I know a lot of folks are picking the Giants, but the problem with counting on the Giants’ pass rush being effective is the Pats play such a short passing game anyway, unless you can sack Brady in 1.2 seconds, he’s gonna hit someone on a 5 yard hook every time.

I think both teams can score, but there will be more running plays than expected and thus a shorter game. Take the under and I’ll take the Pats to cover by more than people think. New England takes their fourth title 28-20.

Other prop bets…
How long into the halftime show until I am bored with Madonna? 39 seconds.
Over/under : Number of commercials that actually make me laugh out lout? 3.5
Over/under : Number of commercials with a completely improper sexual undertone? 3.5
Number of commercials featuring domesticated animals? 77.
Over/under : Number of commercials for The Voice? 77.
Over/under : Number of commercials for The Voice that don’t show unsettling Christina cleavage? 0.5

In a couple of years can we just call it Super Bowl 50? Who wants to see Super Bowl L ? Please, save us, someone.

We need to face it – the Pro Bowl, as you have noticed, stinks to high heck. Nobody plays defense, half the selected players don’t want to play and the game is more XBox then Double X Man coverage. Something needs to be done to avoid this misery any longer.

First issue – the players don’t want to go. I don’t blame them – the season is over, you can get hurt, no ramifications. It’s easy to see how they would feel that way.

First fix – I only want players in a game that care or will try. Ever watch the 4th quarter of a pre-season game? You have if you want to see guys fighting for their pro lives to get on the squad. My solution – don’t compel players to play. As much as I want to see Drew Brees, if he isn’t going to give 100% I’d rather have someone who will.

Second issue – no defense. Barely any blocking, no hard hits. The last time a guy got tackled hard in the Pro Bowl was probably the last time Lyle Alzado was in the game. (side note – cooler name than Alzado? I dunno, I like it a lot.)

Third issue – the scoreboard lights up like a Christmas tree due to lack or coverage, blitzing and pressure.

Solutions to 2nd and 3rd issues? Award points for defensive plays. I know, it’s not real football. New flash – neither is this nonsense. Give points for a QB sack give a point for making the other team punt. I don’t know how the scoring would work, but I do know that playing against a defense that doesn’t try is like lining up the Giants against my old junior high – cruel and pointless.

I know Houston’s QB is a rookie, but that’s not such a big deal to me. I don’t trust Flacco even though he has a good won-loss record and Baltimore can’t throw as well as the Bengals last week. I think it will be a close game but I will take the gamble and take the Texans in a road upset 16-14.

The Giants come off the win against overrated Atlanta and travel to the rested Green Bay. Giants can run, they have momentum and Eli Manning has gone for weeks without showing the ‘Eli Manning Face’ ™. 7 1/2 points seems like a lot but I will go the other way and give it. Take the Packers early and often, 42-20.

The 49ers don’t have much of an offense and a great defense. The Saints have a great offense and no defense. That makes for a lower scoring game. While that should benefit the home team I just like the Saints ability to move the ball more. Close, short game goes the bayou way, 20-17. If in doubt, I will pick the team that can actually move the ball when they need to.

If Denver loses by a lot will the Tebow people shut up? No, and that’s fine. Does God want Tebow to win? Well if God cared about it wouldn’t Tebow be the one married to the supermodel wife and not TT? Tom Brady is a chosen one as well. Denver can’t stop New England, but New England can’t stop anyone else either. Lots of scoring and I am looking for the back-door cover. 13 or 14 points seems to many to give. I’ll take the Patriots to win, but in a closer match, 42-31. This game above the others depends on Denver not fumbling.

Denver shouldn’t be able to run or throw and their own D is hurt. I know the Steelers lost Mendenhall but he isn’t the leader of that team. I’ll take Pittsburgh in a snoozer 20-6.

Houston’s first playoff appearance against a game but young Bengals team. Lots of running and ball control – Texans win 21-14.

Saints and Lions might mimic the Orange Bowl results. Brees make his statement as New Orleans cruises 42-20.

The Falcons never seem to impress, even when they win. The Giants are in the same boat, but are hotter now. Project Cruz to have a bigger game than Turner or Ryan and New York surprises us all by showing cajones. Giants 26-17.

