Waddle's World

Bills at Eagles

A nice battle in Philly this weekend as the 7 and 8 Bills visit the 7 and 8 Eagles. Obvioulsy, ending the season at .500 is the top priority for both of these teams. We've talked about these over-achieving Bills all year, but the Eagles are an interesting group with a lot of off season questions to answer. Will Andy Reid step away and focus on his family, is Donovan McNabb still their quarterback of the future, and if so, will they finally give him something more than Brian Westbrook to work with. These Eagles are not far from being a force in the NFC once again. They're coming off convincing back to back road wins over the Cowboys and Saints. Prior to that, they lost to the Giants, Seahawks and Patriots by a combined 10 points. As far as McNabb is concerned, if 18 touchdowns and 6 interceptions aren't good enuff to secure his spot with the Eagles, Im sure the Bears, Vikings, and Ravens wouldn't mind talking trade. As for the Bills, they'll put up a fight as usual, but it wont be enuff. The NFC playoff contestants are more than happy these Eagles will be spectators in the post season. Philly wins at home

Seahawks at Atlanta

The Seahawks and Falcons meet in Atlanta this weekend as Matt Hasselbeck and friends look to stay sharp for a half, and then hopefully leave the Georgia Dome healthy. Another miserable year comes to a close for the Falcons, as they head into the offseason faced with more questions than any team in football. Owner Arthur Blank will spend the coming months looking for a new GM, a coach, and another new quarterback. This organization hit rock bottom a week ago when Bill Parcells passed on them for the equally pathetic Dolphins. As for the Seahawks, they are headed to the post season for the 5th consecutive season. With the number 3 seed secured, the Seahawks are assured of a home playoff game. That bodes well for Mike Holmgrens crew, which is 22 and 4 in their last 26 games at quest field. In this one, The starters will play just long enuff to break a sweat, and then they'll head to the sidelines for an afternoon of Gatorade and conversation. The Seahawks 2nd teamers should be able to beat these Falcons. I like Seattle on the road.

49ers at Browns

The Browns find themselves in an uncomfortable spot as the regular season comes to a close. An ugly loss to the Bengals last week cost them control of their destiny. To get to the second season, the Browns must beat the 49ers in Cleveland and then hope the Titans lose in Indianapolis Sunday night. Step one in that plan may not be as simple as previously thought. The 49ers are looking like an entirely different team with Shaun Hill under center. He's led the Niners to 2 consecutive victories and is starting to look like their best option for '08. Hill and his teammates will have more than one team cheering against them. Remember, the machine in New England owns the Niners first round pick thanks to a trade, and Scott Pioli and Bill Belicheck are drooling at the thought of a top 5 pick after yet another Super Bowl victory. That's a scary proposition, isn't it. The Browns let one get away last week, I don't see that happening again. Don't get me wrong, they'll have to work for it, but I like their chances against this 49er defense. I like the Browns at home.

Lions at Packers

The Lions travel to Green Bay this weekend, and For the Packers sake, I hope its not cold and windy this at Lambeau. The Green and Gold looked like a warm weather team last Sunday at soldier field, huddled around the heaters and running for their ponchos at every chance. You'd expect the Lions to fold in the cold, but Im not sure that's gonna be the case after what I witnessed last week. The Packers certainly didn't carry themselves like the NFC's best, as I boldly suggested. At 12 and 3, the Packers don't have anything on the line, but they don't want to head into the post season after back to back stinkers. The Lions should be more than willing to lay down. They broke a 6 game losing streak with a win over the dreadful Chiefs last week at home, but they have no desire to be out in the cold for 3 hours this weekend. The Lions bid for .500 comes up short. I like the Packers at home

Jags at Texans

The Jaguars and Texans meet in Houston this weekend. The Texans are looking for their first ever .500 season, while the Jags are looking to stay healthy. These are two of my favorite teams, both with very bright futures. As Ive mentioned, I believe these Jags are the 3rd best team in the AFC behind the Colt and Patriots, and I have no doubt they can play with everybody in the NFC. The development of David Gerrard has made them TRUE Super Bowl contenders. The Jags are playing their best football of the season, winners of 3 straight and 6 of their last 7, with the lone "L" a 3 pointer to the Colts in the RCA Dome. That momentum allows them to give their starters a little extra rest. I don't expect to see much of Gerrard, Taylor and Jones-Drew after the 1st quarter. As for the Texans, they have competed all season despite being crippled by injuries. With Mario Williams anchoring a disruptive young D line and Matt Shaub looking like a wise investment, these Texans are poised for a breakout 2008. I say they finish 2007 on a high note. I like the Texans at home

