this team is good enough to get to the playoffs, but their schedule isn’t exactly a cakewalk, either. Julio Jones is a great add, but rarely do rookie wide receivers make the impact that puts a team over the top.

11. Dallas Cowboys – If the Saints, Chargers, and Colts are under the radar, then the Cowboys are beneath under the radar. This is a team that has flirted with an NFC title for awhile now, but fell short due to a poor coaching staff and a mismanaged roster. A healthy Tony Romo, a new regime, and low expectations may be the gift that the Cowboys needed this whole team, at least for the first few weeks of the season and training camp. Expect Dallas to be back in the playoffs, and if the roster lives up to its potential, there’s a great chance they could be representing the NFC in Indianapolis.

The Very Good

12. Minnesota Vikings – Brett Favre’s miserable play and a bad offensive line in 2010 made us forget how good the 2009 Vikings really were. The roster isn’t that far gone and 2011 Donovan McNabb should be an upgrade over 2010 Brett Favre. This is a team that can compete for a playoff spot, and if things unfold the right way compete for a division title. Adrian Peterson should have a good year behind a revamped offensive line, and playing in a dome (ten times) should help revitalize Donovan McNabb’s career the way it helped Favre once upon a time. They may not win the Super Bowl, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re better than the Eagles.

13. New York Giants – In 2007 Michael Strahan held out, Tiki Barber said sayonara, Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin were severely questioned, and the Giants did nothing but go on to win the Super Bowl. This year, Eli and Coughlin are again on the hot seat, Osi Umenyiora is holding out, and Tiki Barber is trying to find a team to attempt a comeback with. With all of the NFC talk focused outside of the Meadowlands, don’t be surprised if this is the year the Giants make another great run. Eli Manning is, believe it or not an underrated quarterback, and Coughlin coached teams are often winners. If they can sneak into the playoffs they’ll be dangerous, I’m not sure if they can win a division title, though. Injuries to start the season will hurt them.

14. Houston Texans – The Texans have felt like an on-the-verge team since 2004, but they have made some above average moves this offseason, and the Colts aren’t as dominant in that division as they once were. The key to the Texans season will be winning week one versus Indianapolis and using that momentum to help win a division title, the way the Titans did in 2008. If the Texans can get to the playoffs, then they’ll have that 2008 Cardinals danger to them that could help them defeat the Chargers, Patriots, Ravens, or Jets.

15. Chicago Bears – I’m going to go out and say it; I think this will be a down year for Chicago. The defense will be solid if healthy, Roy Williams could be a good addition at WR, and Jay Cutler may finally take that next step, but in reality they’re going to need all of those things to occur in order to get back to where they were. The window is closing in Chicago though, they have a veteran defense, so if they don’t get back to the playoffs this year, that may be it for this incarnation of the Bears.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jaguars made a lot of moves this offseason, most of which I thought were bad. If David Garrard is injured to start the season then this team is dead on arrival, but if not they have a shot to win the AFC South, which is perhaps the most wide open division in the AFC. But in reality, number sixteen of thirty two is about where Jaguars are, and always seem to be. Until Jack Del Rio moves on I can’t see this team being consistent enough to get through Peyton or the Texans.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – I have the Bucs at seventeen not because I think they’re untalented, but because I hate the division that they’re stuck in. The Bucs are a good young team with a lot of talent, but when they play four of their games against the Falcons and Saints it will always be hard to win their division. On top of that games vs Indianapolis, Dallas, and Houston, and at Green Bay, Minnesota, and Jacksonville could make this a long year for the Bucs.

18. St. Louis Rams – The Rams should win their division. The defense is strong and will likely improve a good amount this year. This teams entire Super Bowl hopes hinge on the arm of Sam Bradford, who will be asked to make progress like fellow former number one overall pick Peyton Manning made in 1999, his second pro season. The problem is, since Peyton Manning no second year quarterback who started their first year has made that sort of progress so it’s unrealistic, on top of that, 1999 Peyton Manning didn’t get to the Super Bowl. Nevertheless, a division title in 2011 will go a long way towards eventually helping Bradford get what Manning eventually got as well, a Super Bowl ring. I like Bradford, I could see him being a Pro Bowler this year, and I can see the Rams having a strong season, I just don’t think I can see them having a Super season.

19. Detroit Lions – I’m going to say it: the Lions can win the Super Bowl. What’s the catch? They play in the NFC North. I think the Lions will be improved this year, and if Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, this could be a winning team and even a playoff team. I just don’t know if they can go deep into the playoffs just yet. The defense is going to be great one day, and the offense has potential to be even better. 2011 should be the year where the Lions finally re-enter the NFL as a legitimate team. If they’re healthy, that will definitely happen.

Hanging In There

20. San Francisco 49ers – In a way it’s a good thing that the 49ers plan to find out what they have in Alex Smith once and for all. Unfortunately for the 49ers I think that they’re going to find out Alex Smith isn’t a winning quarterback at this level. If the Rams don’t move forward, the 49ers could pass them and potentially win this division on the strength of the players around Smith. I could see the 49ers getting back to the playoffs this year, but I can’t see them going any further than a first round beat down by Philadelphia, New York, or Dallas.

21. Kansas City Chiefs – They were a playoff team last year and the most embarrassed playoff team at that. The best thing that could happen for this relatively young team would be to have a down year and find a real future quarterback. Cassell is good to start another year after this season, but I can’t see the Chiefs ever competing for a ring with Cassell. With Denver and Oakland ready to go on the rise, now would be the right time for the Chiefs to fail, before mediocrity turns them into this decades Buffalo Bills.

22. Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals cashed in their future for Kevin Kolb, a quarterback who has shown some signs of excellence these past few years, as well as some signs of futility. We’ll see what they have in Kolb, but the bigger problems in Arizona lie elsewhere. The offensive line has gotten worse, the defense has gotten worse, and I’m not sure if Kevin Kolb can do what Kurt Warner was able to do. I don’t see Arizona getting back to the playoffs this year, I honestly thing St. Louis are better overall, but if the Kolb move was a good one, then the Cardinals can become a force in the NFC again very soon.

23. Cleveland Browns – I’ll come out and say it: I like Colt McCoy as a pro quarterback. I think he has the intangibles, and enough of the skill set to succeed along the lines of a Flacco or Roethliberger, in that the numbers won’t be gaudy but the wins will be in abundance. The problem is, it will be hard for McCoy to pan out on an offense with so few weapons. The Jets got Sanchez every weapon he could ever ask for. The Broncos and Rams surrounded Tebow and Bradford with solid offensive weapons as yet. The Browns continue to rebuild, and McCoy may become the victim of this rebuilding process. Nevertheless, this is a team with a shot at the wild card in a slim AFC wild card picture. In order for that to happen, McCoy may need to play out of his mind, something I don’t think he’s ready to do.

24. Seattle Seahawks – Pete Carroll is becoming a mad scientist as a head coach. I can’t see this year going as well as last year. Their quarterback situation should be renamed “backup city” and their defense is average at best. I can see them battling around .500, but I honestly believe 6-10 is their peak.

25. Washington Redskins – Tough division for a team to try to rebuild in, especially with a coach like Mike Shanahan. If this season goes well for Shanahan then we’ll have to concede to his genius. If this season goes poorly for Shanahan then we’ll have to say that Al Davis was actually right and the only reason Shanahan has two Super Bowl rings is because of Terrell Davis and John Elway. The somewhere in between would be that Shanahan got too far inside his own head to the point where he started to believe in his ego, which told him that he could win a tough division with Rex Grossman or John Beck at quarterback, with no offensive game-breaker, and an improving but not great defense.

26. Miami Dolphins – They have the roster to become the most exciting team in the AFC East, the issue is they don’t have the quarterback. Instead of going after Orton they should go after Tebow. They won’t win much in the AFC East this year, but it’ll be fun to watch. Tebow in Florida would turn the NFL on its head, and with Reggie Bush and Brandon Marshall, he could actually meet his potential as a major offensive weapon. It won’t happen because of the fan backlash that will occur in Denver, who are absolutely smitten with Tebow, but this what-if get’s the point across. The Dolphins biggest issue is quarterback, and they have done very little to address this issue. If Chad Henne develops this year, then I can see them making a push for the playoffs and hurting the Patriots and Jets first round bye hopes.

27. Oakland Raiders – It was going so well! Last year the Raiders had a shot at the playoffs. The Chargers were bewildered and the Broncos were in flux. This year the Chargers will be back and the Raiders will go back to third in the division. They had the right idea going for a veteran quarterback with Jason Campbell, but I think it’s time they find that franchise quarterback. If you’re going to beat Rivers consistently, you’ll need that heavyweight to throw up against him. It’ll be a step back year in Oakland.

28. Tennessee Titans – The Titans know that they’re rebuilding. Matt Hasselbeck is the right type of guy to tutor Jake Locker, and he’s openly willing to do it. This team’s best chance at the playoffs is Peyton Manning injury. This team’s best chance at a Super Bowl is a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Romo, Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers collective injury. In all seriousness, I’d rest Locker all year and let him watch.

29. Denver Broncos – Kyle Orton will start week one, but we know that right now this franchise is relevant for one reason only, they currently own the rights to the NFL’s greatest enigma: Timothy Tebow. The Broncos have little to no hope this year, and all you Tebow-maniacs can circle Sunday, October 23 on your calendars as the day the Tebow era truly begins, in Florida when the 1-4 Broncos take on the 1-4 Dolphins. If the Broncos win that one expect to hear about whether or not Tebow is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Expect them to maybe win four to five games after that.

30. Carolina Panthers – I could see this defense being really good. I hope they give Jimmy Clausen a chance to sort of impress the league so that the Panthers can trade him for a mid to late round pick, probably to Washington or Seattle where they collect those sort of players. Cam Newton will probably do alright as a rookie, I can’t see him doing great like Roethlisberger or Young, and the Panthers won’t be as patient with him as the Broncos were with Tebow, in part because the Panthers don’t need a QB controversy between Clausen and Newton, two young guys. A brutal division will force this team to pick in the top five again next year, and I expect them to use it to find Cam some protection.

31. Buffalo Bills – This is the team that Andrew Luck should go to. It would be great, and he could singlehandedly help keep the Bills in Buffalo long term. C’mon Bills, do us a favor, don’t go on another stupid November-December run that moves you from number one pick to number eight pick. Not this year. In Andrew Luck you would have the best quarterback in the AFC East by 2013, and if you prefer Fitzpatrick and his Harvard degree please note one thing: Andrew Luck will have a Stanford degree. Me personally, I trust a Stanford man more than a Harvard man at anything.

32. Cincinnati Bengals – This team will probably end up at 32 at the end of the year. The problem is this is the one franchise at the bottom that doesn’t want to be in that position because they just wasted an early second round pick on an average quarterback named Andy Dalton. If Dalton shows hope this year, they’ll probably try to trade that number one pick to someone who needs it. If not, then Andrew Luck, like Carson Palmer, will be a Pac 10 quarterback headed to Cincinnati where he’ll likely never meet his potential.

Divisional Weekend Losers: Where Do They Go From Here?

The Jets are playing the Colts, and the Vikings are heading to New Orleans to play the Saints. Those games are loaded with storylines, but as we transition into really focusing on those games, today serves as a great opportunity to take a look at Saturday and Sunday's losers.

