Personal Preferences

Once we get to this point in every season -- i.e., the end of the season -- it is my custom to rank the remaining playoff teams in order of preference. This helps me clarify my cheering throughout the games, including the ones that don't include us.

And so, as I ponder the 12 options for who might hoist the Lombardi Trophy a few weeks hence, I am glad that the Broncos and Steelers are not possibilities, since I dislike both so much. But I still feel considerable dislike for some of the teams that remain. And so, with 12 teams still alive, here is my ranking of most liked to most loathed:

1. Green Bay Packers

2. Arizona Cardinals

3. New Orleans Saints

4. Indianapolis Colts

5. San Diego Chargers

6. Cincinnati Bengals

7. New York Jets

8. Baltimore Ravens

9. Philadelphia Eagles

10. Dallas Cowboys

11. New England Patriots

12. Minnesota Vikings

There is no hard-core science to this ranking. Sometimes it's about the coach, sometimes about a player, sometimes about the fans, and sometimes about the city. In the end, though, I think this fairly represents my spectrum of "most happy" to "most unhappy" candidates for Super Bowl Champions.