2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: CINCINNATI REDS

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: Unlike their division rivals the Chicago Cubs, the Reds were hardly active for yet another offseason. Rather than even attempting to contend for big name players, the Reds once again hope that smaller moves like acquiring Brandon Phillips and David Ross will turn out as well this season. Cincinnati's biggest move this offseason was signing shortstop Alex Gonzalez to a three-year deal. Gonzalez is a light hitter but should help his pitchers with his stellar defense. GM Wayne Krivsky continued his plan of strengthening his bullpen and minimizing the offense by signing Mike Stanton, Dave Weathers, and Paul Wilson rather than going after steady hitters to help boost the lineup. The Reds also acquired Jeff Conine in a trade. His experience should be a welcome addition to the Reds' bench. A late trade for Kirk Saarloos from Oakland will help add some depth to a rotation that clearly has needed some over the years. The only significant loss to the team was infielder Rich Aurilla, who signed with San Fransisco. Aurilla was on the downside of his career, and the addition of Conine and Gonzalez should be good enough to replace him. The Reds like to improve their team with late deals for lesser players, so it is very likely that they may not even be done this offseason.

OFFENSE: Unlike Reds teams of years past, the 2007 version features a lineup with a lot less power and more small type players. It's a peculiar plan considering that their home ballpark is clearly a place where home runs fly out frequently. These new small ball type players are Ryan Freel, Brandon Phillips, Scott Hatteberg, and Alex Gonzalez. Both Freel and Phillips took major steps last season in their development, and they now appear to be solid everyday players. Hatteberg shows great plate discipline, and when he is not drawing walks, he is usually moving runners over. The Reds have not eliminated all of their power, and they should see home runs from returning regulars Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr., assuming he stays healthy. It is very likely that Griffey will get hurt again, so if he does the Reds will most likely shift Freel to center field and play Conine in the outfield. The two wild cards in the lineup are catcher David Ross and third baseman Edwin Encarnacion. Ross is an interesting case because he hit 21 home runs in just 247 at bats, but all his other numbers fell off considerably post All-Star break. Encarnacion, showed a bit of pop in his bat as well, and his first year numbers suggest that he will be at least a solid regular in the majors.

PITCHING: While the Reds have always seemed to have the offense, it has been the pitching that has been the weak link for Cincinnati. This season they will return several familiar faces to an improving rotation. The staff is headed by Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang. Arroyo got off to a fast start last year in the National League, but once he went around the league the second time, batters began to catch up with him. It will be interesting to see which Arroyo will show up in 2007. Harang, with much less publicity, is clearly the better pitcher of the two. He has been a solid starter in the Reds rotation for the last two seasons while posting an impressive strikeout rate. The rest of the rotation will be comprised of some sort of combination of mediocre starters Eric Milton, Kyle Lohse, Paul Wilson, and Kirk Saarloos. Talented, young prospect Homer Bailey will most likely begin the season in the minors, but he clearly has the talent to eventually be the Reds' third starter this season. The bullpen, which was a mess this time last season, has been improved, but at the costly price of trades involving players like Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez. The middle relief should be solid this season with veterans such as Gary Majewski, Mike Stanton, Rheal Cormier, and Todd Coffey. However, the bullpen will continue to be a problem if the Reds expect Dave Weathers to get the job done as their closer.

X-FACTOR: With a pitching staff that has been so inconsistent over the years, the emergence of Homer Bailey could do wonders for the Reds. It has been over a decade since Cincinnati has has a young pitcher come through their system like him. If he can join the team out of spring training and pitch up to his potential, the Reds may actually have a chance to win the Wild Card rather than choke it away like last season.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Homer Bailey is this year's Justin Verlander, Griffey plays 140 games, and the Reds find some one who can be lights out in the ninth. A year like this could quite possibly end up with Cincinnati celebrating a Wild Card berth.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: Bronson Arroyo falls back into mediocrity, Griffey plays less than half a season, Bailey struggles in his first season, and David Ross shows that 2006 was a fluke. A season like this for Reds' fans would result in yet another losing record and a finish towards the bottom of the NL Central.

2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: CHICAGO CUBS

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: During this past year's free agency period, few teams were even half as active as the Chicago Cubs. Without question, their biggest move was the signing of outfielder Alfonso Soriano. The move sent ripples throughout the rest of MLB as his 8 year $136 million dollar contract went on to inflate every other deal that was made. Possibly the most underrated move of the entire offseason was the Cubs re-signing third baseman Aramis Ramirez to a five-year deal. The Cubs were also able to sign veteran free agents Mark DeRosa and Cliff Floyd to relatively reasonable contracts. Chicago tried to upgrade their rotation by signing Ted Lilly and throwing an unreasonable amount of money to Jason Marquis, who was was coming off a season with an ERA over six. While both pitchers most likely will not make too many headlines, the Cubs view them as reliable middle of the rotation starters that will usually keep their team in games. The only major free agent that Chicago lost this season was center fielder Juan Pierre. The speedy Pierre never really made an impact on Chicago, but replacing his defense in center field with Alfonso Soriano looks to certain to fail miserably. All things being considered though, the Cubs gave their roster a major upgrade and now new manager Lou Pinella has a lot of talent to work with.

OFFENSE: The Cubs spent their offseason looking to significantly upgrade their offense, and after a successful job they are left with one of the better lineups in the NL. Soriano should lead off for the Cubs, and he will most likely close in on the 40-40 numbers he posted last year with Washington. However, this season he should have even more runs and RBIs due to the amount of talent in the rest of the lineup. The heart of the order should feature Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee once again. Unlike years past, they will most likely have several more opportunities to hit with men on base. The other big bat, Cliff Floyd, will most likely platoon with Matt Murton. Floyd gives the Cubs a lefty hitter with 30 HR potential. What makes the rest of the Cubs lineup so difficult on opposing pitchers is that there is not one easy out among the group. Players such as Michael Barret, Mark DeRosa, and Jacque Jones are all threats to hit close to .300 this season. The weakest link in the lineup is shortstop Cesar Izturis, but all-world defense should make him worth having on the field.