Arizona Cardinals

Entering 2010 the Cardinals will benefit from playing in a tumultuous division. The Seahawks, 49ers, and Rams are all surrounded with too many questions to seriously consider them opening day division title contenders. The X Factor in this division is going to be Kurt Warner and whether or not he retires. Personally I foresee #13 announcing his retirement sometime before Super Bowl XLIV.

I think Anquan Boldin will remain in Arizona for at least one more season, making the transition from backup to starter a lot easier for fifth year quarterback Matt Leinart. It will be interesting to monitor the free agent quarterback market this year with Arizona in mind. If, by some odd turn of events, Donovan McNabb is let go by Philly, expect him to immediately sign with Arizona. McNabb would be the perfect fit in Arizona, and could benefit from the weak division and excellent indoor playing conditions.

If McNabb doesn't end up in Arizona, it's not the end of the world for Cardinal fans. Giving Matt Leinart the job, and an ounce of confidence, could be exactly what Leinart needs to succeed. Time has passed and Leinart can learn a lot from the recent successes of Joe Flacco and former USC teammate Mark Sanchez. I mean, how hard could it be to go behind center with Boldin, Fitzgerald, Wells and company?

Long story short, the Cardinals don't need to worry about too much in 2010. They'll be the same type of team they were in the 2008 and 2009 regular seasons with or without Kurt Warner.

Baltimore Ravens

Unlike the Cardinals, the Ravens do not benefit from playing in a weak division; As a matter of fact the AFC North looks to be even more difficult to win next year than it was this year. I fully anticipate the Steelers being a playoff team in 2010, and the Bengals and Browns will both be competitive.

What the Ravens do have going for them is a defense that has been as continuously good as an unit this decade. They are to the defensive side of the ball what the Colts have been to the offensive side of it. Their success in the 00's will carry over into the 10's, especially with the announcement that Ed Reed will return for the 2010 season.

For the Ravens, anything other than a division title will make 2010 an unsuccessful season. The Ravens have clocked into the playoffs as the six seed for the past two seasons, but the whole "road warrior" act has gotten in their way each of the past two seasons as they've ran into rival franchises in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. If the Ravens want to get to the next level next year they're going to have to win their division at the very least; In order to do that Joe Flacco is going to need to be the MVP; not of the NFL, but at least of the AFC North.

There's no reason to believe the Ravens can't do that next year. The past two drafts have gone so well for Baltimore that they've arrived sooner than they were supposed to after 2007's disaster season. With Flacco and Rice entering their third seasons, and Oher entering his second, the Ravens should be poised to take that next step. Watch out for Brandon Marshall as a 2010 signing for this franchise, as well.

Dallas Cowboys

Of all the teams who lost this past weekend, the Cowboys will probably have the toughest road back. Not because of a lack of talent, but because of the division they play in. The Eagles are the Eagles, the Giants are the Giants, and with Mike Shanahan in town, the Redskins will no longer be the Redskins. The Cowboys also are stuck with a schedule the includes the the Vikings, Bears, Packers, Saints, Cardinals, Colts, Titans, Texans, and Jaguars. With 15 of their 16 games on their schedule being against those teams (the 16th being the Lions) nothing is guaranteed in 2010 for Dallas.

Moving forward, putting the Cowboys together for 2010 will be pretty puzzling. With Wade coming back, it seems as though Wade-Romo take four is the tactic for the year. Recent history (the Philadelphia Eagles post 2005) would suggest this is a flawed tactic, but with the amount of talent the Cowboys have on both sides of the ball, it's going to be hard to keep this team under .500.

No free agents really stand out as "Cowboy-Bound" in 2010, but if Steven Jackson becomes available you have to imagine that Jerry Jones would be intrigued. Marion Barber is a great player, and Felix Jones is the best changeup in the league, but neither back is best served as the "down and dirty" back the Cowboys need. If Jackson doesn't head to Dallas, I project Dallas picking up some sort of every down back.

The biggest question surrounding the 2010 Dallas Cowboys is what sort of pressure is surrounding Wade and Romo? I've said it once, I'll say it again, the Cowboys are stuck with Romo. He's too good to just let go, but probably not good enough to carry this team to a Super Bowl. The best thing Romo can do is work on his efficiency in 2010 and try and become more "Simms-ish" and less "Favre-ish." Romo has some great physical tools to work with, 2010 needs to be the year he finally realizes less is more though.

As for Wade, he keeps his job on account of Gruden not being interested in the Dallas job, yet. Gruden has put up with wacky owners in the past, who's to say Dallas is out of the picture in the future. It's hard to project a coaching carousel a year in advance, but it doesn't take Nostradamus to see an open saddle on the Cowboy's horse.

San Diego Chargers

The only home team to lose on Sunday also have the most glaring questions entering 2010. More so than any other team in the NFL for the past five years, the Chargers have benefited from a weak division. Though that division will be slightly better in 2010, the Chargers will still come out of it alive and enter the playoffs seeded anywhere from 1 to 4. That's not the question though, the question is what does this team need to do to take the next step and finally get to, and win the Super Bowl?

It's pretty much been confirmed by almost everyone that barring some change in philosophy, the Chargers will be waving goodbye to LaDainian Tomlinson (and perhaps waving to his Mom if she's in the crowd), Shawne Merriman, and (hopefully for San Diego's sake) Antonio Cromartie.
Vincent Jackson got arrested (again) before Sunday's game, age is catching up to Antonio Gates, and Philip Rivers now has a 8 to 9 TD to INT ratio in the playoffs. Let's not even get into their pro bowl kicker.

In order for the Chargers to take the next step their going to have to draft a running back, and find some real leadership on defense. Look at what bringing in Sharper and Woodson has done for the Saints and Packers franchises respectively. Who is the Chargers defensive leader? Stephen Cooper? Shaun Phillips? That's not going to cut it. The Chargers need to bring in some defensive leadership.

