Instead, let’s talk about the best Super Bowls that never happened.

Talking hypothetical is one of my favorite things to do because there is really no right or wrong answer, because we don’t and will never know. What would have happened if Mark Brunell won a Super Bowl? Would there have been a belief that left-handed quarterbacks were the future of football?

I could have even gone the route of writing hypothetical Super Bowls between the Seattle Seahawks and the Saskatchewan Rough Riders, because I’m sure in some alternate universe (like after hypothetical Super Bowl XVII) that it could have happened.

Rather than getting all crazy and doing that, let’s just stick with teams that actually qualified for the playoffs during the year of said Super Bowl. It’s a lot easier that way.

1. Super Bowl X – Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Drew Pearson pushed off (go to the 2:00 mark). I don’t know how anyone can say he didn’t. The first Hail Mary was a fraud people. It’s about time we finally admitted it. The Vikings went 12-2 in 1975, were the top seed in the NFC, and lost because of a blown call by the referees. Not cool, Drew Pearson. Not cool at all.

2. Super Bowl XVI – Dallas Cowboys vs. Cincinnati Bengals

I do not like the Cowboys at all, but I do have to say they got robbed of a Super Bowl appearance in 1982 courtesy of the 49ers and “The Catch”. It would be the first of five Super Bowl wins for the 49ers, four of them behind the arm of Joe Montana.

If Dwight Clark didn’t make that catch, the West Coast Offense would have been passed off as a phase and a gimmick, Bill Walsh would have retired as the head coach at Washington State, and Joe Montana would be wearing ShapeUps that he had to buy with his own money.

3. Super Bowl XVII – Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns

The playoffs leading up to Super Bowl XVII might be my favorite thing in the history of professional sports (other than a hypothetical Vikings Championship, of course.)

Because of the players’ strike during the 1982 season and the resulting nine-game regular season, the NFL decided to allow eight teams into the playoffs (instead of the usual four) from each conference. This was subsequently named the “Super Bowl Tournament” and included the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns who both had records of 4-5, marking the first time any team had made the postseason with a losing record.

How great would it have been to have a Super Bowl played between two No. 8 seeds? The sixth seed from the AFC, the New York Jets, advanced to the Conference Final before losing to the Dolphins, but we’ve seen a sixth seed win the Super Bowl before thanks to the Wild Card.

The NFL had one chance to have an eighth-seeded team with a losing record become a Super Bowl Champion and they blew it. What would have happened if the Browns or Lions would have actually made it to the big game, let alone won it?

Would the NFL have been attacked by critics for allowing their players to strike, which lead to a shortened season that ended with a sub-.500 team winning the Super Bowl, therefore tarnishing the reputation of anyone involved with the NFL? All of this allowing the USFL to step in and be a legitimate competitor, forcing another merger and leave the National Football League of America with too many teams that they would eventually have to contract teams instead of grow in popularity and expand. Would that have happened?

If this Super Bowl would have happened, we never would have had the Jaguars or Texans or Panthers. Jim Kelly would have never lost four Super Bowls with the Bills. Steve Young would probably never be a Hall of Famer. Hershel Walker would be the greatest running back of all time, and the Vikings would have never handed the Cowboys three Super Bowl rings on a silver platter.

For all we know, the National Football League of America could have failed miserably and become a low-rate professional sport right next to jai hali and SlamBall.

4. Super Bowl XXI – New York Giants vs. Cleveland Browns

The Drive. I feel bad for Cleveland Browns fans. I knew they were terribly unlucky and everything, but then I started doing research for this article. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose multiple playoff games the way they did, and have the team they lost to go on to get absolutely killed in the Super Bowl.

I wrote down 15 hypothetical Super Bowls. The Browns appeared in six of them. I think I’m going to start being a Browns fan out of pity. I feel bad for them. As a Vikings fan, I’m here for you and know your pain. Speaking of the Vikings and Browns…

5. Super Bowl XXII – Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns

I had to do this one. Vikings vs. Browns. The two unluckiest franchises in NFL history squaring off a Super Bowl? The Vikings got knocked out of the playoffs after Darrin Nelson dropped a fourth-down pass late in the fourth quarter against the Redskins. The Browns lost on “the fumble” to the Broncos.

Literally anything could have happened. Imagine all the possibilities! It would be a contest to see which team could kill more fans in the span of three and a half hours.

To their credit, both teams deserve to make fake Super Bowls (the Vikings have four on this list, Browns have three). They probably wouldn’t have even won any of them anyway. Is it even possible for a team to lose seven Super Bowls? I don’t ever want to find out. Maybe it’s a good thing the Vikings and Browns will never make another real Super Bowl. It’s probably better that way.

6. Super Bowl XXVI – Detroit Lions vs. Buffalo Bills

I really only included this one because I feel we as Americans were cheated out of seeing Barry Sanders ever play in a Super Bowl. In 1991 the Lions went 12-4, were the No. 2 seed out of the NFC, and made it to the NFC Championship game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins.

7. Super Bowl XXXIII – Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos

I’ve written about this game a lot in the past, so I’ll just keep it short. Because if I don’t, it will end up being 5,000 words that eventually lead me to comparing my moral compass to the ending of a football game that I watched when I was 8 years old.

15-1 record. Best offense in NFL history. Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Jake Reed, Randall Cunningham, Robert Smith. Injuries, horrible coaching, and the worst kick of Gary Anderson’s career crushed Minnesota. And they’ve never recovered.

And the Dirty Bird was the dumbest end zone celebration ever.

8. Super Bowl XXXIV – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Buccaneers lost in the NFC Championship game to the Rams by the oddest football score ever, 11-6, after the Rams scored a late fourth-quarter touchdown. It would take the Buccaneers another three years to finally reach the Super Bowl, and Kurt Warner became the greatest grocery bagger in NFL history.

The Jaguars were the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 1999 and put 62 points on the board in the division round against the Dolphins. They lost in the AFC Championship game to the Titans, who barely made it out of the first round, only doing so with a little play famously known as the “Music City Miracle.”

I have no idea what a Buccaneers-Jaguars Super Bowl would have been. I would have probably ditched the Vikings as my favorite team for the Buccaneers and would now have four different John Lynch jerseys in my closet. I suppose Fred Taylor would be a definite Hall of Fame running back and Tom Coughlin would now be the head coach of the Ravens.

9. Super Bowl XXXVI – St. Louis Rams vs. Oakland Raiders

The Tuck Rule. Super Bowl win number one for Tom Brady. Beginning of the end for Kurt Warner in St. Louis.

If the Patriots don’t win against Oakland, it is not inconceivable that Drew Bledsoe would have been reinstated as the starting quarterback in Boston, Tom Brady would have been traded to some team like the Chiefs or Texans, and Bill Simmons would have hopefully given up talking about football.

10. Super Bowl XLII – Green Bay Packers vs. New England Patriots

Brett Favre’s last pass as a Green Bay Packer was an interception in overtime which led the Giants to kick a game winning field goal to advance to Super Bowl XLII and spoil the Patriots chance at a perfect season.