PITCHING: Like last season, the picthing rotation is headed by ace Carlos Zambrano. The Big Z is a strikeout machine, and he could approach 20 wins this season with an improved offense supplying the run support. Newly acquired Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis should fill in the middle of the rotation spots, but the one player poised to take on the role of number two starter is young Rich Hill. Like Zambrano, Hill has an impressive strikeout rate and could evolve into one of the better pitchers in the NL this season. The often injured Wade Miller and Mark Prior should battle for the final rotation spot. The messiest picture on the Cubs is that one assembled by their bullpen. The closer role is up for grabs and should come from a group that includes former starter Kerry Wood, Bobby Howry, and Ryan Dempster. The rest of the Chicago bullpen is equally as unimpressive and if anything seems like a weak spot for Chicago it would be this. If they are lucky, a few younger arms will come up and help stabilize the pen.

X-FACTOR: After years of setbacks due to injury, the Cubs have finally learned not to expect anything from their starter Mark Prior. With no expectations for possibly the first time in his life, any sort of Prior production will only be a bonus for the Cubs. If Prior can stay healthy this season and regain his 2003 form, the Cubs will have one of the best rotations in the NL to go along with their top notch offense. A healthy Prior would make Chicago one of the most feared teams in the majors.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Mark Prior stays healthy, Rich Hill becomes a dominant young ace, and Kerry Wood steps up and becomes a dominant closer. If all this happens, you can expect Chicago's fans to be on the edge of their seats as the Cubs play for their first World Series title in over 100 years.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: Derrek Lee once again gets injured, Alfonso Soriano plays without any desire now that there is no free agecny looming, no one becomes a reliable closer, and Rich Hill fails to develop into anything more than a middle of the rotation guy. A season like this will leave the Cubs with a losing record and a finish towards the bottom of the NL Central.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP: MANNING UP

So, I was wrong. There I said it. I hope you all are happy. Trust me, no one is more surprised than I am. Why shouldn't I be? The start was all too familiar for Peyton Manning and crew. The Patriots came out with another perfect game plan, and twenty one minutes later the Colts saw themselves down 21-3. The sights looked the same on the Colts' sideline. Manning stood there shaking his head while the rest of his teammates stared on with the same look of disbelief. Halftime came and so did change. I don't know if anyone is sure of what was exactly said in that locker room, but whatever it was, boy did it work. Unlike years past, the Colts came out with their heads high and their play higher. Rather than folding like a lawn chair, the Colts battled back, and by the fourth quarter we were witnessing one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history. The final five minutes of the game were by far the most entertaining. What was so remarkable was that it was a complete change of script from meetings in past years. If I told you before the game that one QB would lead his team on a game winning drive while the other would throw an interception to end the game, you would probably believe me. However, most likely you would assume that Brady had won the game and Manning had thrown the pick. The role reversal that took place was one of the more shocking things I have seen in football in recent memory. The Colts survived, and Peyton Manning took a huge step towards becoming the greatest quarterback of all time. Despite not even being the best Colts team of the last five years, it is this Colts team that will play in their first Super Bowl since 1970.

After a classic game, many people felt that this was the end of the Patriots dynasty and the beginning of the Colts dynasty. Why I am quick to dismiss that theory is that strangely enough, this was a rebuilding year for the Patriots. They had lost several players to free agency and were looking to replace them with the likes of Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney. They also did not have a very strong draft after striking out with picks such as Chad Jackson. Nevertheless, due to great player management and coaching, they found themselves pack in the AFC Championship game. Next year has both a lot of positives and questions. The best thing the Patriots have going for them is that they have two first round picks in the 2007 draft. With smart decisions they should be able to find two starters with those picks. They also will most likely have an improved receiving core next season, which should only help Tom Brady and the offense. The major problems come on the defensive side of the ball. Most notably is the pending free agency of top cornerback Asante Samuel. New England would be wise to place the franchise tag on him, but don't be surprised if they they do let him walk. Remember, the Patriots are possibly the best in the league at finding good, young cornerbacks. Their other problem on defense is age. Players like Teddy Bruschi , Rodney Harrison, and Mike Vrabel may soon be on the decline, and the Patriots should look to use at least one of their first round picks to add some youth to the defensive side of the ball. The bottom line for New England is that as long as they have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick they will always be Super Bowl contenders. Expect an even better team to take the field in Foxboro next year.

It is almost strange to say this, but the Indianapolis Colts have taken the next step and will now play for the Super Bowl. They are already overwhelming favorites, and the pressure will be on Peyton Manning to step up and get the job done. For the Colts it is quite simple, play like they did against the Patriots, and they will beat the Bears. This all falls on the shoulders of Peyton Manning. He finally took his game to the next level and played well when his team needed him to in the playoffs. The question is: will he continue to play this way or revert back to his previous postseason form? The Bears defense won them the game against the Saints, but Drew Brees was still able to throw all over them when given time in the pocket. The Chicago defense is clearly still susceptible to the pass, and a stong day from Manning will almost certainly put a dagger in the Bears' postseason. The game will either elevate Manning's name next to Johnny Unitas' or keep it firmly placed next to Dan Marino's.