I swear for 3 hours during that Bronco game I heard an incessant beeping sound. The sound of someone backing into the playoffs for 3 hours. I am curious to know the last time a team scored 3 points at home in the final game and still backed into a playoff spot.
I am also wondering why the NFL is all right with the notion of 8-8 Denver hosting 12-4 Pittsburgh in the playoffs. Yeah, that seems fair – way to show the importance of the regular season – by completely making it pointless.

The current word on Tim Tebow’s passing game? He’s afraid to throw, he can’t lead a target, he takes to long to decide and can’t check off to anyone other than the first guy he looks at. Other than that, he’s great.

How sad. San Diego has tanked the entire season in their efforts to be rid of your future NY Jets offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Oakland will almost surely set the NFL records for penalties and yards in a season… and still beat the uninspired Chargers 20-17.

Denver will need to win to make the playoffs. As much as I would like to see Denver go 8-8 and either enter the playoffs at .500 or miss them totally, the notion of Denver going 9-7 and being allowed to host a 12-4 Steelers team is beyond crazy. I have to be happy if I am Pittsburgh right now. The crazy TT-Bible pushing fans aside, if there is one team you want to face in this year’s playoffs, it is the Broncos. Too bad Kansas City cannot muster any fight, effort or skill. All the Chiefs have is Denver’s former starting QB, but to be fair to Kyle Orton he has just as little to work with on offense in KC as he did at altitude. Denver will win 30-20 and take the division title in bizarre fashion.

Neither team will be good on tv, unless you are a fan of overhyped televised prayer. In that event, just watch the religious channel until 2 pm local time and then tune over to the ‘Touchdowns with Tim’ show. Over/under on completed passes by Tebow should be 9.

Both home teams are 3 point favorites – take the home teams, over on Denver, under on Oakland.

If you are the Colts and you actually have faith in Peyton and want to use him next year, they have inexplicably found a way to avoid the whole ‘do we draft Luck’ decision and hurt his feelings – don’t finish last.

If St. Louis finishes last, they won’t take Luck because they are invested into Bradford.
If the Vikings finish last, it is unlikely they would take Luck- they spent last year’s #1 on a QB.
The Colts don’t even need to take Luck. At this point I’d say just go with Manning and draft for any of your multiple varied needs. There will be fewer QBs to draft next year, but there will not be zero, see Barkely, Matt.

If they show loyalty to Peyton and he gets hurt again next season, no one will criticize their faith in a Hall of Fame player. It gives him a chance to take a graceful bowout (and insurance payout) to retire and then they are in the same boat as this season, but without the negativity.

If I finish first, I am doing everything I can to trade this pick for as much as I can if I have anyone on the roster who is already a decent QB.

The SNL mockery not included, here is what Tebow has done as a starter.

2 scores late to beat Miami, a team that fired their coach.
Blown out by Detroit by 5 TDs. Lions likely a playoff team.
Beat bad Raider team with a ton of rushing yards.
Beat bad Chiefs team with fewer completed passes than fingers on 1 hand – Chiefs have fired their coach.
Scored late to beat the Jets, a team actively trying not to make the playoffs.
Beat San Diego in OT, a team that will fire their coach if they don’t go 8-8 and win the division.
Lucked out with a final minute internception to beat the Vikings, a team with a rookie QB and no AP in the game.
Beat the Bears with 2 scores in final 2:08 because Marion Barber is a complete buffoon.
Blown out by Patriots who exposed Denver as a team incapable of covering any tight end checkdown.

Denver is a nice offense and a nice story – and they are very unlikely beat a playoff quality team.

Reportedly the Mountain West football teams will ask for an automatic BCS bid soon. Clearly they don’t deserve it, especially with Boise, TCU, Utah and anyone else of value vacating the premises faster than a narc in Sturgis. It could, however, be the precedent for the class action suit they might decide to file. If you force the MWC, C-USA and WAC and Sun Belt to participate in a system that by definition, even if somewhat fairly, bans then from sharing in the profits with no possible chance at the winnings, you are gonna get sued. No MWC school after this season will belong in a BCS game, but they deserve it just as much as the Big East has deserved it for the last decade. If you don’t have a playoff, you gotta let these teams at least think they have a chance to get in.