Had the Packers beaten the Giants, one would have to believe that Favre would have retired after the season and actually stayed retired, Super Bowl win or not. Losing a Super Bowl to only the only team to win 19 games in a season is a much better ending than not even having the opportunity.

None of this happened of course, which helped set up Hypothetical Super Bowl No. 11.

11. Super Bowl XLIV – Minnesota Vikings vs. Indianapolis Colts

Can’t blame me for this one either. The Vikings were the best team in the league in 2009, thanks in part to Brett Favre playing the smartest (and arguably best) football of his life.

Unfortunately there was Brad Childress and his love for settling for 45-yard, game winning field goals. And then there was the Vikings getting flagged for having 12 men in the huddle RIGHT AFTER A TIMEOUT! Next play: Favre interception.

By the end of the game I was lying on my kitchen floor with my shirt over my face. Literally the worst night of my life.

I started writing for MSF two days later after comparing the Vikings-Saints game to lyrics by Hootie and the Blowfish. Weirdest thing I’ve ever written. At least something good came out of it.

The mention of the name draws responses that range from adoration to pure hate. It is tough to go one day watching ESPN without hearing a mention of his name, let alone a segment devoted to him.

The extensive coverage was a leading cause for those who despised him to have those feelings, but that it not the fault of Tim Tebow.

Nothing that Tim Tebow has done in his short NFL career should warrant negative feelings from anyone. Even if Tebow took down your favorite team in the form of a last minute touchdown drive, it is wrong to hate him. Respect would be a more proper feeling to possess.

The Tebow haters will always point to his stats and say how terrible of a quarterback he is. Disregard the stats. Tim Tebow led his team to the playoffs after Kyle Orton led them to a dismal start of 1-4. He finished the year 7-4 in the regular season, which was good enough for a division title.

During this span, a movement was born. #Tebowing. #Tebow 3:16. #TebowTime. #TebowMania. The list goes on and on.

Tim Tebow is more than just an NFL quarterback. His name represents far more than just the name of Denver’s starting quarterback. Hearing his name might lead some to get on one knee and begin praying. It is tough to think of any other athlete who has garnered such a following, both positive and negative, as Tebow has.

So why Tim Tebow? Why does he garner all the coverage, when he has historically poor stats at a position that is the most important in his profession? He wins.

Tim Tebow wins games. No matter how he does it, he can usually find a way to get his team a victory. His late game touchdown drives became nothing out of the ordinary. When Marion Barber ran out of bounds, when staying in would have given the Bears a sure victory, it did not seem all too crazy.

Then came the playoffs. The talking heads who doubted Tebow all season were certain that the Steelers would take care of business in Denver. Once Demaryius Thomas crossed the goal-line on the first play of overtime to defeat the Steelers, those doubters were proven wrong once again.

Tebow Mania was alive and well during the past week, but it was seemingly a foregone conclusion that it would come to an end in Foxboro. The Patriots were the #1 team in the AFC, and had already beaten the Broncos once this season.

As it turned out, Saturday night was not one to remember for Tebow and the Broncos. The Pats’ scored early and often en route to their 45-10 victory. It was an ugly defeat for Denver, but the season was not a disappointment.

The Broncos advanced as far in the playoffs as the Packers, Saints, and Texans. They bowed out against the #1 seed in the AFC, and arguably all of football. Denver really did not stand a chance in New England, but there was still hope.

Now that Denver’s season is over all the speculation regarding Tebow’s job security will start up again. Has he not proven enough to keep his starting role? He may not be the prototypical quarterback, but he did lead his team to one of their most memorable seasons that did not end in a Super Bowl title.

Denver was given new energy as a town, and they have a new athlete to rally around. Carmelo Anthony left to go have a mediocre season in New York, and a new #15 took his place. This #15 has done nothing to lose his job, and I am sure that the fans agree.

Tim Tebow is adored in Denver, and football fans all over the country would love to have him on their team. Hopefully, Denver’s front office will realize this fact, and let Tebow Mania continue on in 2012.

Here is all the basic info you need to know, what MSF’s writers have said about the game this week, and a poll so you can take your pick.

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots Game Info

• Broncos-Patriots Date, Time, and TV: Saturday, January 14th at 8:00 ET on CBS
• Broncos-Patriots Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Broncos-Patriots Point Spread: Patriots -13.5
• Broncos-Patriots Over-Under: 51

Jerod’s Broncos-Patriots Spread Pick

That’s a big spread, a very big spread, especially to give a team that has not won a playoff game since the AFC Championship game in 2008 and that features an atrocious defense. I know that Tom Brady is really good, and Bill Belichick will surely cook something up on defense to confuse Tim Tebow, but with the confidence Tebow and the Broncos gained against Pittsburgh they are going to come into New England ready to deliver their best shot.

ALL of the pressure is on New England in this game. They’ll probably win it because of Brady, but this isn’t going to be any kind of cakewalk. Not anymore. And with that big of a spread, this is a no-brainer.

• Broncos-Patriots spread pick: Broncos +13.5

Steve’s Broncos-Patriots Prediction

Click to read Steve’s complete Broncos-Patriots Preview

The Pats’ already beat the Broncos this year 41-23, which came in Denver in Week 15. That ended the Broncos’ six game losing streak, but did not keep them out of the playoffs.

This time the game means much more, as it is for a berth in the AFC Championship game.

Tim Tebow will need to build off of his passing game from last week. He threw for 316 yards against a top-ten passing defense, and now he goes up against the Patriots’ 31st ranked pass defense. Even though the Evil Emperor Bill Belicheck hired former Broncos coach Josh McDaniels to be an offensive assistant/spy, the Broncos should be able to rack up a significant amount of yards through the air.

If the Broncos can take care of the ball and not turn it over, there is no reason why they could not win this game. The Patriots defense has not been good all year, and this will show in the game. The Pats’ have lost in the first round in the past two seasons, and I think it will be three. Why not?

• Broncos-Patriots Prediction: Denver 27 | Patriots 24

Broncos-Patriots Poll

Who do you think will win?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

And don’t be shy. Defend your pick below in the comment section.

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The Pats’ already beat the Broncos this year 41-23, which came in Denver in Week 15. That ended the Broncos’ six game losing streak, but did not keep them out of the playoffs.

This time the game means much more, as it is for a berth in the AFC Championship game.

New England Patriots

The Patriots come into this game as the #1 seed in the AFC, and winners of their last eight games. They are favorites in this game, and for good reason. The only problem I see with New England was their schedule. During their eight game winning streak to end the season, they only played one playoff team, which was Denver.

Earlier in the season the Pats lost their other two games against playoff teams, the Steelers and the Giants. These games were close, but the Steelers know that close in the playoffs is not good enough.

In the first meeting between the teams, the Patriots’ offense torched Denver’s defense. Specifically, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski were the ones who dominated. They combined for 13 receptions for 182 yards and a touchdown. Finding a way to shut down this tight end tandem should be a major focus for Denver heading into the game. To go along with the passing game, the Patriots combined for 141 rushing yards.

The Patriots have everything going for them in this game: they are the top seed in the AFC, they have home field advantage, and they have already beaten the Broncos once this year. That should make them the favorites, but the Steelers were favorites last week and we all saw how that went.

Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow. That right there could sum up the hype around this game, and it is warranted. Tebow threw the now infamous touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in overtime that sent the Steelers home.

Based on the last time these two teams played, it should be clear that the Patriots are favorites, but that is being reconsidered after Denver’s performance last week. The offense looked dead in the last three games of the regular season, but came to life last week against Pittsburgh.

The defense was also struggling, especially in the Patriots game. The Pats’ racked up 41 points, but Denver did lose three fumbles. Those turnovers turned out to be a major difference in the game, and they certainly did not help the defense’s chances of stopping Tom Brady.

Tim Tebow will need to build off of his passing game from last week. He threw for 316 yards against a top-ten passing defense, and now he goes up against the Patriots’ 31st ranked pass defense. Even though the Evil Emperor Bill Belicheck hired former Broncos coach Josh McDaniels to be an offensive assistant/spy, the Broncos should be able to rack up a significant amount of yards through the air.

Broncos-Patriots Prediction

If the Broncos can take care of the ball and not turn it over, there is no reason why they could not win this game. The Patriots defense has not been good all year, and this will show in the game. The Pats’ have lost in the first round in the past two seasons, and I think it will be three. Why not?

Denver 27 | Patriots 24

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Denver Broncos at New England Patriots Game Info

• Broncos-Patriots Date, Time, and TV: Saturday, January 14th at 8:00 ET on CBS
• Broncos-Patriots Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Broncos-Patriots Point Spread: Patriots -13.5
• Broncos-Patriots Over-Under: 51

The Divisional Round often produces the most compelling and memorable moments of the NFL Playoffs. Favorites carrying the weight of the world, or underdogs with nothing to lose and not getting enough respect even after being just one of eight teams out of 32 left.

Jerod offered his spread picks for each game earlier in the week. Now here are my predictions for each game.

NEW ORLEANS (14-3) AT SAN FRANCISCO (13-3)

• 4:30 PM ET, SATURDAY

The seemingly unstoppable Saints have become everyone’s trending darlings within the past month, and the favorites of many to win the next two weeks on the road and advance to Super Bowl 46.

Not so fast.

At home, in the Superdome, the Saints are indeed unstoppable. But how many games has New Orleans won in its franchise history. Try zero, thought it’s not like the Saints had not gotten many chances in the playoffs until the past few years.

The Saints will be as far away from their comfort zone as possible on Saturday against a 49ers team that allowed only 87 points at home all season. The city of New Orleans has always been regarded as an eerie and spooky place, but that holds nothing compared to a late afternoon at Candlestick. Wind, a few transformers blowing, the stadium going dark, or maybe the 50+ year old facility seemingly shaking.

Or maybe the Saints just get freaked out by the city of San Francisco itself, which Ari Kaufman refers to as ‘opulent, ostentatious, arrogant, and sheltered.’ What!!?? I like my BART system. My man Ari has become a Howard Cosell for a new generation.

New Orleans had to deal with this last year and saw their season end against a Seattle team they should had been far superior than. Not to mention they somehow lost to both lowly Tampa Bay and St. Louis on the road this year. This time the road task is much tougher; it’s the best defense of the league that has to be solved.

I do dock the Niners for lack of playoff experience (nine years, but seems even longer) and Frank Gore has to have a much better game than he did during the second half of the season. The O-line has to also stop the Saints’ blitz and keep Alex Smith upright, which was a challenge during a meltdown at Baltimore.

But I’m going to go with the home dog here…

PICK EM PAL!!! Saints-49ers Prediction: San Francisco 27 | New Orleans 24

DENVER (9-8) AT NEW ENGLAND (13-3)

• 8:00 PM ET, SATURDAY

The numerologists had a field day after last Sunday. Tim Tebow 316 yards, 31.6 yards per completion, a 31.6 TV rating during the fourth quarter. Big Ben picked on third and 16. It was a great day for those on the Tebow bandwagon.

But one is only as good as his last game, and Tebow right now remains a double-edged sword – and we’ve already seen Broncos v. Pats, and that was at Mile High. And as far as the Patriots are concerned, I love their road to the Super Bowl, especially since they don’t have to worry about the already-imploded New York Jets.

Maybe you have heard the tale of the man who puts $80 dollars on the #8 horse in the eighth race, then sees the horse finish eighth. Denver’s run comes crashing to a halt and the debate on whether Tebow can take it to the next level can rage until training camp in July.

PICK EM PAL!!!  Patriots-Broncos Prediction: New England 31 | Denver 6

HOUSTON (11-6) AT BALTIMORE (12-4)

• 1:00 PM ET, SUNDAY

The Houston Texans are still a team that most NFL followers are NOT familiar with.  Except for a late-season game on the NFL Network in which they lost, Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf is about as good as it gets for this team getting run.

As was mentioned during the telecast of last week’s Wild Card game, the Texans have been built via the draft, especially this past year. J.J. Watt first round, Brooks Reid second round, and taking a QB named T.J. Yates in Round 5, which turned out in come in real handy. Pro Bowler Brian Cushing was a product of the 2009 draft. Even after losing Mario Williams and Matt Schaub during the season and WR Andre Johnson hobbled, the Texans have remained relevant.

Meanwhile I’m not sold on the Ravens, who I consider as the AFC version of the Atlanta Falcons. QB Joe Flacco is good, like Matt Ryan is ‘good’, but can he be OMG great?? And the team as a whole had too many games that had me guessing whether this is really an elite team and a title contender.

True, this is one of the last kicks of the can for Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, but there is always one result in the postseason that no one figures on and shocks everyone, I’m going to peg this game as one of those. As Bum Phillips said in the day, Houston will be ‘knocking on that door’ again after Arian Foster and Ben Tate grounds-and-pounds the Texans to the AFC Championship Game.

PICK EM PAL!! Texans-Ravens Prediction: Houston 23 | Baltimore 17

NY GIANTS (10-7) AT GREEN BAY (15-1)

• 4:30 PM, SUNDAY

We can talk X’s and O’s all day, but sometimes an off-the-field event ends up throwing all analysis off-kilter. Unfortunately that is the case this week, as Packers Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin is on an extended leave of absence following the tragic and sudden passing of his son. Needless to say, this has been a surreal week in the Packers organization leading up to a playoff game, with the situation rocking the franchise to its core. Even classy Giants HC Tom Coughlin reached out to offer his condolences to the Packers organization.

How this effects the Packers on the field Sunday is anyone’s guess, but no doubt this is a major distraction in a football sense.

Philbin is not expected to be with the team on Sunday, meaning HC Mike McCarthy has to put a contingency plan in place in regards to the offensive game plan. On the field, there are not a lot of players on either side that werearound four years ago when the Giants shocked Green Bay en route to an eventual NFL title.

What the Giants do have, however, is the very same Ahmad Bradshaw/Brandon Jacobs smash-mouth element, plus the receiving weapons that can put the shaky Packers secondary on it’s heels much like they did in the regular season meeting at the Meadowlands.

Yes, there are much more important things than football, but should the Packers lose don’t expect the team to use the events of this week as an excuse. In the end, I do expect Green Bay to pull one out for their grieving coach and get him back in the coaching booth next Sunday.