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP: SAINTS SENT MARCHING HOME

The Chicago Bears were 13-3, the one seed in the NFC, and picked to lose by virtually everyone to a team that won three less regular season games. The Saints were also in an unfamiliar situation. After having no expectations for every game prior to the NFC Championship, the Saints were now supposed to go into Chicago and win the NFC. The Bears used this lack of respect as motivation and did it ever get the job done. The Bears defense looked like it did when it was being compared to the defense the team had during the 1985 season. The highly touted Saints running game was non existent all game long which made last week's star Deuce McAllister a non-factor. Chicago was able to set the tone early by forcing three fumbles in the first quarter. Drew Brees was under relentless pressure all day, and with the way they were swarming all over field it looked as though the Bears defense had twenty men on the field. Of course, Chicago needed a performance like this considering Rex Grossman spent his first half doing his best impression of me playing quarterback. However, as well as they played the offense continued to give them absolutely no help, so the Saints were able to creep back to within two points during the third quarter. Now with the ball and all the momentum, the Saints were about to start their most important offensive possession all season. The Bears, though, made sure that it would be their last offensive posses ion this season with any significance. Another mad dash by the Bears defense at Brees caused a safety, and the Saints were never able to recover. Twenty one years after the Bears won their only Super Bowl with the best defense of their generation, it was once again the defense that lifted a Bears team back to the big game.

As for the Saints, while it was a disappointing performance in the NFC title game, the season as a whole can be looked at as one of the best turnarounds in NFL history. A year ago they were a team without a home and just three wins. Then the remarkable began to happen. First, it was the hiring of Sean Payton. The Saints took a chance on Payton, who had been a mediocre coordinator at best during his career, and they were rewarded with one of the game's best play callers since Bill Walsh. A few months later, free agency began, but how would the Saints be able to lure big free agents to a franchise that had more question marks than anyone in the NFL? The Saints knew they would have to take chances during free agency, and the biggest one they took was on Drew Brees. Just months removed from shoulder surgery, and the Saints were willing to give him a guaranteed long term contract. Crazy? No, genius. A move that easily could have set the franchise back years instead was the move that began a roster transformation that would turn this 3-13 team into division winners. Then came April and a gift from Houston. The Texans had passed on Heisman winner Reggie Bush, and now it was the Saints he would play on Sundays for. At the time they did not know it, but there was another gift waiting for them on draft day. Seventh round picks aren't expected to make football teams, but Marques Coltson wasn't your average seventh round pick. The Hofstra alum not only made the Saints but became one of the best wide receivers in the NFL during just his first season. No longer laughing stocks and vagabonds, the team that was once referred to as the "Aints" was now the new "America's Team". After a season full of miracles, there is no reason to believe that these Saints won't be making more of them in January for years to come.

The Bears are back in the Super Bowl but not without several questions. The biggest of them is their quarterback Rex Grossman. Quite frankly, Grossman looked like anything but an NFL quarterback in the first half on Sunday. He was able to turn it around and make some big plays in the second half, but against the Colts, he must play a complete game to give his team a chance to win. It is not simply playing not to lose anymore for Grossman because he must make some plays if the Bears are to win. Along with Grossman, the Bears defense has their own concerns. Which defense will show up in the Super Bowl? Will it be the one that won the NFC title game or the one that was torn apart by Seattle? The Bears could be without Tank Johnson, who has violated his probation and may not be able to travel with the team. Chicago's defense must set the tone from the kickoff, and if they are able to do that, the city may be celebrating its second Super Bowl.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: PATRIOTS-COLTS

What a fitting game it is for Peyton Manning and the Colts. After years of playoff frustration, it will take a win over their playoff enemies to reach the Super Bowl for the first time under Manning. As the Colts look to overcome the Patriots for the time in their playoff lives, they should look to other great teams for inspiration. The Chicago Bulls were once the Indianapolis Colts, and Michael Jordan was once Peyton Manning. Year after year of playoff defeats at the hands of their rival Detroit Pistons left some people wondering if they could ever win a title. It was not until they overcame the Pistons that they were able to win their first championship. A similar story was seen in baseball just a few years ago. Throughout the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, the New York team had been the one always celebrating success. Beating the Yankees seemed like an even bigger obstacle for Boston than actually winning a World Series. So when they were finally able to defeat the Yankees in the postseason, it was then that they truly became a great team and won the World Series. The question is, can the Colts become the Bulls and the Red Sox? On Sunday we will find out if the Colts are truly a great team or just a bunch of lovable losers like the Buffalo Bills. Round three is approaching. Are the Colts ready?

QUARTERBACKS: It was strange last Sunday to watch Tom Brady and see him play so terrible, but that is what America saw last week. Remarkably, despite him and the entire team playing one of their worst postseason games, they live to play another day in this year's playoffs. While it may have been one of his worst performances, Brady still played well when he had to. Most notably, was the perfectly thrown touchdown pass to Reche Caldwell to tie the game. It would be truly shocking to see Brady play another poor playoff game on Sunday. He should be able to show his usual playoff poise and deliver accurate passes all day. There is some sort of theory going around about the other QB on the field. People are beginning to believe that just because Peyton Manning played poorly the last two weeks, he should have a good game on Sunday. What has he done to suggest that this may happen? He has looked awful not only the last two weeks but also in his entire playoff career. Now he's facing the Patriots, who have absolutely owned him throughout the years. It seems a bit far fetched to believe that he will suddenly turn things around. EDGE: NEW ENGLAND

RUNNING BACKS: Another reason why it was unbelievable that New England was able to win in San Diego was that their rushing attack was nonexistent. Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney were held to less than 60 yards rushing combined. While the Colts rush defense has been much improved since the regular season ended, the Patriots will likely do a better job rushing the ball against the Colts than they did against San Diego. Look for Maroney to get most of the carries between the twenties, while Dillon will get all of the attempts inside the redzone. It would be a surprise if they were unable to at least double last week's total. The Colts also have shown a very balanced rushing attack this season with Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. During the postseason they have used Addai early in the game because he is the more talented running back. When the lead is secure, the Colts turn to Rhodes to hold onto the football and wind down the clock. In order for the Colts to have a good chance of winning, one running back will need to step up and have a big day. Manning has not been good at all this postseason, and if the Colts are also unable to run the ball, he will start forcing passes like he did the last two weeks. It may be the team with the better running game that winds up with a spot in the Super Bowl. EDGE: EVEN