Panthers at Bucs

The Panthers visit the Buccaneers this weekend, and again, incentive is a key factor. The Bucs are the NFC South champs, so they are set to host a round one playoff contest. They began resting their starters last week in the second half of their loss to the 49ers, there's no reason to believe they wont do the same in this one. As for the Panthers, they will come to play if coach John Fox has anything to say about it. With his job security in question, Fox needs every win he can get to stay in the good graces of owner Jerry Richardson. Odds are, Fox will keep his job regardless of the outcome of this game, considering the loss of Jake Delhomme in the first month of the season. The Panthers have averaged just 13 points per game Since Delhomme went out after week 3. Having been a player himself, Richardson knows how it feels to participate in a meaningless game like this. I think it's the Carolina players who are on the spot this week. That, and the Bucs desire to stay healthy should help propel the Panthers to their 7th win of the season.

Bengals at Dolphins

The offseason player evaluations begin a week early for the Bengals and Dolphins who meet in Miami. With Marvin Lewis on the smoldering hot seat in Cincinnati and Bill Parcells the new sheriff in South Beach, EVERYONE is being watched closely. If youre not part of the solution, youre part of the problem as these teams look to pick up the pieces after a disasterous 2007. This one is gonna be closer than the Bengal fans want to believe. Cleo Lemon wont remind you of Tom Brady, but he keeps plays alive with his feet and finds a way to make things happen. Unfortunately, he cant play defense as well. The Fins allow more rushing yards than any team in football and are prone to the big play in the passing game. The Bengals should be able to score points, but they are equally inept on defense. To tell you the truth, I've grown tired of talking about this game. I say the Bengals get the win on the road.



Chiefs at Jets

A real barnburner in the Meadowlands this weekend as the 4 and 11 Chiefs visit the 3 and 12 Jets. Its hard to believe that both of these teams were actually in the playoffs last year. The similarities don't stop there. Neither team can run the football, both expose their quarterbacks to weekly beatings, and neither can stop the run. With Brodie Croyle and Kellen Clemens both banged up, this may be a battle of quarterbacks who'll be looking for work next year. Pennington and Huard aren't gonna get any GMs hearts racing, but both would love to finish strong and prove to the rest of the league that they can still play. Or they could settle in as backups for bad teams. The outcome of this game really has no bearing on anything. The Mangenius isn't going anywhere and Herm Edwards is secure in Kansas City. In fact, Im sure most wouldn't mind if the game were cancelled for some strange, inexplicable reason . Unfortunately, that's not gonna happen, so I'll say the Jets win at home.

Patriots at Giants

NFL History will be made Saturday night as the Patriots beat the Giants and finish the regular season a perfect 16 and 0. That was anticlimactic, wasn't it? Listen, Im not trying to be a buzz kill, but does anyone really think that Eli Manning and the Giants are gonna stand in the way of history. Owner Bob Kraft wont have it. Neither will coach Bill Bellicheck. Or quarterback Tom Brady. From week one and the moment Spy Gate became a story, the Patriots have been on a mission: seek and destroy. They don't just want 16 and 0, they want to hold every offensive record possible and humiliate everyone along the way. You think we're cheating? We'll show you we don't need to cheat to beat you all convincingly….thats been the Foxboro Battle cry for 4 months. The Patriots aren't gonna rest anyone until 16 and 0 is secure and all the records have been broken. In fact, its more likely the Giants will sit their guys if this gets out of hand early. If the Giants keep it simple, they can keep it close. A heavy dose of Brandon Jacobs is the best way to attack the Patriots and keep Brady and Moss off the field. Of course the Giants would love to be the ones to derail the Patriots dream season, but they don't have enuff to stop the inevitable. I like the Patriots to make it 16 straight.

Steelers/Ravens



The Steelers and Ravens meet in Baltimore this weekend, and there's a lot at stake for the Steelers in this one. A win over the Ravens coupled with a Chargers loss would clinch the 3rd seed in the AFC. That would mean avoiding the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars, who are at the top of everyone's "I don't wanna play list"!. The Steelers will be without the services of Fast Willie Parker for the remainder of the season. Parker broke his leg in last Thursday night's victory over the Rams. That means a whole lot of Ben Roethlisberger, against a very disappointing Ravens defense that allows 24 points each and every Sunday. How times have changed, huh. The Ravens used to scare everyone, now they don't scare anyone. They're trying to snap a dreadful 9-game skid and end the season on a high-note. Its not gonna happen. I like the Steelers on the road.



