Playoff Preferences

Well, we have come to that annual moment when the 32 NFL teams have been officially whittled down to 12.  And my custom at this time each year is to put those 12 teams in order of preference.

Of course, there are two different kinds of preference.  There is the love-hate variety and there is the strategic variety.  On the love-hate scale, for example, I would prefer to see the Saints win the Super Bowl than the 49ers.  Strategically, though, I will be rooting against the Saints if they face the 49ers in the Divisional round, for I’d rather see the latter come to Lambeau for the NFC Championship game.

What follows is my love-hate scale.  (We will consider strategic rooting on a case-by-case basis as the playoffs unfold.)  These three lists reflect the teams I would most love (or, as you move toward the bottom, most hate) to see win Super Bowl XLVI.

First, as I consider the 6 AFC playoff teams, my preference would be to see the Texans win it all.  At the other end of the scale, it would be most noxious to me to see the Steelers come back after last year’s loss and reclaim the Lombardi Trophy.

AFC

1. Houston Texans
2. Denver Broncos
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. New England Patriots
6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Meanwhile, on the NFC side, naturally the Packers are my first choice.  There is no close second.  At the other end of the spectrum are the Detroit Lions.  On paper, I suppose I should be able to root for a team that has lived with defeat for so long.  But in reality, this is a really unlikeable team -- I just cannot cheer for them. 

NFC

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. New York Giants
4. New Orleans Saints
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. Detroit Lions

Finally, when I blend the AFC and NFC lists, this is how my preferences sort out. 

NFL

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Houston Texans
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. Denver Broncos
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. New York Giants
7. New Orleans Saints
8. Baltimore Ravens
9. New England Patriots
10. San Francisco 49ers
11. Detroit Lions
12. Pittsburgh Steelers

If the Super Bowl played in Indianapolis come February matches the Lions against the Steelers, I might not even watch it.

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