RECEIVERS: The Patriots seem to be able to do it every year. They find wide receivers that may not be able to play on any other team in the NFL, but they fit the New England system so well that put up numbers they would never dream of. Specifically I am talking about Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell. Both players had impressive college careers but were never able to reach that level in the NFL. They did not even play too well during the regular season, but during the playoffs they have exceeded all expectations. They may not have household names like Indy's wideouts, still they are perfect fits for the Pats. Those household names I speak off on Indy are obviously Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. They have actually been out performed by Gaffney and Caldwell so far this postseason, but that has been more a product of Peyton Manning's struggles than anything else. The one way to slow them down is to rough them up, and that is what the Patriots have done so effectively against the Colts over the year. Even if they are able to do this again, you would have to feel a lot more comfortable with all-pros like Harrison and Wayne on your team. EDGE: INDIANAPOLIS

DEFENSE: Like the rest of the New England Patriots, their defense did not play one of its best games against San Diego. However, LaDainian Tomlinson can make any team look bad on defense. It was the Patriots' job against the Chargers passing game that earned them a trip to the AFC title game. Like they did a week before against Chad Pennington, they rattled Philip Rivers and were able to force him to make mistakes. Expect the rush defense to match the pass defense in performance against the Colts like they did when they held the combo of Addai and Rhodes to less than 50 yards rushing in their earlier meeting this season. The Pats defense will have to crack if Peyton Manning and the Colts are going to win this game. The Colts defense has been the story of the playoffs so far. After looking absolutely terrible during the regular season, they have looked rejuvenated in this postseason. They have done a terrific job stopping the run and forcing turnovers. If the Colts are to win on Sunday, their defense must continue to play this way. However, if you were to chose one defense to win you a playoff game, the obvious pick would be the reliable one New England has. EDGE: NEW ENGLAND

SPECIAL TEAMS: One of the best subplots for Sunday's AFC title game is the kicking game. By now everyone knows the story. After being one of the best clutch kickers of all time and winning two Super Bowls with game winning field goals, the Patriots let Adam Vinatieri walk this offseason. He went to the rival Indianapolis Colts where he had another fantastic season. The Patriots have relied on rookie kicker Stephen Gostkowski all season who had some shaky spots, but did hit a game winning field goal of his own last week. Clearly if the game was on the line, Adam Vinatieri would be the kicker to have on your team. The Patriots clearly do not want to see their season end on the foot of their old friend. This could make Vinatieri one of the most dangerous players on the field Sunday. EDGE: INDIANAPOLIS

FINAL ANALYSIS: I'm just going to start this final segment by telling you that I am picking New England. I would like to spend the rest of this discussing how every argument I have heard for why Indy will win is awful. First, I hear how the Colts are at home. Do people just expect the Patriots to lay down and play one of their worst games all season because they are not at home? Also, people may seem to forget that Tom Brady has never lost a game in a dome during his career. The second argument is that the Colts beat the Patriots last time. This is true, but it is also true that Tom Brady quite possibly had the worst game of his career as he threw four interceptions and still only lost by one score. It would be a total shock to see Brady play another game like that, especially considering how he is coming off a bad game last week. Finally, people are saying that Peyton Manning is due for a big playoff game. Why? He has shown nothing throughout his postseason career that would suggest that he can play well against a good defense in a big spot. All of you that picked the Colts to win this week can use these weak arguments to make yourself feel confident. However, I'll stick with the Patriots. If I'm wrong I'll have a whole column for you Monday of me eating my words. PREDICTION: PATRIOTS 20 COLTS 17

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: SAINTS-BEARS

After another long and exciting season NFL fans across the country will sit down on Sunday to see which two teams will be playing for the Super Bowl. Over in the NFC, the game features the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. The game, which is being played in the Windy City, will feature two teams with two very different paths to Sunday. The Bears were possibly the most criticized 13-3 team in NFL history. Throughout the season questions arouse in the Chicago media and around the NFL. Does this team have enough offense to go along with their defense? Will Rex Grossman determine whether this team lives or dies in the playoffs? Is it time to make a quarterback switch? How will the defense play without Tommie Harris? For all these questions, the Bears were able to come up with answers and now find themselves playing for a spot in the Super Bowl. The only question for the New Orleans Saints this season was, when will this team run out of gas? After going 3-13 during the 2006 season, the Saints have symbolized the recovery and resilience of their city by landing a trip to the NFC title game. While a lot of the faces have changed on the team, it is still one of the biggest shocks in NFL history to see the Saints a win away from the Super Bowl. The only questions remaining for these two teams is: Will the Bears survive another week, or will the Saints keep their momentum going? After Sunday, there will be not only an answer but even more questions leading up to the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS: Lost in the dazzling performance by the Saints running game against the Eagles last week was the solid job done by quarterback Drew Brees. In his second career playoff game, Bress looked poised in the pocket and completed a very accurate 62.5% of his passes. He finished the day with 243 yards in the air and a touchdown. Brees never tends to be rattled, and it would take a relentless pass rush to get him off his game. He is clearly the more consistent QB of the two in the game, and because the Bears pass defense has been shaky at best the last few games, Brees should have another good day. The Bears have the enigma known as Rex Grossman. With a struggling defense, it was actually Grossman who kept Chicago in the game and gave them a chance to reach the NFC title game. He threw for 282 yards and made several key plays that set the Bears up for the win. It was his two turnovers, though, that cause angst among Chicago natives. Grossman has not shown the ability to to play well in consecutive games lately. I feel the problem for Grossman is his game preparation. He tends to only play well if he knows the game is important. The games don't get much bigger than this, so Grossman should be focused, but i doubt he will outshine Brees on Sunday. EDGE: NEW ORLEANS

