Any Given Sunday

So, for those who don't know, I am a huge football fan. The sport runs in my family. My father played for Lane Tech High School, and eventually played 4 years of junior college ball. I played 3 years at Steinmetz Academic Centre, and will continue/re-establish my career at Trinity International University in 2010. So, not only do I play, watch and enjoy the game, I also know it like the back of my hand. So, if you don't understand football, I suggest you stop reading now.

What a season the 2008 regular season has been! You can not script this kind of season. Dig this. Three of the worst teams in the league last year (by worst I mean, in the bottom 10) are in the playoffs this year. Them being: the 11-5 Miami Dolphins (1-15 last year, worst in the league obviously), the 11-5 Atlanta Falcons (4-12 last year), and the 11-5 Baltimore Ravens, who reversed their record from last year. The Carolina Panthers, who resided in the bottom half of the league last year with a 7-9 record, jumped up into the #2 spot in the NFC, via a 12-4 record. On the contrary, there are teams who made it last year, and disappeared this year.

The juggernaut New England Patriots who went undefeated in 2007 failed to make the postseason in 2008, despite an 11-5 record. The Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers, both 13-3 in 2007, did not earn a spot in 2008, posting 9-7 and 6-10 records respectively. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Redskins all failed to get back to the postseason in 2008 as well.

The 2008-09 postseason proceeds as such:

In the NFC we have:

1. The Defending Champion New York Giants (NFC East Champions, 12-4)

2. The Carolina Panthers (NFC South Champions, 12-4)

3. The Minnesota Vikings (NFC North Champions, 10-6)

4. The Arizona Cardinals (NFC West Champions, 9-7)

5. The Atlanta Falcons (NFC South, 11-5)

and finally, the Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East, 9-6-1)

The AFC Playoff picture proceeds as such:

1. The Tennessee Titans (AFC South Champions, 13-3)

2. The Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North Champions, 12,4)

3. The Miami Dolphins (AFC East Champions, 11-5)

4. The San Diego Chargers (AFC West Champions, 8-8)

5. The Indianapolis Colts (AFC North, 12-4)

And finally, the Baltimore Ravens (AFC North, 11-5)

Now, what's wacky about the NFL playoff system is the fact that the division winners get the top 4 playoff spots, regardless of record. This is why an 8-8 San Diego Chargers team gets in over an 11-5 New England Patriots team, simply because San Diego won their division, and New England did not (Miami wins the AFC East despite having an identical record to New England due to tiebreakers). Also, the Philadelphia Eagles become the first time in a long time to make the playoffs with a tie on their record. At 9-6-1, the earn a Wild Card spot over 9-7 teams such as the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to them having one less loss on their record.

But the fact of the matter is, you can never predict what's going to happen in any NFL season, or on any given sunday. Last year, everyone was so sure the Patriots would be the first team to go 19-0, never losing a game throughout the entire 2007-08 NFL season. And then they we upset by the New York Giants, who came out of nowhere and shocked the world. The easy money would bet on a Tennessee-New York Super Bowl, if they are to base their prediction on records. But who knows what will happen? Stay tuned. It should be a crazy January in the National Football League. -Trufe