PICK EM PAL!!!  Packers-Giants Prediction: Green Bay 33, | NY Giants 27 (OT)

As a devout Christian, Tebow has raised many eyebrows inside and outside the sports world.

People are rooting for him because they like his style of play and because he stands for Conservative principles. (Also, he’s bringing new fans to the sport, though probably not too many, only because so many people are already football fans.)

He has a classic Disneyish story. Detractors, pundits, broadcasters, and all of the above have given their opinion that he won’t make it in the NFL. His college success, two national championships and Heisman trophy award, wouldn’t amount to much in professional football, they’ve said.

First, he was told he was out of position, not fit to be a quarterback. Than he was told his throwing motion was awkward and he ran too much of the time. But now, after a playoff win against the mighty Steelers, he is looking forward to the next Goliath, the New England Patriots.

Most of the Tebow story is about faith, hard work, dedication, and perseverance. So many people can relate to his cause, because these characteristics are necessary in everyday life.

Tebow wouldn’t be Tebow, though, without Christianity. This he admits freely. And, this is where there has been a dividing point for some.

It was hard for the non-religious and atheist types to get on the Tebow bandwagon because religion throws up so many red flags to them. For other religions, like Islam or Judaism, there’s not any other starting quarterback for them to relate to in the NFL, so, these people are left feeling out of the loop.

The controversy of Tebow was his religion, but it may not be any more. It seems his identity has moved past religion and is now accepted by the mainstream media and population as a good-feel story.

His career may parallel this 2011-12 season.

It is highly doubtful that Tebow’s behavior is going to change. He is not going to be in the papers having been stopped for drunk-driving or cursing out a member of the press for their pushiness.

His story is being written now and the only thing that will change it will be his overcoming all the hurdles to win the Super Bowl or not.

Tim Tebow will do many great things in his life, besides playing football. He already is a leader in charitable causes.

He overcame doubters and those willing to knock him for his religious ways.

It’s hard to say how things would have been different if this quarterback from Florida with two championships and a Heisman was a Muslim, Jew, or Buddhist.

There have been famous Muslim and Jewish athletes over time in all the major sports in the U.S., and Tiger Woods is a Buddhist.

Wearing one’s religious beliefs on one’s shirtsleeves is not common in sports, and anybody in Tebow’s position with a different religion could be viewed in a different manner.

He is coming from the plurality and that has helped to propel him. Christianity is the most popular religion in the U.S.

Now, it would seem, he has won over many more fans than just Christian ones.

He is on the best ride ever. Of course, Tebow would tell you that the very best ride is the one to heaven.

Howard Alperin is Managing Editor of AmericanizeSoccer.com

Tebow’s heroics, his overall performance, and the John 3:16 symbol throughout the stat line (Tebow’s favorite Bible verse is John 3:16, he also threw for 316 yards and averaged 31.6 yards per completion) has inspired some people to say that it was divine intervention that led the Broncos to victory…including professional racist, umm I mean radio host Rush Limbaugh.

To be clear, divine intervention is a term for a miracle caused by God’s/a god’s active involvement in the human world.

Just because Tim Tebow is a religious guy that won a dramatic playoff game, it doesn’t mean that God or a divine intervention was involved. The Broncos won because they ran the ball well, key Steelers were hurt, and Tim Tebow stepped up and played his best game as a NFL QB.

I don’t hate Tim Tebow, I actually really like the guy. Tebow is a lot fun to watch, I was rooting for the Broncos to win last week, and I will be rooting for them to win this week versus New England. I even got his autobiography for Christmas.

Saying that God was involved in the Broncos’s win is illogical. The grace of God didn’t guide some of those deep balls into the receivers hands. Tim Tebow made those throws, not God. Tim Tebow looking off safeties, selling play actions, and staying alive in the pocket caused those big plays.

Tim Tebow has one upset victory in the playoffs and everybody thinks he is Jules from Pulp Fiction.

To think that God would step in and change the result of a football game is pretty ignorant.  Where was this divine intervention during 9/11 or when Martin Luther King was shot? Oh but wait, Tim Tebow needs to win a football game. God must have said ”Peggy (God’s secretary ) cancel all my appointments, Tim Tebow needs my help now!”

Yes, I know that having a strong Christian winning a playoff game and then sprinkling in a few biblical symbols might make you feel all warm and cozy inside about God and your faith, but it doesn’t mean the Lord was involved. It was the hard work and the determination of the Denver Broncos that won that game.

Actually, this newest photo story is inspired less by Tebow and more by the thoughts and fears that have to be percolating in the minds of the Broncos’ opponents for this week, the New England Patriots. No matter how confident Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the rest of the Patriots may appear, the reality is that the #1 seeded Patriots, who have not won a playoff game since 2007, have all of the pressure on them this week.

Tim Tebow has taken Denver further than anyone could have imagined, and he had one of the best overall playoff performances by any QB ever against Pittsburgh to cement his hold on the starting position. He’s playing with house money this week. So too are John Fox and the rest of the Broncos. Of course they have the natural pressure of wanting and yearning to win, but Denver doesn’t have the added pressure of being expected to win and knowing that their window to get back to the Super Bowl is closing.

New England does. Couple that with the unpredictability and versatility of a Denver offense that can know pick up 30+ yard chunks in clutch moments, and you can bet that Tebow and the Broncos have put the proverbial “fear of god” into the Patriots. And that is the subject of today’s photo story.

If the image does not appear below, click here to view in a new window.

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Tim Tebow, John Fox, Demaryius Thomas, and the Broncos had other ideas.

Image credit: Washington Post

The Super Bowl run ended for the Steelers on Sunday night, and it will be heard that Tim Tebow won the game. But before I give the rundown on Tebow’s best game of his career, credit must be given to Denver’s defense.

With 1:37 left in the game, the Steelers got the ball with the score tied at 23. They got the ball to the Denver 45-yard line and only needed about seven or eight yards to attempt a game-winning field goal. This is when the Broncos’ defense made their stand.

On first down at the Denver 45, Elvis Dumervil forced a Ben Roethlisberger fumble, which was recovered by Pittsburgh, but it was a loss of eleven yards. This pushed Pittsburgh out of field goal range, and they were unable to get back in range before the end of regulation. This allowed the game to go to overtime, where the defense was not needed.

Tim Tebow is a different kind of NFL quarterback. He is constantly picked apart by analysts who criticize his style of play. But the constant rebuttal to the criticism has been his ability to win games.

Instead of simply using a win to prove his critics wrong, Tebow also had the stats to prove it against the Steelers. He only completed 10 passes in 21 attempts, but he had 316 yards. The basic math shows that he had 31.6 yards per completion! The number of passing yards, 316, also is creating quite a buzz in the world of social media. No longer is it John 3:16, but instead #Tebow 316.

Of Tebow’s ten completions, four went to Demaryius Thomas. The amazing fact about those four completions is that they went for 204 yards, and one miraculous touchdown.