RUNNING BACKS: It's a wonderful thing to have one elite running back in the NFL these days. So think how great it is for the Saints to have two. Last week against Philadelphia, the Saints showed that with Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister in the backfield, they may have the best rushing attack in football. The Saints finished with over two hundred rushing yards led by the bruising running style of McAllister. With two backs with such different styles, the Saints are a pain for any team to slow down. New Orleans will use their rushing attack early and often to keep the Bears defense unbalanced and unaware of what is about to come. The Bears have their own two-headed rushing monster of their own that they will use to attack the Saints defense. Early in the season Chicago would rely exclusively on Thomas Jones to pound the rock, but the late season emergence of Cedric Benson made them change their scheme. Benson is clearly more physically gifted than Jones, but it is Jones reliability and nose for the endzone that makes him an asset. Together they ran for 111 yards on 33 carries against Seattle last week. While the numbers don't cause any sort of excitement among NFL fans, they do enough to get opposing defenses concerned about the Bears rushing attack. However, both Chicago backs must do a lot more on Sunday to overtake McAllister and Bush in the headlines. EDGE: NEW ORLEANS

RECEIVERS: New Orleans has arguably the deepest receiving core in all of football, and that is why they have been able to survive the injury to their star wideout Joe Horn. Horn is as questionable this week as he has been for the last month and a half. He will give his best to get out there, but it should be a shock to no one if he fails to suit up. Drew Bress may once again have to rely on his talented, young receivers Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Terrance Copper. They are all blessed with great speed and size which makes them almost impossible to cover at times. Chances are that at least one of them will be giving the Bears defense fits by day's end. The Bears also have some talent at the wide receiver position. Their veteran route runner Muhsin Muhammed is always there for Grossman to rely on. Chicago also has big play guys like Bernard Berrian and Rashad Davis. They need only one mistake to burn the defense and catch a long touchdown pass. While Chicago may have some talent at their wide receiver position, it does not compare to what the Saints have to offer. EDGE: NEW ORLEANS

DEFENSE: Like the offense, the defense is much improved this season for New Orleans. That being said it still has a way to go before it is among the top units in the NFL. What the Saints defenders do well is applying pressure to quarterback while trying to create turnovers in the secondary. However, due to their ball hawking nature, the Saints can sometimes get burned on big plays. Also, against a quick running back, the Saints have some trouble wrapping him up. The Bears would be wise to use more Benson than Jones on Sunday as they try to expose their sometimes weak rush defense. For Chicago, as good as they have looked on defense early in the season, they have looked equally as bad in the later stages of the year. They have had some trouble defending against the big play once their safety Mike Brown was injured, and they had some trouble stopping the run once their massive defensive tackle Tommie Harris was lost for the season. Unfortunately for Chicago, those are two if the strengths for the Saints. Despite the Bears trouble of late, they still have the knack for making the big play when needed, and that is enough to make them the better defense on the field on Sunday. EDGE: CHICAGO

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Saints have been solid in this era all season so far. They have a kicker, John Carney, who has almost as much experience as anyone in this league. His lack of "big kick" opportunities may worry the Saints a little, but only time will tell how he will perform under pressure. The Saints let Bush do the punt return duties this season, and he instantly became one of the biggest threats in the league to score on a punt once he was given that position. Perhaps the only bigger threat in the NFL has been Bears return man Devin Hester. After returning six for touchdowns in the regular season, Hester would have had another last week were it not for a penalty that brought the six points back. The Bears also saw last week that they have a kicker capable of hitting the clutch kicks. Unless you've been on Mars since last Saturday, you are aware that their kicker Robbie Gould nailed a 49 yard field goal to win the game. Chicago's all-around great play on special teams gives them the slight advantage over the Saints. EDGE: CHICAGO

FINAL ANALYSIS: After one of the better playoff weekends in playoff history, it will be hard for this weekend's slate of games to live up to the expectations. If the Bears want to win on Sunday, they will need to play their best game all season. Their defense needs to regain its early season form, and their offense has to be able to play as well if not better than New Orleans' offense. For the Saints it's simple. Play like they did last week, and it should be enough for them to punch their ticket to Miami. The one thing that could disrupt that is the weather. The question all week has been, how will the Saints be affected by the cold weather of Chicago? My answer is that the Saints went on the road to beat the Giants in late December, and if they can win in December in New York, than what makes people think that the weather in Chicago will affect them. The dream season will continue for New Orleans in what will be a one sided affair. PREDICTION: SAINTS 31 BEARS 20

DIVISIONAL ROUND RECAP: SAME OLD NEW ENGLAND

Years from now when you look back on the New England dynasty, three people will stand out: Tom Brady, Adam Vinatieri, and Bill Belichick. However, there will be one player who may have been equally as crucial to the team's success that will most likely be forgotten. That player is not a household name or a league superstar. That player is Troy Brown. When the Patriots' dynasty began with a Super Bowl victory over the Rams, it was Brown who had his career season. In his ninth season as a pro, all with New England, Brown had a standout 101 catch season and was the reliable, veteran option for the young Tom Brady. After that season Brown never reached statistics like that again but still had a huge impact on the Patriots. He was the true team guy. When the Patriots needed some extra money to be able to re-sign other players on the team, it was Brown that took the pay cut. When the Patriots' secondary was ravaged by injuries, it was Brown who was used to play defensive back for the first time in his career. So when the Patriots were struggling, and it appeared like they were on their way back home for the rest of the postseason, who else was going to save their season than Troy Brown? Following a costly interception by Tom Brady on fourth down, the Chargers looked poised to host the AFC Championship game. During the return of that interception, is when the momentum of the game took its final shift. The savvy veteran, Troy Brown, slapped the ball out of Marlon McCree's hands for a fumble. The Patriots then recovered and never looked back. They would finish the game on an 11-0 scoring run and won the game 24-21. If the Patriots go on to win the Super Bowl for the fourth time this decade, they will once again have Troy Brown to thank.