Charger fans have also cited injuries as a major reason for the teams early playoff exit. So you lost Jamal Williams, big deal! That shouldn't prevent you from advancing past the Jets, especially when the Jets are playing without Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington, two Pro Bowlers from 2008. As for the Colts? They have Anthony Gonzalez, Bob Sanders, Marlin Jackson, and Tyjuan Hagler on the IR. That's four opening day starters.

What the Chargers really want to do in 2010 is change everything. LT is gone, Merriman is gone, it's time to start over. It's a new decade. This is a team the desperately needs a new culture. The 2010 Chargers will be given every opportunity the 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2004 Chargers were given. The only way different results will occur is if different ingredients are added to the solution.

Karma Will Get The Vikings

Running up the score always comes back to bite you. Just ask the Patriots (2007, 2008, 2009, take your pick).

At the end of Sunday afternoon's game, it goes without saying that Brett Favre and the Minnesota Viking's were willingly trying to run up the score and embarrass the Cowboy's. At the risk of sounding like a whining Cowboy's fan (which I am in no way either), I'm going to declare Favre's play, and Childress' play calling in the final minutes of the game "classless."

For me there is no double standard. If New England keeping Brady in against the Titans when up five touchdowns is classless, then so is the Vikings piling on to an already defeated Cowboys team. "This is the playoffs" is no excuse either. Yesterday we saw two classy coaches, and two of the classiest quarterbacks in the league give up the passing game in order to let their opponents go out with some dignity. No such reality by the Vikings.

But history doesn't bode well for teams who play without class. The 2007 and 2009 Patriots both ended their seasons with unlimited amounts of embarrassment; as have the 2001 Rams and countless college teams (2009 USC Trojans anyone?). The Vikings are running the risk of letting karma declare their fate, and with capable offenses from New Orleans, Indianapolis, and San Diego looming as their possible opponents, I think Viking fans should beware.

After all, "41-0" can't be that far in the Vikings rear view mirror, can it?

Romo Chokes, Out Favre's Favre

Heading into Sunday's showdown, many people (including myself) viewed the Dallas Cowboys as the favorites to win the NFC. The Vikings were cold, the Saints were cold, and the Cowboys were hot. You couldn't look at the Cowboys and not see a little bit of the 2006 Colts in them.

It seemed as though the most important piece to the puzzle, Tony Romo, had finally gained some late season swagger, but by the beginning of the 4th quarter on Sunday, we realized Romo was still Romo.

The NFL always needs it's goat; the guy who "can't win the big one" who "brings his team down" and "doesn't show up" in the "big spot." These cliches have become part of every mediocre sports talk radio hosts vernacular, and now they're going to be written in Tony Romo's obituary if he doesn't turn it around.

Peyton and Eli got their rings. McNabb has become an afterthought, and Tomlinson is a running back. To Romo's defense, those four players are a lot more talented than him; They were all top five picks while Romo was undrafted, still none of those players are Cowboy's, although the media certainly put pressure on them to win.

Earlier in the season I spoke openly with Cowboys fans about why the team couldn't win a Super Bowl with Romo. The difference between Romo and Eli is that you'd take Romo for the 50 minutes of every NFL game four times out of five, but you'd take Eli for the final ten minutes five times out of five; in other words, Eli may not put up the stats or highlight reel plays that Romo does, but without a doubt he plays better in the "big spot." And say what you will about Manning, but he's developed into the undeniable leader of his team. I'm not sure if the Cowboys have a leader outside of the guy signing the paychecks.

Entering today's game I honestly trusted Tony Romo more than I trusted Brett Favre. It had nothing to do with momentum, and everything to do with the fact that we've seen Favre blow it countless times this decade. I didn't care about Favre "never beating the Cowboys in the playoffs," because there's a big difference between the Cowboys of 2009 and the Cowboys of the mid 1990's. What I didn't like was the match up of the Cowboys defensive line versus Favre.

I was wrong. Dead wrong. The Cowboys defensive line was average at best when it came to rushing the passer on Sunday. The Vikings on the other hand, also known as the team I said looked mediocre against every team besides the Packers, dominated the Cowboys (all be it depleted) offensive line. Favre didn't over quarterback. Favre played like the "efficient" quarterback who let's his defense do the dirty work; the type of player that helped Tom Brady win three bowls.

Romo on the other hand? If there's one thing we know about Tony Romo it's that you can force him into awful decisions easier than you can force any other Pro Bowl level quarterback into mildly bad decisions. Four years into his tenure as Cowboys starter, seven years into his career as a pro, Tony Romo still gets his fix pretending to be Brett Favre. 19 years into his career, and 18 years as a starter, Brett Favre is now getting his fix pretending to be Phil Simms. If Favre pretends to be Simms again next week, we may see him in Miami for the Super Bowl.

As for Romo, I'm not sure he'll ever get the hint. Peyton Manning didn't win a Super Bowl until he stopped trying to put up out-of-this-world numbers. Tom Brady hasn't won a Super Bowl since he's tried to become Peyton Manning. Brett Favre's only Super Bowl win came from a balanced offense with a great defensense, and conservative offensive play calling. In other words, Romo needs to look towards his successful peers: Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, and even Joe Flacco. All four of those quarterbacks have tremendous tools, all were first round draft picks and four to five star pro prospects. All protect the football. All have more Simms in them, than they do Fouts.

It's time for Tony Romo to join that fraternity. After all, Fouts may be in the Hall of Fame, but Simms has a ring, and remains far more relevant (almost) twenty years past their playing days.

The Cowboys: The Team No One Wants to See

Let me start this by saying I don't think the Cowboys will win the Super Bowl in 2009. They have a chance, of course, but I just like those two AFC teams too much.

