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Final Football Forecast for 2001 Playoffs: Go PATS!!Cold December winds blew hard this year and the contenders stayed alive. The pretenders went home, as they should. First the wild card games. I'm going with the home teams in all but the Fish vs. the Ravens. As the wind blows colder in January we look for a great round of divisional playoffs in some cold cities.
First, The NFC
I like the Bears' defense to post a 3 point win over the Beagles in a low scoring affair. Miller at quarterback does scare me but the Eagles are too inexperienced for now. They could pull this one out by 3 if the Bears falter in the red zone. But I'm going with Da Bears.In the other game I have to stay conservative and take the Slams. Too many weapons for the Pack to handle, and face it, the Pack has not won on Astroturf since the Taliban was in control of Afghanistan. Rams win by 10 or more.
Now for the real conference: The AFC
I said in the mid-year skinny when Bledsoe and Glenn got hurt and suspended respectively that they would have a rough road the rest of the way. Well the road got as smooth as Britney Spears' bottom for the never say die Pats! Brady should be no less then runner up for MVP and Belichick too for coach of the year. The Faders come in from sunny California with a wild card win over the Not Yets. This it a better Patriot team and they will now have to prove it over the high-priced Raiders. Raiders have the experienced Rice and Brown, but the Pats have their fans and the ice-cold weather, which should help. Close first half but in the second half look for the Brady Bunch to win by 7. Hey when you're 1-3 like the Pats were, you can't blame them if they lose. Like the Bears it's been a remarkable turnaround.Then we have yet another Frozen Tundra game in Pittsburgh. This should be a war on the heated surface of Heinz Field. I look for the hardest hitting of all the games to be played here. These two teams like each other like the Oil and Vinegar. There will be lots of trash talking in this one, with the Steelers pulling off a 3 point win. However, if Pittsburgh's field goal kicker Kris Brown (who is about as consistent as the ratings of the WB) has a bad day, look for the Ravens to pull off the upset.
Well next time I'll have my Super Bowl skinny. The first Super Bowl in February. See you then.
Till then may all the playoffs end in Foxboro. It's the last season for that storied stadium this year.
— Johnny "Prime Time" Maz