When you watch the game again or look at the final statistics, it is absolutely mind boggling how the Chargers were able to lose this one. The league's MVP, LaDainian Tomlinson, ran for 123 yards and 2 TDs on Sunday, which would have been enough to win almost every game this season. In addition to that, the Chargers intercepted Tom Brady a postseason high three times. With statistics like these, you would assume the Chargers won by twenty points. So now that they lost, all the blame will fall on the shoulders of coach Marty Schottenheimer. While I never like to blame a coach who leads a team to a 14-2 record, this was in fact Marty's fault. There is absolutely no reason why the Chargers only ran LT nine times in the second half. This is the MVP of the league who is running over five yards every time he touches the ball. So when it's second and four in a tie ball game with less than four minutes to go, you cannot throw the ball twice and then punt. If your team loses, you want them to go down swinging, but the Chargers went down without a fight in the fourth quarter. San Diego has enough talent on both sides of the ball to be a playoff mainstay for the next five years, but the head coaching situation must be addressed. Considering the Chargers have never been enamored with Schottenheimer, I would not be surprised to see a switch very soon in San Diego. A new head coach and a play maker WR could give the Chargers the final pieces to a Super Bowl team. It should at the very least be an interesting week in San Diego.

While San Diego is in shock, the New England area once again has erupted in celebration. Their win brings the highly anticipated third playoff match-up between the Patriots and the Colts. What will be different this time is that the game will not be played in the cold conditions of Foxboro, but rather in the domed stadium of the Colts. While this may help the confidence of Peyton Manning a tad, just seeing the Patriots uniform on the field with him in January must bring back visions of failure. Unlike the pathetic offenses we saw from Baltimore and Kansas City, New England will score in this game. Tom Brady must do what Peyton Manning has not been able to and shake off his three interception performance. If Brady is on his game and the Patriots defense plays like it did against the Jets, we may once again see New England play in the Super Bowl. Ladies and gentleman, get ready for round three.

DIVISION ROUND RECAP: JUST BEARLY

This was supposed to be the one game this weekend that had an obvious winner. The Bears were too good on defense to allow the Seahawks to hang around. Chicago was going to move on, and it was going to be over at the half. Those were the predictions, and honestly, they looked correct early on. Rex Grossman looked sharp as he connected on deep passes to his teammate Bernard Berrian. The defense was as good as ever, shutting down the Seahawks in the early stages of the game. But even as the Bears took a lead at three different times during the first half, Seattle never folded. They were up to the test, and soon enough they were making the Bears defense look the Chicago Cubs playing football. A lot was made about Seattle's chances throughout the week, but when all was said and done, people seemed to forget which team was the defending NFC champions. So when Seattle kept battling back, why was everyone so surprised? The Bears had been a mediocre defense in the second half, and that is what they were on Sunday. The Seahawks were a team that had more playoff experience than any other NFC team. On some people's paper, this game was a blowout, but really everyone should have seen a classic game like this coming. Then there is Rex Grossman, who has received more scrutiny than George W. Bush in the last few weeks. The bottom line was that for all his triumphs and failures in the regular season, his year would be measured by what type of postseason success he had. So when Grossman went out there and gave his team every chance to win on Sunday, maybe we were seeing the same Rex Grossman that started this season. At the end of the day, the Bears won the game on a 49 yard FG by Robbie Gould, a kicker who had never attempted a game winning field goal in his career. In a game like that we saw two winners on the field. Both teams played with more desire and heart than they had showed all season. Unfortunately for Seattle, only the team that has more points on the scoreboard moves on.

The 2006 season was full of nothing but disappointment for Seattle and their fans. First, there was the move of not signing guard Steve Hutchinson. While it did not seem like a big deal at the time, not having him there clearly hurt the Seattle rushing attack. Then there was the injury bug. It's hard to repeat as NFC Champions when you lose Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck, your entire receiving core, and your entire secondary to injury at different times during the season. With all of these injuries, it is even a bit of the surprise that Seattle was able to win the NFC West. Moving on towards next year, Seattle should have a much better season. It will be very unlikely that the injury bug will hit them as hard in 2007. The problem for Seattle is that every single team in their division is improving. In the coming seasons, they will have much more competition for the division title. What the Seahawks must address in the offseason is their rush defense. In their Super Bowl season, they had one of the best run stopping defense in football, but this season they were torched on the ground on many occasions. With Frank Gore and Steven Jackson in their division for at least the next five seasons, Seattle must play better against the run or else they could be at home in January. However, even though the NFC West is looking like a tougher division, it would be a shock if Seattle did not return to the postseason next year.

After surviving the Seahawks, Chicago will face an even tougher task next week when they take on America's darling, the New Orleans Saints. The Bears looked good on the offensive side of the ball against Seattle, and to advance to the Super Bowl, Rex Grossman must have another solid performance to go along with his potent running game. However, oddly enough, what will determine if the Bears make the Super Bowl will be their defense. This unit that was once the best in football has clearly missed Tommie Harris and Mike Brown. They need to be able to either take away the Saints' rushing or passing attack. If they can do neither, it will most likely be a long day for the Bears. Even though they do have the best record of any remaining playoff team, the Bears will need to play their best game all season to be able to book their trip to Miami.

DIVISION ROUND RECAP: MIRACLE ON BOURBON STREET

This team was not supposed to be playing in January. They were 3-13 the previous season. They had a totally revamped roster. They had a quarterback with a shoulder problem. They had a rookie coach. What possibly looked promising about this situation? All they had to be was a distraction. Just enough to get the city of New Orleans to forget about the devastation that it suffered just a year ago. So when the Saints returned home and beat the Falcons, that was enough, right? No, instead what looked like a feel good story became a real good football team. The wins began to pile up and Saints fever began to rise. What was once a distraction became the attraction. The Saints were for real, and they represented everything good that still resided in New Orleans. So when they won their division, what more could a Saints fan ask for? The Saints were in the best situation of any team in the playoffs. With no expectations and fans who already have gotten ten times more than what they asked for, there was no pressure on the men from New Orleans. As Saturday night loomed, the city of New Orleans was about to erupt with screams for their Saints. The Philadelphia Eagles had as much playoff experience as anyone, but this was more than the playoffs. As the Saints took the lead and the minutes ticked down the noise grew louder and louder. However, the Eagles seemed to be unaffected and were up to the challenge that they were facing. But then, on a crucial 4th and 10, the noise got to Philadelphia. A false start surely caused by the craziness of the crowd took back what would have been a first down for the Eagles in Saints territory, with little time remaining, down three. Philadelphia elected to punt, and then never saw the ball again. When the clock hit zero, the noise grew louder than it had ever been before. The question is, when will the noise, that should have been silenced when the regular season ended, leave the city of New Orleans?