Now let me say that the last team those two teams in the AFC want to see go to the Super Bowl are the Dallas Cowboys. Not only can the Cowboys put up points, but they also have a great pass rush, and a great running offense; The Chargers and Colts biggest weaknesses.

The Cowboys look poised to go into Minnesota next week and pick up the second playoff win of the four-year Tony Romo era. The Vikings and the Cowboys ended their regular seasons on opposite sides of the momentum spectrum, and however erratic Tony Romo has traditionally been in "the big one," Favre magnifies that number by about 33.

Whether the Cowboys host the NFC Championship game or go on the road to New Orleans is paramount to their Super Bowl hopes. If Arizona or Green Bay go on the road next week and upset the Saints, then you have to love Dallas' Super Bowl chances (despite their mid-season struggle with the Packers). If the Cowboys are forced into Cowboys/Saints live from New Orleans II, then you have the begin to swallow hard if you're a Cowboy's fan.

New Orleans' momentum tank is running on empty right now, but a win next week over the Cardinals vs Packers winner would put all the fuel the Saints need in their tank. Offensively, the Saints are the far superior team in a Saints vs Cowboys match up, and though the Cowboys have the better defense overall, the Saints defense is great at doing the one thing that the Cowboys are known to do when they lose; turning the ball over.

A month ago it looked like Dallas wouldn't be in the playoffs, now we're talking going deep in the playoffs. If they had a better head coach we would be talking Super Bowl champions.

Then again, how ironic would a Norv vs Wade Super Bowl be after the past three years of "fire Norv," "fire Wade" banter.

Cowboys Clinch, Giants Done

When the Giants were 5-0 it looked like they were definitely playoff bound, the only question was "are they the one, two, or three seed?" After their loss to New Orleans, the Giants free-fell to mediocrity, but a win over the Cowboys in early December gave them a 2-0 head to head advantage over Dallas, and positioned the Giants for a playoff push.

Then the Cowboys did what the Giants (and every other team this season up to that point) couldn't do; they beat the Saints.

The win over the Saints by Dallas forced the Giants into a must win over the Panthers this week in the Giants final game at the Meadowlands; their home stadium for three Super Bowl wins and four NFC Championships. The Meadowlands Giants Stadium I farewell game ended with the G-Men getting tossed by the Carolina Panthers, a team that has played the foil to the Giants more than once in the Eli-era.

The Cowboys on the other hand took care of business yet again, quieting critics who said they couldn't win in December.

Now, Dallas are in the playoffs, and they may have a home game if they can beat the Eagles this week. Do I think the Cowboys can go deep in the playoffs? Maybe. All season I've had the Cowboy's as a plus .500 team, but not a great team. That being said, come the playoffs anyone can be great. It's a different game. From the refs, to the coaches, to the kick holders, playoff football is a different sport.

Mark my words, the Cowboys can win Super Bowl XLIV. They can beat the Vikings, Eagles, Cardinals, and Saints. They played San Diego well earlier this season, they beat the SB XLI Champion Colts in 2006, and they can beat the Patriots this year.

But unfortunately for the Cowboys, I don't see it happening. But that means nothing. I definitely didn't see the Giants or Cardinals coming out of the NFC the past two years.

As for the Giants of 2009, it was a disappointing year and changes need to be made. The team missed Derrick Ward, not because of his talent, but because you can never have too many running backs. Brandon Jacobs, like Marion Barber, is at his best when he's not relied on for every carry.

Eli Manning looked better in 2009 and he continues to improve. Giants stadium is a tough stadium to throw in, QB's say it's the toughest in the league, so never expect Eli to have Rivers or Peyton or Brady numbers. We should expect him to get Rivers or Peyton or Brady numbers in wins though, and that's where the 2009 Giants failed.

The defensive line fizzled, the linebacking corps didn't work out, and the team misses Steve Spagnuolo.

Simply put, despite beating them twice, the Giants are not a better team than the Cowboys, and the Cowboys belong in the playoffs.

Saturday Night Football Preview

Similar to how I posted my picks for tomorrow night's game between the Colts and Jaguars early, I figured I'd post my prediction for Saturday night's game between the Saints and Cowboys as well.

In case you're wondering, the NFL made this schedule a long time ago. It's only a coincidence that both the Colts and Saints are 13-0 right now and making a run at history.

On to the game.

The Cowboys have dropped their last two games, at New York Giants and home to the Chargers, in close fashion. Though the media has made a big deal about Dallas starting December off 0-2, little attention has been given to how close the Cowboys have come to being 2-0.

Meanwhile, the Saints are 2-0 so far in December, with very close victories over the Redskins and Falcons, two below average teams. It take overtime and a referee's challenge for the Saints to beat the Redskins, and a Matt Ryan/Michael Turner-less Falcons were down a field goal inside the two minute warning.

Could this be the week where the Saints fortune finally runs out and the Cowboys finally catch a break?

Not so fast.

A quick look at the Saints 2009 schedule shows a team that beat the Eagles 48-22, the Giants 48-27, the Dolphins 46-34, and the Patriots 38-17. Those are the playoff teams on their schedule. The same schedule shows the Saints having close ones; 28-23 over the Rams, and the two aforementioned road wins against the Falcons and the Redskins.

In other words, the 2009 Saints have stepped up in the big games, and played down to inferior teams. In other words, the Saints play to their opponent.

Does this mean that the Saints are going to lose? After all, that would be playing to the Cowboys level in December, wouldn't it?

The Saints are going to win this game. They're at home, home field is still up for grabs in the NFC playoffs, and the Cowboys are going to have a tough time putting any pressure on Drew Brees (if DeMarcus Ware isn't ready to go).