That miraculous touchdown came on the first play of overtime, when most were still pondering the new NFL overtime rules. Those new rules did not come into effect as the game was over in only one play. The Broncos continued their aggressive play on offense, and Tebow hit Thomas on a crossing route across the middle. The Steelers were clearly expecting a run, as there were no safeties back. Thomas gave Ike Taylor a vicious stiff-arm and faced no more resistance en route to the game-winning 80 yard touchdown.

The fact is, the Broncos won on a play that will be replayed for years to come, and they are now heading to New England to take on the top seeded Patriots. All predictions will likely have the Patriots beating the Broncos, as they did in Week 15 by the score of 41-23. However, the Broncos do not seem to regard unanimous decisions against them.

If the Broncos were able to defy presumed logic and defeat the Steelers, why can’t they come out and do the same thing next Saturday night in New England? It will not be an easy task, but with Tebow throwing the way he did today, and the defense playing as strong as they did today, a Broncos win does not seem that unbelievable.

If the purpose of these snaps were to keep Quinn sharp in case of an injury to Tebow, than having him take snaps is understandable. If these snaps represent doubting Tebow, than the Broncos are wavering at the worst time.

Being ambivalent towards Tebow now is sending the wrong message. They would not be hosting a playoff game if it weren’t for him.

Tebow is the future in Denver for at least one more season. Elway as general manager is surely smart enough to remember his growing pains and will give Tebow the opportunity to get better.

If there is one player in all of the NFL motivated to get better, it’s Tim Tebow. He wants to prove all the skeptics wrong and he’s not about to lose faith.

The coaching staff needs to have a keen eye for what Tebow feeds off of to play well and for what brings his level of play down, also.

He plays his best when he is in a good rhythm. But for him, it can be hard to find it because he has so many 3 and outs.

It has been the fourth quarter or overtime with the game on the line when he has risen to the challenge most often this season. For winning or tying drives, Tebow converted when it counted on 4th down many times during those comebacks.

This is why head coach John Fox is the most critical person in the matchup Sunday between the Steelers and Broncos. Fox needs to know when to go for it in 4th down situations. A new set of downs will give Tebow the chance for putting his stamp (style of play) on the game.

Fox will have to push his offense to excel in unconventional circumstances, such as in the 1st quarter at their own 38 with a 4th down and 3 to go or in the third quarter at the Steelers’ 46 with a 4th down and 7 to go.

Ultimately, Fox must know his young quarterback’s strengths and when a converted 4th down is needed to keep momentum and rhythm. This is the Denver Broncos best and possibly only shot at winning on Sunday.

Howard Alperin is Managing Editor of AmericanizeSoccer.com

The only problem is that they are taking on the 12-4 Pittsburgh Steelers, who do not care for the buzz around Tebow.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers started the season 2-2, and many thought that this may just not be their year. They went on to finish 12-4 and missed out on the #2 seed by one game. They have gone 5-1 in their last six games and have allowed a combine total of 28 points in the five wins.

The main problem that the Steelers face is dealing with their losses due to injury. Rashard Mendenhall has been placed on IR after injuring his ACL last week in Cleveland, safety Ryan Clark is out due to a sickle-cell trait that is dangerous to play with at high elevations, center Maurkice Pounkey is out due to an ankle injury, and Ben Roethlisberger is hobbled with a sprained ankle.

Mendenhall’s injury puts Isaac Redmond in the starting role. He has primarily been the third down back this year and has 479 yards and three touchdowns. He had two fumbles against Cleveland last week, which must be fixed for this game. He cannot be giving the Broncos free possessions to stay in the game.

Getting the run game going will help ease the stress that Roethlisberger has to put on his ankle. Third and long situations are not the same when Big Ben is hurt, because he does not have the ability to scramble as he usually does. He will need to be protected in the pocket, as he can easily be knocked out of the game if the ankle gets too bad.

The defense should have no trouble shutting down Denver’s offense, barring some Tebow magic. The Steelers have the top ranked pass defense in the league, along with the eighth ranked rush defense at just under 100 yards a game. The Broncos have the top ranked rushing offense in the NFL, so it should provide a great matchup.

Denver Broncos

Say what you want about the Broncos style of offense, but they are in the playoffs. They are, however, losers of three straight, which followed a six-game winning streak. The offense fits Tim Tebow’s style of play, but it will need to be altered in order to have a chance at beating the Steelers.

John Elway has called on Tebow to “cut it loose” in the passing game, and that will need to be done in order to win. If the option-style offense is being shutdown early, Tebow will need to try and get something going in the passing game. It will not be easy against the league’s best pass defense, but he must at least try.

What the Broncos lack in the passing game, which is ranked 31st in the NFL, they make up for in the running game. They average 164.5 rushing yards a game, which puts them first in the NFL. Willis McGahee finished with 1,199 yards on the year, while Tebow added 660 of his own. Both average right around five yards a carry, which will need to be kept up against Pittsburgh.

The x-factors in the game will be Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. They are Tim Tebow’s two most popular targets and are the Broncos two leading receivers. If they can get some separation from the Steelers’ secondary, it will give Tebow a chance to “cut it loose” and get some momentum going in the passing game.

For Denver’s defense, it will be important to get pressure on Roethlisberger early. He is playing on that injured ankle, and getting a few hits on him early could make throwing the ball that much more difficult. It could also lead to him having less strength on his passes, which could lead to some interceptions.

Broncos-Steelers Prediction

The optimist in me would love to pick Tim Tebow and the Broncos to defeat the mighty Steelers, but that it defying logic. The Steelers are Super Bowl favorites and have not done anything to foreshadow a possible slip-up in Denver.

Sure, their offense struggled against a weak team in Cleveland, but the defense more than made up for the lack of offensive production.

Steelers 34 | Broncos 17

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Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

• Steelers-Broncos Date, Time, and TV: Sunday, January 8th at 4:30 ET on CBS
• Steelers-Broncos Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Steelers-Broncos Point Spread: Steelers -9
• Steelers-Broncos Over-Under: 34.5

According to ESPN, Elway said to not be afraid to “pull the trigger.”

Oh, so now you want him to let loose after handcuffing him for weeks in this offense? It doesn’t work like that John. You either needed to let him throw the ball more in games, or you need to be satisfied with an unbalanced attack.

Steve Young actually came out over a month ago and said he didn’t like the offense John Fox was running, because it really wasn’t fair to Tebow. He said if he were Tebow he would have been offended.

Now, I can fully recognize and admit Tebow is a below average passer, but you can’t run an offense one way then expect him to change the style and sling it against the Steelers.

Last week during the loss to the Chiefs, I kept yelling at the television for the Broncos to throw the ball. Everyone knows a run is coming and they just kept trying to run it against eight defenders in the box. At some point, especially near playoff time, you have to let Tebow sink or swim. We can argue all day about which it will be, but you have to at least turn him loose.

I have seen some ugly passes from Tebow, but I have seen a few really good ones too. If he doesn’t get the chance to throw enough in live games he will never be a QB in the league.

I don’t think he will win this weekend, but let’s see how he does now that the warden John Elway has unshackled his wrists and will encourage him to make some plays throwing the ball.

Either way, Elway wins. He either gets a playoff win or he turns the fans against Tebow so he can get a pocket passer in Denver.