It's rare that a season can be disappointing while also defying expectations, but that was the type of year that the Eagles had. With so much talent on both sides of the ball, Philadelphia was an early Super Bowl contender. Then the injuries came to Donovan McNabb and Jevon Kerse that left the team in shambles. The talk in Philadelphia was no longer playoffs, but instead how high will our draft pick be? It looked like that was the path they were headed down after they got embarrassed in Indianapolis during Jeff Garcia's first start. Midway through his second start, the team began to click, and it was clear that Garcia could do everything for the Eagles that McNabb could. After rattling off five straight victories, the Eagles' season came to a bitter end on Saturday night. You can obviously question Andy Reid's decision to punt on 4th and 15 after going for it on 4th and 10, but in reality the Saints were just the better team. The bottom line is Eagles fans should be thankful for such a remarkable season. No wait, shouldn't they be upset about another season that ended without a Super Bowl? Yes, that is more like it. When was the last time an Eagles fan was happy about anything with their team?

The Saints move on to play another day, and at this point, it is just icing on the cake for Saints fans. Win or lose next week in Chicago, the season is still an overwhelming success. The Saints, though, should not think this way because they have a legitimate shot of winning this game. Much will be all week of how the Saints will have to travel to Chicago and play in the bitter coldness of Soldier Field. This may have a minor impact, but the only thing that will prevent the Saints from winning is the Bears and the Bears alone. If New Orleans runs their offense like they are capable of, they will put themselves in a terrific position to get to the Super Bowl. With a great offense matching up against one of the better defenses in the NFC, it should be another excellent game in what has been a postseason to remember.

DIVISIONAL ROUND RECAP: JUST FOR KICKS

In what was an ideal offense versus defense playoff match-up, all the viewer got was defense and sloppy play. If it wasn't Peyton Manning throwing an interception, it was Steve McNair. At numerous points during the game it appeared as though the offenses for both teams were about to finally get on track. However, a stalled drive or a crucial turnover would squash off the momentum for the offenses. With such poor decision making from both QBs, it looked early like the kickers would be important factors in the game, but never could one have guessed that the only points scored would be those between the uprights. The reason the Colts signed Adam Vinateiri was for games like these. When it's January and Vinateiri strolls out onto the field, not one person in the world has any doubt that he will make the kick. You might say that it was just luck when his 51 yard field goal bounced off the top of the crossbar and over, but there is a reason that he broke the postseason record for field goals on Saturday. When five field goals beats two field goals in your AFC Divisional round playoff, you might assume that the game is boring. Well, that assumption is correct, because there never seems to be any sort of drama or doubt when some one as automatic as Adam Vinatieri lines up to kick the ball.

Even though it was a tremendous bounce back season for the Ravens, every single player left that game on Saturday with their head down, as they should. Specifically the offense has to feel the guilt of not being able to beat the Colts, when their defense holds Peyton Manning and the offense without a touchdown. With so many play makers on defense, the Ravens are likely going to be a contender for years to come. Their only weakness going into the offseason seems to be age. Ray Lewis, as great as he is, clearly is not the player he was five years ago and has more trouble now dealing with injuries. Also their all-world tackle Jonathan Ogden discussed possible retirement plans following the game. This is most likely just the result of frustration, but it is a wake up call for the rest of the Ravens to realize that he cannot continue to play at this level for much longer. Their RB, Jamal Lewis, also has been on the downside of his career the last few seasons. The Ravens will need to decide whether it is worth it to bring him back for another year or to look to find a younger replacement with better speed. Despite all of these issues, their biggest question mark is at the quarterback position. Steve McNair had an unbelievable season, and even after such a horrendous game on Saturday, you cannot take away the fact that he lifted this Ravens offense to a level it had never been on before. The issue with McNair is that he is up there in age and may not be able to play beyond the 2007 season. Clearly, the Ravens have soured on Kyle Boller, and they need to decide who will take over for McNair when he decides to retire. The good thing for Baltimore is that most of these issues will not have to be addressed this offseason, but what that means for the Ravens is that this may be their last shot for awhile to win another Super Bowl. It will be on the offense to maintain the prolonged success like their defense has been able to have for more than half a decade.

The Colts have advanced on to their third AFC Championship game. The way it has happened this time would confuse even the best of NFL experts. If you told some one that the Colts would win two playoffs games while Peyton Manning threw 5 INts to only 1 TD, you would be hard to find any believers. However, that is in fact the case for the Colts. Rather than the offense, it has been the swarming defense that has experienced a complete turnaround in the playoffs. They are using the same scheme and doing the same thing they did when they were torched by the likes of Ron Dayne this season, but they are doing everything better and with more focus. While they must be happy to get a home playoff game, they cannot be thrilled to face the Patriots again in the playoffs. If Indianapolis is to advance to the Super Bowl, they will need Peyton Manning to return to the player he was in the regular season. Also they will need their defense to maintain the level of play they have been at in the last two weeks. Unlike Kansas City and Baltimore, New England is likely to be able to put up points on the Colts. Indianapolis can no longer rely on only their defense to carry them once again. Peyton Manning, this is your time to step up and become a winner.

