Who Are We Going to Play???

With the Bucs clinching the division last Sunday with a convincing win against the Falcons, the focus (for me) now shifts to whom we might play as the NFC begins to shape itself out.

The number one and two seeds are wrapped up with Dallas and Green Bay. The Packers have to finish a game up on the Cowboys due to the Cowboys midseason win over Green Bay.

Dallas has remaining away games against Carolina this week, and Washington next week. Both seem like winnable games, especially considering that Dallas is 6-0 on the road currently, and the prospect of having to face the Pack in Lambeau in an NFC Championship is not appealing.

Green Bay has remaining games against Chicago (on the road) and Detroit (at home). Both of those teams are playing pitiful right now, so we will chalk up wins to both.

That will leave Dallas as the 1 seed, and Green Bay at 2.

Seattle has a leg up on us for the 3 seed due to their week 1 victory against us in Seattle. They play the Ravens and the Falcons, two easy games in my opinion. The Ravens have to be demoralized after last weeks debacle, and Atlanta’s whole season is a debacle. That will set up the 3 and 4 seeds as the Seahawks and the Bucs respectively.

4 teams remain in the Wild Card Hunt

New York Giants 9-5 (remaining games: @Buffalo, vs NewEngland) – finish 10-6

• Minnesota Vikings 8-6 (remaining games: vs Washington, @Denver) – finish 10-6

• Washington Redskins 7-7 (remaining games: @Minnesota, vs Dallas) – finish 7-9

• New Orleans Saints 7-7 (remaining games: vs Philadelphia, @ Chicago) – finish 9-7

Due to the Vikings week 12 ass kicking of the Giants, they will hold the tie breaker, and move to the 5th seed. Unfortunately for the Bucs, that will set the playoffs having us play the Vikings and the Seahawks playing the Giants.

The Vikes are the last team that I want to see in the first round, especially if they do end up 10-6 because they will have won 7 in a row to get to that point. They are 1st in the league in rushing (170 yards p/game), and 1st in the league in rush defense (allowing 70 yards p/game). That doesn’t set up well for the Bucs, because the Vikes will take away our dominance on pass defense, because in all honesty, they can not throw the ball anyway. They are the third worst passing team offensively in the game, and dead last in the NFL in pass defense. The Bucs will have a chance to move the ball against the Vikes, but moving the ball on the ground, will be next to impossible. At this point, I must say I’m rooting for a Washington or Denver victory in the last two weeks vs the Vikes to derail them. If the Giants lose next week to the Bills though, the week 17 game should have no bearing because the Pats will be playing for 16-0 and the Giants will have no chance.