**********

* – John Elway photo credit: Getty via Daily Sport Newspaper

What do we REALLY know about all of the above?

Not much, in my opinion. However, it seems that nearly every sports fan alive has an incredibly dogmatic viewpoint towards one or all all of these topics.

Be honest…this is not normal.

As a fan of all things Indiana, I could give you a full discourse on Reggie Miller (greatest shooter ever), Peyton Manning (better than Brady), Travis Best (worst point guard of all time), Mark Prior (I hate him), or anybody else that has ever played for one of my favorite teams. That’s what FANS do. We are fanatic about the players and teams that we cheer for.

Everyone else? That’s not really our area of expertise.

Give me three reasons why Christian Ponder will or will not be a ten-year starter in the NFL. How about Andy Dalton? What are your thoughts on Colt McCoy?

Unless you are an actual fan of Minnesota, Cincinnati, or Cleveland, you probably don’t have a strong opinion concerning any of those players.

And then there’s Tim Tebow. Why does everybody care?

The short answer…because of Tebowmania. The coverage devoted to Tim Tebow has been off the charts. Tebow-lovers constantly feel the urge to validate him because of the unbelievable coverage he has gotten. Tebow-haters constantly try to prove why that coverage is unjustifiable. The poor neutral people are trapped in the middle…they just want the coverage to stop.

Regardless, most people can’t turn the channel when Tebow is on (the ratings prove it)…so TV executives keep doing the “smart” thing and ram him down our throats over and over again.

BUT WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT TEBOW?!?!?!

Let’s put all of the biases aside, and examine the few facts that we do know.

• Fact: The Broncos won 7 of their past 31 games before Tebow…and have won 7 of their past 11 with him.
• Fact: Not a single one of those wins was against a playoff team.
• Fact: Teams win games…not players…unless of course, Peyton Manning is involved.

Listen, Tebow-haters, you can’t deny this first fact. The Broncos have been absolutely TERRIBLE for the past three seasons, and NOTHING is different about the team that Tebow has played on. In fact, the Broncos traded away their best wide receiver immediately upon Tebow’s arrival.

On the other hand, Tebow-lovers, none of Tebow’s wins look as impressive anymore. The Jets ended up being a fraud. Road wins against Oakland, San Diego, and KC were solid victories against division rivals, but none of those teams is anywhere close to elite. The Bears and Vikings? Laughingstocks. Ironically, his first win against the Dolphins looks like his best win of the bunch.

But on the OTHER hand (yes, we are now on our third hand), 3 of the 4 Tebow-losses were pretty respectable. The Patriots and Lions are playoff teams with outstanding offenses. The loss on the road in Buffalo is hardly a unique experience for a rookie QB.

Of course, at the end of the day (I may shatter the record for cliche usage by the end of this article), teams win games, not individual players. Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson have won as many Super Bowls as Brett Favre and Peyton Manning. That’s messed up. That’s also football.

Maybe we should put less stock in W’s and L’s in general when we try and evaluate individual players.

(Colin Cowherd would like me to mention that Tebow is playing on an amazing team with an incredible defense. I would calmly like to respond with this link.  That’s right…come talk to me when your defense is better than Carolina’s.  Yikes.)

A couple more facts:

• Fact: Tebow has succeeded in the clutch on numerous occasions.
• Fact: Tebow has been awful in crunch time the past two weeks.

What can you say? Neither of these facts is even CLOSE to being false. I really don’t know what either group can say to discredit the other concerning these two points. Let’s just move on.

(Of course, here is where Tebow’s haters scream, “Defenses have figured him out!!! He will never be clutch again!!!” as his supporters respond, “He’s throwing to guys like you and me!!!!” The lesson as always…sports writers like me should probably stop trying to bring facts into the equation – especially when dealing with topics as divisive as Tim Tebow.)

A few more facts:

• Fact: Tebow didn’t have time to prepare with his new coach until a month before the season, and to be honest, has had to learn this new offense on the fly since becoming the starter.
• Fact: Several other rookie/beginning quarterbacks have looked very good in recent seasons (Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, and to a lesser extent Joe Flacco, Christian Ponder, Sam Bradford, and Matthew Stafford).

These two facts are hard to reconcile. Have the rule changes made it easier to succeed right away? Should we still give rookie/young quarterbacks some time to show us whether or not they will succeed?

I still am not sure about Tebow long-run, but personally I think the jury is still out. It usually takes us at least a year or two to really know whether or not a quarterback is going to succeed. Sure, Cam Newton and Andy Dalton have looked very good at times this season, but other young guys like Matt Moore have started to show us a lot in their last few starts after slower starts to their careers.

Mark Sanchez has looked just as up and down as Tebow has this season…and he just finished his THIRD YEAR of starting.  Good grief, Alex Smith is STILL being given chances, five years after being drafted. I don’t think we should give Tebow five years…but I’m willing to give him one more.

Another awesome fact:

• Verizon Wireless has given me the opportunity to try out a Droid Bionic and a Motorolla Xoom for the past few months.  I have already told you all about the Bionic, so I wanted to update you on the Xoom…
• First of all, for anyone that has ever thought that a tablet would be little more than a large toy, you are dead wrong.  Internet browsing is so much nicer and easier on the Xoom.  Not only can you get the internet almost anywhere in lightning-fast 4G, but it’s also much quicker and runs videos incredibly smoothly.
• I don’t own an ipad…I have heard they are awesome…but I have to say that the Xoom’s ability to seamlessly run flash videos really sets it apart from all of the apple products that I own.  For anyone considering a tablet, I would definitely recommend going to your local Verizon store and checking out the Xoom.

Back to Tebow and the Broncos.

Two more facts:

• Fact: The Broncos have some of the worst skill position players in all of football.
• Fact: Tim Tebow has looked undeniably terrible on several occasions this season.

If not for the Cleveland Browns, I would have said that the Broncos easily have THE WORST skill position players in all of football. Don’t worry Cleveland, y’all deserve to win SOMETHING…so I will leave you in the running for this dubious award.

Regardless, who is Tim Tebow supposed to be throwing the ball too? Were ANY of Denver’s WR’s that are still on the team drafted in your fantasy league this year?

Willis McGahee has had an outstanding year, but he was supposed to be the backup this season. After that, the Broncos have a decent offensive line and little else on offense.

Of course, Tebow would appear vindicated if he were at least hitting open players. Greg Little once had FIVE dropped balls in one game for the Browns this season…Tebow can’t share Colt McCoy’s complaints. While the Denver wide receivers can only attain a comically tiny amount of separation for their QB, Tebow has been WAY off on a lot of throws this season.

What do these two facts mean?

I think they mean that Tebow CAN be successful – but only if he’s playing with some good players.

Clearly, he’s not Peyton Manning (how good does the Colts’ offense look this year?) or Tom Brady who can turn average Joes into Pro-Bowlers. Congratulations. Tebow is just like 25 other QB’s in the league.

What we need to know is if Tebow can be Matt Schaub – someone that can look great if he has some good players. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on this one – and we won’t know unless Denver gets him some weapons to play with this summer.