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, that means they're a Giants win at Washington on Sunday away from falling to #7 in the NFC playoff depth chart. A.K.A they'll need help.

It's going to be a crazy three weeks.

I'm taking the Saints at Home.

Give Dallas a Break

Why does everyone keep putting the Dallas Cowboys on a pedestal? When were the 2009 Cowboys ever supposed to be a 12-4 team? As far as I'm concerned they were a 9-7 to 11-5 borderline wild card team all season.

Take a look at how their season has played out; they lost week 2 to the Giants, week 4 to the Broncos, and entered their bye week 3-2. In what world do you live in where a 3-2 team should be expected to go 12-4 and win their division.

Now I understand the Cowboys were 4-1 in November, and 8-3 heading into last weeks game with the Giants, but take a look at their schedule. Outside of a good win over Philadelphia, the Cowboys beat the Seahawks, Redskins (barely), and Raiders, while losing to the Packers in November. What that tells me is that the Cowboys are a good team that can beat the bad teams, and split the games against the good teams.

i.e a 9-7 to 11-5 borderline wild card team.

After their Oakland win, the Cowboys ran into back to back losses against the Giants and Chargers, and now all of a sudden the Cowboys are victims of "December woes" once again.

Let's be fair though. The Cowboys lost to the New York Giants, and San Diego Chargers. The Giants have the NFC's longest playoff appearance streak going, and the Chargers are an elite team in the NFL. Given that the Cowboys had a loss to the Giants in Dallas earlier in the season, it's hard to expect a win in New Jersey later in the season. As for the Chargers, how could you really get on a team for losing to the Chargers who are now the hottest team in the NFL?

The Cowboys have five losses on the season thus far; two to the Giants, and one to the Packers, Broncos, and Chargers respectively. What do all five of those teams have in common? They'll all probably be in the playoffs this January.

The Cowboys eight wins? They were against Tampa, Carolina, Kansas City, Atlanta, Seattle, Philly, Washington,and Oakland. Tampa, KC, Seattle, Washington, and Oakland are all awful. Atlanta and Carolina are good teams trapped in bad years, and the Philly win sits as the Cowboys lone impressive victory of 2009.

i.e the Cowboys are a 9-7 to 11-5 borderline wild card team. They can't beat very good teams, can occasionally beat good teams, and will always beat the bad teams. They're no different than the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC.

A lot of people are naturally going to point to Tony Romo and say "he can't win the big game" or "typical FCS QB, never played a meaningful game in his life so he doesn't know how to win one." And while some of that is true (QB's from non-major conference schools traditionally do struggle more than QB's from major conference schools. Though that may have something to do with the fact that QB's from major conference schools are often more talented than those from small conference or FCS schools, hence the recruitment to a major conference school), if you watch how the Cowboys play it's not all Romo's fault. I'm not gonna let number 9 off the hook though, he could be making better plays. Let's be honest, if this were Peyton, Brett, Donovan, or Eli, we'd be throwing every cliche known to Patrick Ewing at them.

Is some of the blame to be thrown Wade Phillips way? Sure. I mean, we don't need to get into all that, it's pretty obvious that Phillips never should have been hired to be the head coach of this team to begin with.

And therein lies the problem. Who is doing the hiring for this team?

That would be Jerry Jones. The guy who let Sean Payton go. The guy who hired Wade Phillips over Tony Sparano. The guy who made the Roy Williams trade. The guy who brought in Tank Williams and Pacman Jones. The guy who couldn't shine Al Davis' shoes in terms of understanding the game and how to win it.

Jerry Jones is the problem. Not December. Not Tony Romo. Not Wade Phillips. Jones has compiled a roster that is pretty talented, but not great. Are the Cowboys a top 15 team talent wise? Yes. Top 10? Probably not. But Jones, the media-whore he is, attracts the attention to this team that puts them on the same level with rosters more talented such as the Chargers, and thus, sets his team up for monumental failure when they don't reach the Super Bowl.

And all this time they lead us to believe it was T.O.

If Dallas lose to New Orleans this week their 2009 season is likely over. They follow that up with @ Washington, and Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Giants final three are @ Washington, Carolina, and @ Minnesota. An important thing to note about the Giants week 17 game is that the Vikings will likely have the #2 seed wrapped up, therefore Brett Favre will definitely be resting up and not facing Tuck and Osi.

So the Cowboys 2009 is on the line this week in New Orleans. If they lose, they'll finish the season with nothing but losses to playoff teams. If they win, they'll be in the playoffs. But remember one thing, the Cowboys aren't supposed to win this game. They're less talented than the Saints, the Saints have a better coach, the Saints have a better Quarterback, and the Saints are at home.

It has nothing to do with the month of the year.

Thanksgiving Game Recap

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving filled with fun and good memories, because the NFL games were pretty forgettable.

As expected the Packers and Cowboys dismissed the Raiders and Lions. The Lions looked good early, the Raiders never looked good, but as we all knew would be the case when we looked at the Thanksgiving day schedule back in August; the Cowboys the Packers dominated.

Fantasy football fans were left satisfied, as well. Calvin Johnson scored, Romo and Rodgers produced, Miles Austin produced, in leagues with IDP's Charles Woodson gave a lot of teams 40+ points.

But unless you were sitting in front of your team praying for Woodson tackles, Austin receptions, or Rodgers touchdowns, the early and middle games were pretty much useless.

That being said I don't believe in getting rid of Detroit and Dallas on Thanksgiving. It's tradition. The NFL needs to preserve it's tradition as we move towards a golden age, unless there will be nothing to keep it on top (Baseball and Basketball do a tremendous job reminding us of yesteryear).

The late game was a different story. People actually wanted to watch that game, but few were able to. Luckily, being in New York for the Thanksgiving extended weekend, I was able to catch the game.

