Lots of games of interest for Packer fans this weekend. The number of games that we care about is evidence that we are in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Our rooting begins on Thursday night when the 5-6 Texans visit the 7-4 Eagles. We are Houston fans tonight, although the Eagles are the least threatening to us of our NFC competitors since we have the head-to-head advantage over them.
Of somewhat more significance is the Redskins’ games against the Giants. New York has been such a bipolar team this year, it’s hard to know what to expect from them. By all rights, they should beat the visiting Redskins, but we’ll pull for Washington anyway because we’re neck-and-neck with the Giants (whom we play for ourselves on the penultimate week of the season).
We’d also like to see the pathetic Bengals beat the visiting Saints, but who are we kidding.
The Falcons’ trip to Tampa Bay should be a more interesting game. Because of their 9-2 record, and because they beat us head-to-head, we can pretty much cede every advantage to the Falcons in terms of the NFC playoff picture. Accordingly, we are rooting for them to beat the Bucs in Tampa. On the one hand, the Buccaneers are considered one of the surprise teams of the 2010 season. On the other hand, they haven’t beaten a team with a winning record yet. I look for an Atlanta win, therefore.
In a rare move, I’ll also be rooting for the Vikings this week. Why, you ask, would I care whether the Vikings (who are out of it) beat the Bills (who are out of it)? Because I want the Vikings to feel renewed, refreshed, believing in themselves, and on a roll when they host the Bears in a couple of weeks!
Speaking of the Bears, they visit the 2-9 Lions on Sunday. Detroit is widely regarded as one of the best 2-9 teams ever. It’s a case of a team that is better than their record playing a team that is, in my judgment, not as good as their record. The former is home. It’s a division game. And I look for the Detroit D-Line to eat up Jay Cutler.
Meanwhile, in the most important (for us) game of the week, the 4-7 49ers come to Lambeau. On the one hand, San Francisco is not very good this year. Also, they have just lost their starting running back for the season, and they were more of a running threat than a passing threat on offense as it was. So that looks very good for us. On the other hand, in the awful NFC West, the 49ers are still very much in the playoff hunt. They still have something to play for.
Personally, I think the Packers will win. And I’m pondering the possibility that they’ll win so convincingly -- that the 49ers will be so embarrassed, so humiliated -- that we’ll get to mount a third coach’s head in our den after this game. I’m picturing Mike Singletary above the team’s fireplace, right next to Brad Childress and Wade Philips
Finally, both Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football have outstanding match-ups schedule. The scheduling really couldn’t have worked out any better for them, as they both boast contest between divisional rivals tied at the top of their respective divisions. Amazing. And so, on Sunday Night, we’ll see the 8-3 Steelers at the 8-3 Ravens. And, on Monday Night, we’ll go one better as the 9-2 Jets visit the 9-2 Patriots.
Lots of good football this week! (Let’s hope it’s better than last week.)
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