• Fact: John Fox has done a nice job of building an offense around Tebow.
• Fact: John Fox has killed the Broncos with some of the most ridiculously conservative play-calling I have ever seen.

On the positive side of things, anyone has to admit that Fox did something this season that maybe no other coach in the league would have done – he adapted.

How many coaches have we seen stubbornly hold to their system, all the while losing games and refusing to change his team’s philosophy? Fox saw what he had, and he practically built an offense on the fly in order to give his team a better chance to win. I think we can all agree that the Broncos would NOT be winning games if Tebow was forced to drop back 50 times a game and air it out.

On the other hand, Fox has turned the Broncos into an offense from the 1940s.

The ONLY time Fox lets Tebow throw the ball is on third and long. How many quarterbacks in the entire NFL are routinely successful in those situations?

And if Colin Cowherd is correct, and Matt Prater is the best kicker in football, then how come John Fox elected to punt the ball TWICE yesterday on field goals that would have been less than 56-yards? Just think about that…how different is yesterday’s game if Prater makes even ONE of those field goals early in the game?

Who punts with two and a half minutes left when trailing by four?

We get it Coach Fox, you play conservatively…but it’s getting harder and harder to believe that you are actually TRYING to win these games.

So what do we know?

A whole lot of nothing.

Of course, Tebow’s lovers will cherry-pick different points of mine so they can annoy the rest of America today. Tebow’s haters will do the same.

But me? I’m okay with not knowing anything yet.

Just like Andy Dalton, I THINK Tebow will succeed…but I honestly haven’t watched him enough to know yet. He’s a young QB. These things take time. We will all find out in two years, when he is either out of the league, settled into a backup QB or H-back role, or in the Pro Bowl.

Now, ask me something about Danny Granger…there’s something I REALLY know.

Before we as sports fans switch our focus to other items like March Madness or the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight that I will keep assuming will happen, we get 11 more games that make up the annual NFL playoffs. These 660 minutes will re-write, or at very least alter, the season’s script to which many think they already know the ending.

The Packers repeating as Super Bowl champions was once treated like a given...but should they even be considered the favorites anymore?

Remember, last season at this time, the Green Bay Packers were a #6 seed that only made the playoffs because the New York Giants practically handed them the last spot.

So, with that in mind, I thought I would give you some insights to, depending on your objectives, make some money during playoff season or simply sound smart around the water cooler.

I have put together 10 predictions and things that you should look for during the playoffs. I guarantee at least three or four of them will be right.

#10: The NFL Wanted Parity, They Got Mediocrity.

It is great for ratings that everyone’s favorite team has a chance to compete, if not one year, then certainly the next. Ever since St. Louis and a former Hy-Vee bag boy came from nowhere to win the Super Bowl just over a decade ago, we have had a revolving door for the most part.

The problem with this is that the quality at the top of the league is watered down, and the opportunity for epic battles between the titans is low, because there are no titans. Every team has major flaws.

So, the bad news is that the overall level of play may be lower in the playoffs than 20+ years ago, but the good news is that the results are more unpredictable.

#9: To Play Touch Football or To Risk Death.

This one really has nothing to do with the playoffs, but the National Football League has a conundrum.

The league continues to come down with harsher penalties for hard and high and low and late hits. The problem is they continue to take aggression out of a game that is by design violent. On the flip side, if they don’t, with players as big and strong as they are today, there will be the first death on the field since Warren Beatty in Heaven Can Wait.

I really an not sure what the league can do about this, but this issue, with on-field injuries combined with the lasting effects of concussions, will haunt this league for a long, long time.

#8: Every Once in a While, It Sucks to be Vegas.

Detroit is playing at New Orleans. The two quarterbacks in this game have combined for three of the five seasons of 5,000 yards passing in NFL history. Both defenses give up points, and Detroit’s even scores some.

Vegas opened the total of this game at 58.5, higher than any total (previous high was 57 in 2009 when the Saints battled that Hy Vee bag boy and the Cardinals), but probably not high enough to keep 80% of the action from going on the over.

Is there any way Drew Brees scores less than 38? Will Stafford score less than 28? And Vegas can’t even get bad weather indoors….

#7: Tim Tebow is the Worst Starting Playoff QB in last 10 Years, and That Includes Trent Dilfer.

Tim Tebow is a fantastic human being. He is a wonderful leader of men. He was a tremendous college quarterback. But, let’s face it, now that the league has figured out the Denver gimmicks, Tebow is not a quality starting quarterback in the NFL.

In his last three games, Tebow is 30-73 (41%, ouch), with 1 TD and 4 INT’s. And he has lost multiple fumbles as well. The best thing that can possibly happen this week to Denver is that Tebow and crew get shut out, so that John Elway can do what he knows is the right thing: find the franchise quarterback of the future.

#6: The 49ers Have the Formula to Win It All, If It Were 1986.

The 49ers run the ball very effectively with Frank Gore, control the ball with Alex Smith making few mistakes, and play great defense. That was a great formula before teams started scoring 500+ points a season.

As great as their defense is, the teams they will face in the NFC will get their points, and Jim Harbaugh’s team will just not be able to keep up.

#5: When Was the Last Time Two Rookie QB’s Started Against Each Other in a Playoff Game?

Houston has waited FOREVER to get to the playoffs, and now that they are here, their hopes rest on the shoulders of rookie 5^th round draft choice T.J. Yates. Yates has come a long way since beating out Greg Paulus’ brother for the starting job in Chapel Hill a few years back.

The Texans will try to rely on a great one-two running attack of Arian Foster and Ben Tate. The problem is that the Bengals have a top 5 rush defense.

I am not sure that Andy Dalton and his weapons have enough experience to take advantage of this opportunity on the road, but one thing I look for is the anti-Lions/Saints, with a final score like you might find after the 1^st quarter in New Orleans.

#4: Watch Out For the New York (Football) Giants.

Admittedly, the Giants only got into the playoffs because the Eagles did not realize the season had started until 75% of it had been completed. But this team is for real and can beat anyone.

Eli Manning has taken his level of play up significantly this year, and on the defensive side of the ball, with Umenyiora back with Tuck and JPP, they have enough pass rush to hide their deficiencies in their thin secondary.

If they get by the Falcons this weekend, watch for a monumental upset the following weekend, because….

#3: Green Bay Will Not Win the Super Bowl.

Green Bay has had a spectacular season. But they, better than anyone after their run last season, understand that the Super Bowl is not always won by the best team of the season, but the team that is playing the best at the end.

Green Bay will get a boost if they get Greg Jennings back for the playoff push, but as you look at the competition, other teams are just playing better right now.

#2: Will the Patriots Win a Playoff Game?

It has been four long years since David Tyree made the LAST catch of his illustrious career and kept the Patriots from a perfect 19-0 season by winning Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots have not won a playoff game since.

While they went 13-3 this season, do not be surprised if that playoff futility continues after their bye week.

The Patriots defense is awful, so bad that they have used receivers as starters in their secondary multiple times this season. As great as Tom Brady is, if they run into a well-rounded team, they will have a difficult time advancing, even with the friendly Foxborough crowd locked in throughout the AFC playoffs.