First of all, don't bury the Giants yet. Though they didn't look good yesterday, they were close to looking great. A lot of mistakes by the young receiving and running back group made Eli look pretty bad. The real worrisome unit was the offensive line. Eli has been spoiled by having an elite offensive line since 2005, but that's not the case anymore. That's a unit that needs to enter 2010 looking to rebuild.

As does the Giants defense. The Giants defense isn't what it was in 2007. Osi looks soft, and Tuck is still hurt after Flo-Adams cheap shot in week 1. Luckily for the Giants they host Philly and Dallas, and Romo still has a really tough December in front of him.

If the Giants want to make the playoffs Eli is going to have to carry that team and prove that he belonged on my Hall of Fame list (because I know Eli thinks about Funk Football every time he enters the huddle).

As for the Broncos? Well they shut people like me up for at least another week. At 7-4 they're in pretty good shape in an AFC that's really top heavy. They have also reawakened their division hopes, but that may be a pipe dream. They still have Kansas City twice and Oakland once, but road trips to Indianapolis and Philadelphia may be the cripple in their division push.

On the plus side, the Chargers still have Cincinnati, Dallas, and Tennessee on their schedule, as well as a pesky Redskins team. Game for game the Broncos have the more favorable schedule.

But the 6 seed in the AFC seems more likely for the team that started 6-0. What will the 6 seed get Broncos? Probably a road game against San Diego or New England.

In other words, they want the division.

Wade and Norv: Are Their Teams for Real?

After the 2006 season, legendary coaches in Dallas and San Diego lost their jobs. For Bill Parcells in Dallas, it was his own decision; he no longer wanted to be a head coach. Marty Schottenheimer on the other hand was fired because of a "one-and-done" in the playoffs after managing a 14-2 record with a first year starter at QB.

For some still unknown reason the Cowboys decided hire Wade Phillips and Chargers decided to hire Norv Turner.

For San Diego, the Chargers replaced a head coach known for getting his teams to the playoffs (although he was also known for losing in the playoffs), with a head coach who had nine seasons under his belt but only one playoff appearance (and only two winning seasons).

In Wade Phillips, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys hired the head coach known for taking over the "on-the-verge" Denver Broncos in 1993 and setting them back two years. As the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, Phillips made the notorious call to bench Doug Flutie in favor of Rob Johnson heading into the 1999 playoffs. That decision lead to the Bills being unable to hold on to a lead against the Titans, and the Bills franchise has yet to get back to the playoffs.

Despite both San Diego and Dallas looking as if they gave up mansions for cardboard cut outs of mansions, the 2007 season was not that bad for either franchise. Dallas finished the season 13-3 and earned themselves the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs, a position they would use to host and lose to the eventual Super Bowl Champion NY Giants. After a 1-3 start, San Diego finished 11-5 and made it all the way to the AFC championship game, before losing to the (then) undefeated Patriots.

After what some teams would consider a successful 2007 season, both the Chargers and Cowboys fan communities still called for the respective heads of their coaches. Their cries were left unanswered.

In San Diego, most people probably wished that Norv was not only fired but exiled after a 4-8 start to the 2008 season. Miraculously, the team would get it together to win their final four games of the regular season, including a season ending showdown with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos collapse meant San Diego would host a home playoff game in the first round of the playoffs, despite having an 8-8 record.

Of course the 8-8 Chargers would go on to defeat the 12-4 Colts in overtime, before getting squashed by Pittsburghs run defense in the divisional round. For the second year in a row, in spite of being heavy AFC favorites heading into the season, the Chargers regular season woes would get in the way of playoff success. Still, the Chargers decided to keep Norv.

Dallas were even less successful in 2008. Though they entered the 2008 regular season as heavy favorites to not only win the NFC, but also to have a shot at winning the Super Bowl, the Cowboys would finish their season 9-7 and miss the playoffs. Somehow, despite an embarrassing 44-6 loss in a "winner goes to the playoffs" game with the Eagles, the Cowboys decided to stick with Phillips for 2009.

Now here we are in 2009. The Chargers are 5-3 and the Cowboys are 6-2. Both teams look as though they're ready to make another playoff run. Unfortunately for the Chargers, they'll once again likely have to play three games just to get to the Super Bowl; thanks in large part to another beatdown at the hands of the Steelers.

As for Dallas, they control their own playoff seeding. At 6-2, the Cowboys get a shot at New Orleans and can take control on the NFC with a win in that game.

Still, most people would be reserved to pick Dallas to get to the Super Bowl with Wade Phillips as head coach. There is nothing on his resume that would suggest he'll be able to do what it takes to beat the Vikings, Saints, or even the Cardinals when it matters most.

Norv on the other hand has once again crippled his teams Super Bowl aspirations by putting the team in an early season ditch. At 5-3, there's likely no chance the team catches the 8-0 Indianapolis Colts, and a head to head loss put the Chargers behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in seeding. Not to mention that the Chargers are still two games behind the Denver Broncos for the AFC West lead. As of now it looks as though if the Chargers have any real hope to make it the Super Bowl they're going to have to go through New England, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh consecutively. A task that even the greatest teams in NFL history probably couldn't pull off in 2009.

There's no doubt in my mind that both the Chargers and Cowboys are "for real." Both teams have been immensely talented since the middle of the decade. In fact, I'm one of the people who honestly believe that from 2007 to 2008 these were the two most talented teams in the NFL.

But there's a reason that the Giants, and Steelers won those three Super Bowls instead of the Cowboys and Chargers; because of their superior head coaching ability. Superior head coaching ability that quieted egos and players who would do nothing but complain (you know who I'm referring to there). The Cowboys and Chargers combined to win zero Super Bowls from 2007 to 2008 because Norv Turner and Wade Phillips couldn't keep a camp of fat kids focused in a Burger King, let alone keep the attention a team of twenty-somethings with a ton of wealth.