DIVISIONAL ROUND PREVIEW: PATRIOTS-CHARGERS

Here its is. The marquee match-up that is so enticing that even if you don't like the NFL, you can't help but get a bit excited for. The Chargers-Patriots second round match-up may not have the history behind it that makes these two teams rivals, but with so many stars on both sides of the ball it is clearly a game that will not lack fire power. The best RB in football, the QB with the highest winning percentage in postseason history, and the mastermind behind three Super Bowl championships will all be on the field together on Sunday. Not to mention the game will also include Antonio Gates, Shawne Merriman, Philip Rivers, Corey Dillon, Laurence Maroney, and Teddy Bruschi. This game looks more like the AFC Pro Bowl roster than just a second round match-up. Even though much has been made about one coach (Bill Belichick) with countless postseason success facing off against another (Marty Schottenheimer) with none, once the game begins its fate will be out of their hands and in the hands of their superstars.

QUARTERBACKS: Nothing has done more with less this season than Tom Brady. After having both his starting WRs leave the team, Brady was left with an inexperience group of individuals who would catch his passes. Brady never complained and never lost a step as he put together another solid season en route to another division title. He will be facing a fast, swarming San Diego defense, but nothing has seemed to rattle Brady in his postseason history. With only one loss in five trips to the postseason, Brady will be the most dangerous player on the field come Sunday. Like Brady once upon a time ago, Philip Rivers will see his first postseason action on Sunday. Making your first postseason start has been an overrated aspect of the playoffs for years. Rivers may feel a few jitters before the game, but once he touches that football he will be ready to play. What he should worry about instead is Coach Belichick's knack confusing young QBs. What Rivers must do on Sunday is not turn the ball over and do enough so that the Pats cannot stack the line against Tomlinson. EDGE: NEW ENGLAND

RUNNING BACKS: In their first round win over the Jets, New England used a very balanced rushing attack to move their way up and down the field. Maroney received 18 carries to Dillon's 10, but when they got down inside the five yard line, it almost seemed like a given that Dillon would punch the ball into the endzone. Against the fast defense of San Diego, it's likely that once again Maroney will receive more carries than his teammate Dillon. If both RBs play like they did against the Jets, it should be enough to give the Patriots a chance to win. The other man running the ball in this game will be NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson. As you probably have heard, LT broke the NFL record this season by scoring 31 TDs. The Chargers passing game could be non-existent, and he would still give them a legitimate shot to win on Sunday. What LT must do is rush for close to 150 yards and at least a touchdown. More importantly, he must continue to be a threat out of the backfield catching the ball. If the NFL's best player continues to play the way he did in the regular season, the Chargers will be in good shape to host the AFC Championship game. EDGE: SAN DIEGO

RECEIVERS: As mentioned before, the Patriots receiving core is nothing to write home about. It consists of Reche Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney and Chad Jackson. None of these players are going to scare you on defense, but each one of them just does their job and doesn't make mistakes. Last week it was Gaffney who received most of the targets from QB Tom Brady, but with such a strong offensive scheme, it's anyone's guess to who will lead the Pats in receptions on Sunday. The Patriots could also use their big, athletic TE Ben Watson to give the passing game a lift in both receiving and blocking. The Chargers WRs are not too much better than New England's. The aging Keenan McCardell, Vincent Jackson, and Eric Parker are usually non factors in the Chargers offense. Jackson is the team's best deep threat and has been known to have a big catch here and there. The best WR on both teams plays TE for San Diego. Antonio Gates is the reason Rivers gets by every week. His size, speed, and instincts make him not only the best TE in football, but also the best red zone threat as well. If Gates gets on a roll, there may be no stopping the San Diego offense. EDGE: SAN DIEGO

DEFENSE: Last week against the Jets, the Patriots defense caused two crucial turnovers that turned the game's momentum. However, this week even that may not be enough to ensure victory on Sunday. There is one thing they must do, and that is slow down LaDainian Tomlinson. Earlier in this season when the two teams met, Tomlinson ran for 134 yards and 2 TDs. It may be easier said than done, but the Patriots' defense needs to have a bend but not break philosophy that keeps Tomlinson out of the endzone. Without the versatile Rodney Harrison, that job gets even tougher. The Chargers defense has a task as daunting as the Patriots do. Except in San Diego's case they must disrupt Tom Brady who is one of the few QBs ever who seems never to make a mistake come postseason. While it may tough to stop him, what they need to do is force him to make throws earlier with pressure from players like Shawne Merriman. Also, if they could take away the running game, the Chargers should be in a good position to win Sunday. When analyzing the two defenses, it looks as though which ever one plays better will wind up playing next week. EDGE: EVEN

SPECIAL TEAMS: When the Chargers were in the playoffs just two years ago, it was a back and forth game that cam down to the kicking game in overtime. When their kicker Nate Keading, who was then a rookie, had a chance to give his team a victory, he missed the kick. The memory most likely still haunts Keading today, and it will be interesting to see how he performs if given the same situation. The Patriots on the other hand no longer have the luxury of having Adam Vinatieri kick for them in the playoffs. Instead they will go rookie Stephen Gostkowski. While he looked good at times this seasons, it was clear that Coach Belichick does not have much confidence in him on longer field goals. The Patriots kick return game is equally as shaky, and if anyone will be bring the ball back on kicks it will be the Chargers. Their explosive backup RB Michael Turner has dazzling moves and ridiculous speed that makes him a threat to take it to the house. The Patriots may attempt to make sure he doesn't touch the football too often. EDGE: EVEN

FINAL ANALYSIS: While most of these plays are superstars, what the Patriots have that the Chargers don't is playoff experience. What you have to decide when picking a winner for this game is, does that really matter? In the case of the Chargers it doesn't. There is no reason to believe that Tomlinson, Gates, and Rivers will fold under the pressure of the postseason. This game will come down to the players, not experience. Stopping LaDainian Tomlinson and Tom Brady is a tall task for any defense, so today's game should be close throughout. No team here has a clear weakness on either side of the ball that would cause any doubts. Therefore, it should be one of the closer and more compelling postseason games you may ever see. When all is said and done, expect LaDainian Tomlinson to have several trips to the endzone as well as a trip to the AFC Championship game as the Chargers will barely edge the Patriots. PREDICTION: CHARGERS 28 PATRIOTS 27