#1: New Orleans Will Beat Baltimore in Indianapolis.

First, I thought Pittsburgh would get to the big game, but I have switched to Baltimore because they are healthier than Pittsburgh heading into the playoffs, especially with news that Rashard Mendenhall may be out.

But these are the two teams that will wade through the kiddie pool and get to swim in the deep end. And in the end, Drew Brees and company will have just enough to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the second time.

And then, we will be less than 6 months away from training camps!

Matt Flynn, Matthew Stafford Have Record-Setting Day in Lambeau

By throwing for 520 yards in a losing effort, Stafford became the third NFL QB to throw for 5,000 yards this year, joining Drew Brees and Tom Brady. Those three could be joined by Eli Manning if he throws for 413 yards for the Giants v. the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

Flynn threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns, BOTH GREEN BAY TEAM RECORDS. Absolutely amazing how he put his name in the Packers record books considering virtually all the games started in the last 20 years (315 games) were either by a guy named Favre or Rodgers.

That’s two QB’s, exactly 1,000 yards passing (a record-breaking 971 yards net) – and you thought Baylor v. Washington marked the end of the Mayan calendar.

And, despite resting several regulars besides Rodgers, the Packers succeeded in beating the Lions at home for a 20^th consecutive year.

Not long ago, I actually felt sorry for Detroit. Now, however, I have little sympathy for the Lions and their already tired, arrogant act. I’m looking forward to Detroit’s winless streak in the state of Wisconsin reaching the point that Rodgers will soon be throwing to receivers who were not even born when Mel Gray went off way back in 1991.

Matt Flynn (Re)Emerges…What Now?

It turns out the loss in Kansas City a couple weeks back was not the worst thing in the world to happen. Had the Pack gone into Week 17 at 15-0, Mike McCarthy would have almost been forced to start #12. This way, Matt Flynn got some very valuable playing time – and if by some off-chance Aaron were to go down during the playoffs, it is now known (and GB already knew) that there is a more than capable man waiting in relief. As Don Majkowski was a one-year wonder in 1989, Flynn is a one-game wonder (two if you count last year’s game against New England), and at the present time a better insurance policy than Rodgers could ever get from State Farm.

And to emphasize again, this was not back in the dome in Detroit, or even on a halfway mild day like most of December was in Sconnie. It was like winter suddenly realized that the calendar just turned to January, with Packer Weather – complete with high winds – finally making an appearance.

But Flynn was SO good Sunday that not only did he ultimately make himself a lot of money, but also raised a couple questions not even thinkable even after a couple of Cherry Bombs at a New Year’s Eve party 24 hours earlier…

• Is Flynn now franchise tag material? He would still eventually be shipped out of Green Bay, but not before being flipped for first-round draft choices.

• Or, if the Packers repeat as Super Bowl Champions – and with his value being at it’s absolute peak, could Ted Thompson trade Aaron Rodgers and make Flynn the 2012 starter? They could even find an organization (Dan Snyder/Redskins?) desperate enough to pull a Mike Ditka and TRADE AN ENTIRE DRAFT.

I’ll address option #2 first. If you think Rodgers is going anywhere, you are still cycling down from the New Year’s cocktails. Hypothetically, if Rodgers went down in a playoff game and GB won the Super Bowl with Flynn, then I might dare say a QB controversy would surface, and even then Rodgers is likely still the man. But then who thought Peyton Manning’s future would be questioned 12 months ago…

As for placing the franchise tag on Flynn, there is too much of a $$$ risk.  Under the new CBA, Flynn could be tendered as a non-exclusive franchise player and be offered the average salary of the five highest-salaried QBs over the past five years. The Packers would have a right to match any contract offer by other teams, or refuse and get two first-round draft picks in return. The downside is that if there are no takers the Packers are ‘stuck’ paying a #2 quarterback $15 million in 2012 (higher salary than Rodgers). In addition the franchise tag would not then be available for TE Jermichael Finley and he would likely walk.

Top 12 Potential Free Agent Destinations for Matt Flynn

Barring the above two unlikely scenarios playing out, Matt Flynn will get his starting shot somewhere else in 2012, and he is suddenly the hottest commodity on the free agent market. Here are the top-ten (actually top 12) landing spots as I see it if Flynn is an unrestricted free agent this offseason:

10.  Denver

Is Matt Flynn better long-term than Tim Tebow? You can definitely make that argument. But John Fox and John Elway are all-in on the Tebow experiment for all of 2012. If Tebow doesn’t make a leap next year, then they will be more in the QB market in 2013; but they will sit this year out.

9. Miami/Tampa Bay/Jacksonville

I throw the entire state of Florida in as a package, as all three will be undergoing major overhauls and likely all three with new coaches. Of the three, I only see the Dolphins as a halfway attractive opportunity that Flynn would actually be interested in, and vice versa.

8. Minnesota

Seeing Flynn go to the purple early in his career would be far worse than seeing Favre wind up there in his dying years. Despite a 3-13 record, some pieces would be in place with Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, and a #3 overall draft pick on board. But the Vikes are one of many teams who are already committed with a high 2011 first-round pick (Christian Ponder) so I don’t see the Twin Cities as a landing spot.

7. Tennessee

It is known that Jake Locker is a project, not unlike Tim Tebow. But it’s unlikely that the Titans will pull the plug just one year after making Locker a #8 overall pick.

6. Kansas City

The Chiefs got a good test drive with Kyle Orton and found out what the Broncos and Bears already know: nice QB, but not enough to get them to the next level. There is no dominant team in the AFC West and Dwayne Bowe is a nice #1 target.

5. New York Jets

One of these days this franchise and its fans will finally realize that Mark Sanchez is the NFL’s answer to Ryan Howard. The question is whether the organization will come to their senses this year and look into Flynn. The Jets would be a possibility considering the team is still a contender, and the fan base is demanding to the point that NY might be a player.

4. Cleveland

The Browns do not have that much invested In Colt McCoy, who also has a concussion history dating back to his Texas Longhorn days. Mike Holmgren, and the organization in general, has to make the big splash one of these off-seasons.

3. Washington

I could even put the ‘Skins as the #1 landing spot, especially if Flynn is attracted to the bright lights of the NFC East. The team may be a couple years away, but you know Dan Snyder will spend the cash.

2. Seattle

Wouldn’t be the first Green Bay understudy to eventually migrate to the Pacific Northwest – and Flynn’s name was trending in Seattle on Twitter at the peak of Sunday’s game. The Seahawks have not been bad hovering around .500 the past two years with Pete Carroll, and they definitely have a glaring QB need.

1. Arizona

Signing Kevin Kolb for 6 years/$65 million ($21 million+ guaranteed) was a bad move from the minute the Cards made the move minutes after the end of the NFL lockout. Even with John Skelton at QB, Arizona rallied to finish with an 8-8 record. Flynn could be close to what the franchise had with Kurt Warner a couple years back. The Cards should cut bait with Kolb as soon as they can. If they can do it in a way that makes financial sense this offseason, Flynn would be a better investment and instantly make Arizona instantly a player again in the NFC West.