In 2009 it'd be hard to say that the Cowboys and Chargers are still the most talented teams in the league. That's what happens though; teams get older and players skill sets erode. LaDanian Tomlinson is no longer a serviceable back in the league and the Chargers running offense and running defense can't be considered in the top half of the league. Dallas still have to worry about their pass defense and running offense. Marion Barber is better served as a "closer," and Felix Jones is rapidly becoming the Bob Sanders of offensive football (and not in the good way). Still, both teams could beat any team in the league.

So it looks as though Phillips and Turner are doing what they have to do to keep their jobs; and in turn both are doing what they have to do to keep their franchises "window of opportunity" rapidly closing.

Injuries Are Piling Up: How It Shapes the Playoff Picture

"Hot and Healthy." Those two words have replaced the phrases "best team," and "most talented" when it comes to who often wins the Super Bowl.

The NFL presents its players with a very long season is you really think about. To get to the Super Bowl a team usually needs to play at least 18 games; in the 00's a lot of team have had to play 19 just to get there; changing the strategy from "win all your games from September to December and you'll be fine in January" to "make sure these guys are given every sort of medication there is to make sure they can play on Sunday."

The 2005 season was really where this strategy all began; In October the Chicago White Sox won the World Series after having a miserable final stretch of the regular season. The White Sox were able to stay healthy, and get hot at the right time though, which lead them to a Championship.

Meanwhile in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts were off to an epic 13-0 start, while the Steelers would need to win their next three games just to get into the playoffs. After a loss to the San Diego Chargers in week 15, the Colts decided to coast through the rest of the season; benching a majority of their starters; essentially giving their key players a month off before their next important game.

The Steelers on the other hand got hot. They won the last three games of the season by a combined point differential of +70, and went into Cincinnati and beat them up Wild Card Weekend. On January 15, 2006 the Steelers would head to Indianapolis in a game that would change coaching strategy for the rest of the decade.

The game began with the fresh but out-of-sync Colts struggling to put a drive together while the Steelers were able to put up a quick 14. The first half would end with a 14-3 score in favor of Pittsburgh.

In the third quarter the Steelers put together what looked like a crippling drive to make the score 21-3 in favor of Pittsburgh. In the fourth quarter Indianapolis's' offense would finally find it's rhythm, putting up 15 unanswered points, but would fall a Mike Vanderjagt missed field goal away from advancing in the playoffs.

The fourth quarter of that game proved who the "best team" and the "most talented team" was that day, but the "hot and healthy" team went on to win.

On the other hand, Bill Belichick's 2007 Patriots grinded, and grinded, and grinded down the stretch to a perfect 16-0 record, and grinded through two tough playoff games to finish the season 18-0, before meeting the New York Giants, who were hotter, healthier, and younger than the Patriots. Without a doubt the Patriots were "more talented" and the "better team," but the wear and tear of the 18 game schedule put it's toll on New England's ancient defense and offensive lines. In the fourth quarter, the Giants young offense exposed the exhaustion of New England's defense and picked up a touchdown. In the following drive New England's offensive line totally collapsed letting Brady hit the ground on four straight plays. The Giants would be named Super Bowl XLII champions.

So what teams lurking around right now are healthy?

Early in the season the Colts, Patriots, and Steelers all picked up injuries that the media and fans viewed as "crippling." Since then the Colts and Steelers have gotten significantly healthier, while all three have continued to bench key players each week. Though these are probably the three teams in the NFL that need to be healthy the least to win the Super Bowl, all three are looking to be in good shape come January; it's just a matter of getting hot.

In the NFC the Saints are relatively very healthy; especially when you consider many of their key players (Shockey, Colston, Bush, Vilma, even Brees, have had injury problems in the past). With a roster loaded with that many "injury prone" players though, you have to wonder how much longer this could last.

For the second season in a row the New York Giants are feeling the wrath of their previous season. Thus far Eli Manning and Justin Tuck, the leaders on each side of the ball, have suffered injuries that could nag them for the duration of the season. Meanwhile the Dallas Cowboys have stayed healthy and are just getting hot. Despite a week 1 loss at home to the Giants, the Cowboys are currently in first place in their division while the Giants are in third. The Eagles, as usual, are winning despite key injuries, but this team should be healthy come January.

In 2008 Brett Favre had the New York Jets in similar shape to what he has the Minnesota Vikings currently are. At 8-3, Jets fans were ready to start booking their trips to the Super Bowl, unfortunately Favre's arm fell off in the later months of the season. Will that happen this year? For one, Favre is asked to do a lot less in Minnesota than he is in New York, and playing in a dome is a lot easier than playing in the Meadowlands. But you have to wonder if Favre has nine more games in him this season? It may be time to get him on a "pitch count" if the Vikings want to win when it matters. Same goes for Adrian Peterson.

Perhaps this seasons "hot and healthy" team to watch will be last years "hot and healthy" team; the Arizona Cardinals. Right now the Cardinals have been the poster children for inconsistency; just as they were in 2008. Chances are this team will be in the playoffs due to a weak division, and if they want to get back to the Super Bowl they're going to have to be "hotter and healthier" than everyone else.

Finally you have the San Diego Chargers who last year were able to get hot enough, but not healthy enough, to finally make the elusive run the Super Bowl. This season the Chargers are looking relatively healthy, but they've yet to get hot. It's going to be tough for this team come playoff time (if they make it) to advance, given they likely won't have the luxury of playing any games in San Diego's nice weather; thus making their health the greatest factor in finally advancing.

So when you line up the contenders (sorry Denver) this January look at who is healthiest, and then watch for them to get hot. Once you see any signs of heat rising, that's the team to watch.