In Green Bay, is the Pack back?

The Pack is back!

Some 43 years after winning the first two Super Bowls, the Green Bay Packers may indeed be back.

Certainly, they are not mentioned among the consensus most-feared teams going into the playoffs. Lately, that distinction seems to belong to the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers.

The Packers?

They may be the wild card team nobody wants to play; the team capable of winning three straight road playoff games to reach the Super Bowl.

The Packers are the first team in history for two straight seasons to have the same quarterback who passed for 4,000 yards, the same running back surpass 1,200 yards and the same two receivers go beyond at least 1,000 yards.

Welcome to the worlds of QB Aaron Rodgers, running back Ryan Grant and receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver.

With apologies to the Arizona Cardinals, whom the Packers travel to meet this Sunday, Green Bay may well have the most potent offense in the wild card round of the playoffs.

The Packers come in with seven wins in eight games; their only loss being at Pittsburgh on a last-second miracle by Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Wallace and the Steelers.

But is the Pack all the way back? We’ll start finding out this weekend.

Predictions:
Cincinnati 24, New York Jets 13
Dallas 24, Philadelphia 20
New England 21, Baltimore 17
Green Bay 33, Arizona 31

Say goodbye to Saints, Vikings in postseason

Say goodbye to the New Orleans Saints for the NFC playoffs.

And while you're at it, take Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings with you.

All of a sudden, it looks as if the winner of this week's Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys game will not only win the NFC East ... it may also become the favorite to win the NFC.

Why?

The Saints certainly aren't going to cut it if they can't even beat Tampa Bay at home to clinch the NFC's No. 1 seed.

And with Favre and coach Brad Childress arguing, don't expect the Vikings to go anywhere in the postseason (not to mention the fact Favre normally fades after November.)

New Orleans (13-2) won nine of its first 11 games by double digits. After a 38-17 win over New England, the Saints appeared better situated than ever to make the franchise's first run to the Super Bowl.

Since then, the Drew Brees and Saints have pulled out a pair of three-point wins over non-playoff teams and have lost two straight -- both at home -- starting with a 24-17 setback to Dallas.

Don't forget Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals. They could again fly under the radar and capture the NFC for the second straight season.

As for New Orleans and Minnesota ... their runs were nice while they lasted.

Chargers' LT should rest the rest of exhibition season

Don’t expect to see LaDainian Tomlinson play again in the preseason for the San Diego Chargers.

Ostensibly, he won’t play Saturday at Atlanta because the game is on artificial turf.

Then comes the final preseason game Sept. 4 at home vs. San Francisco … a good time to rest virtually all regulars.

From what little we’ve seen of Tomlinson this summer, he does not appear to be benefiting from exhibition games.

He’s barely averaging two yards a carry and has found holes hard to come by.

Yet this is what’s to be expected from a veteran playing in the preseason for the first time in four years.

The Chargers are fortunate QB Philip Rivers didn’t get hurt when he was sacked four times in the first quarter last weekend by the Arizona Cardinals.

San Diego is a team that only needs to stay healthy to cakewalk through the otherwise horrible AFC West division in 2009.

And remember: The Chargers open their season Sept. 14 at the Oakland Raiders.

LT always has a great game in Oakland. Don’t expect anything less in 2009; as long as he stays healthy through the exhibition season.

Kurt Warner: Nice guys don't always finish last

You’ve probably heard the story by now, but it bears repeating.

He’s working in a grocery store at age 22. She’s there working at age 26.

He asks her out. She says “you don’t want to” because of her two kids from a previous marriage.

He doesn’t care and asks her out, anyway.

They get married. He plays in an arena football league.

Then one day, nine years ago, Kurt Warner wins the Super Bowl as quarterback of the St. Louis Rams.

We finally hear of his background. Warner is a decent Christian man who doesn’t call attention on himself by getting into trouble.

Subsequently, he bounces around for several years in the NFL. Now he’s playing for a Super Bowl championship Sunday when his Arizona Cardinals meet the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It would be lovely if this Cinderella story continued … but …

Prediction:
Steelers 27, Cardinals 20

Chargers, Ravens ran on empty in playoffs

Let’s face it: The Baltimore Ravens simply ran out of gas in the playoffs.

Too many injuries. Too many road games.

(Not to mention the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers are a better team.)

Does it remind you of somebody from a year ago?

Remember when the wounded Chargers went to the AFC Championship game a year ago with quarterback Philip Rivers coming off knee surgery, RB LaDainian Tomlinson unable to play nearly the entire game, and tight end Antonio Gates barely able to walk?

The Chargers had too many injuries and one too many road games ... not to mention that the (then) undefeated New England Patriots were the better team.

Ironically, nowadays, it often seems as if the road teams and the lower seeds have a better opportunity than the higher seeds to make the Super Bowl.

How often have you seen No. 1 seeds lose their first playoff games (re, the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans this season; not to mention the Chargers two seasons ago.)

Even so, in the end, being at home and being a higher seed did matter in the NFL playoffs.

How many people think the Arizona Cardinals would have won an NFC Championship game at Philadelphia? And don’t you think Baltimore would’ve had a better chance at home against Pittsburgh?

All things considered, I’d take my chances as a home team with a higher seed in the playoffs.