Cowboys/Redskins



Despite a season filled with adversity, the Washington Redskins find themselves one win away from the post season. The tragic death of a Pro Bowl teammate, the job security, or lack thereof, of their Hall-of-Fame Coach, the serious injury to their starting quarterback. You name it, the Skins have endured it. And now, if they beat the 13-2 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, they're in. If not, they'll need some help. Veteran Todd Collins has been more than adequate since Jason Campbell went down three weeks ago. Clinton Portis has been a workhorse, And Chris Cooley continues to show why he's one of the best tight ends in the National Football League. As for the Cowboys, Terrell Owens will not play after suffering a high ankle sprain in Carolina last weekend. Im sure many of his fellow starters will join him on the sidelines quickly as Wade Phillips protects against further injury. The Cowboys have home-field advantage wrapped up and have nothing to play for. The Redskins are fighting for their playoff lives, at home. I like Washington to win and get in.



Rams/Cardinals



Nothin' like a meaningless week 17 matchup between the 3-12 Rams and the 7-8 Cardinals. The season can't end fast enough for the Rams, who were decimated by injuries throughout, and just couldn't get anything going when they were healthy. The Cardinals got good production out of Kurt Warner, Edgerrin James and Larry Fitzgerald but a couple of bad losses to the hapless 49ers did them in and cost them yet another postseason opportunity. They did make strides under rookie head coach Ken WIsenhunt, and could be a team to watch next season. But then again, we find ourselves saying that at the end of every season? With a loss, The Rams clinch the 2nd-pick in next April's draft. With a win, I guess the Cardinals can feel good about finishing .500. I like the Cardinals in the desert.

Vikings/Broncos



An interesting matchup Sunday afternoon in Denver as the Broncos entertain the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are coming off a disastrous home-loss to the Redskins where they could have clinched the 6th and final NFC playoff spot. The loss moved the Redskins into the driver's seat. The Vikings now need a win in Denver, a Washington loss and a Saints loss to get into the postseason party. On paper the matchups look favorable. The Vikings still own the league's best rushing attack while the Broncos rank 30th in stopping the run. Denver does run the football effectively but the Vikings are the league's stingiest run defense. Ordinarily I would steer you in the direction of the Vikings. But, I believe last week's devastating loss will prove to be too much for them to overcome. I like the Broncos to win and officially end the Vikings season.



Chargers/Raiders



The Chargers and Raiders tangle this weekend in Oakland in a critical matchup for San Diego. With a win, the Chargers clinch the 3rd seed in the AFC playoffs. They would face either Tennessee or Cleveland in the opening round. More importantly, they wouldn't have to see the Jacksonville Jaguars until the AFC Championship, if both teams were to advance that far. The Chargers are playing as well as anyone, outscoring their last 3 opponents 97-34 en route to three "W's". Oddly enough, that success has coincided with three huge games from LT, who now has close to 1,900 total yards and 17 touchdowns. Philip Rivers has also been better of late. It's pretty simple: When Rivers takes care of the ball, the Chargers are very difficult to beat. When he plays loose and careless with the football, the Chargers are very average. As for the Raiders, number one pick JaMarcus Russell will make his 1st NFL start. He was 7-23 with 3 picks in a relief appearance last week in Jacksonville. Im expecting more of the same against a San Diego defense that is starting to get healthy. No letdown here.. I like the Chargers on the road.



Titans/Colts



A couple of weeks ago, it appeared as though a week 17 matchup between the Titans and the Colts would be meaningless. As it turns out, it means everything for Tennessee. It's pretty simple, even for me: if the Titans win, they're in. If they lose, they go home. I'm guessing the Titans will go back to what got them here: running the football with the league's 5th best rushing attack. And stopping the run with the league's 6th stingiest rush defense, led by my guys, Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch. Vanden Bosch was sensational again last week with three more sacks, making it 12 on the season. The Colts have the 2nd seed locked up and have absolutely nothing to play for. It's anyone's guess if, and how long, Tony Dungy will play his starters, but you can bet Peyton Manning and Joseph Addai won't be out there for more than a half. I say the Titans keep it close in the first half, and get the best of the Colts 2nd and 3rd stringers in the 2nd half. I like the Titans on the road, as they earn the final spot in the AFC playoffs.