Playing The Spread 2K7, Week 10

Another midseason Playing The Spread tradition is to examine our playoff predictions from the start of the season and modify them accordingly. Without further ado, here we go:

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
East: New England Patriots
The surprise here is not that the Pats are winning the division but that they've done so in such a dominating fashion.

North: Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh should capture the NFC North easily, particularly with so-called rivals like the Ravens all too willing to lie down and hand over the division crown right now.

South: Indianapolis Colts
Again, it's no surprise that the Colts remain the clear favorite in the South. I wish we'd have seen the Peyton Manning sulky face more than we have, but what's important is that we see it January 20th in Foxboro.

West: San Diego Chargers
The West remains the most wide-open division in the AFC. While San Diego has the talent to capture a home game in the first round, the Chargers' propensity to mail in every third game may allow Kansas City to sneak in the back door.

Wild Cards: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
The overachieving Titans have quietly posted a 6-2 record and appear to have the inside track on a wild card spot. I'd give Cleveland the edge of Kansas City for the final berth

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
East: New York Giants
After a slow start, the G-men now have a very good shot at capturing this division. I do think the Cowboys will edge them out, but the Giants will nonetheless make waves as a wild card.

North: Chicago Bears
I predicted them to win the division and the conference, but there's a very strong chance the Bears will finish butt naked last in the North. After being written off for dead, Brett Favre will lead the Pack back to the playoffs and possibly capture a first-round bye in the process.

South: New Orleans Saints
Despite the fact that New Orleans though the season didn't begin until mid-October, they should be able to outlast the Bucs on the basis of talent alone.

West: Seattle Seahawks
Who will win the NFC West? More importantly, will they finish better than 8-8? It won't be the Rams and it won't be the Niners, so it will come down to whoever sucks less between the Seahawks and the Cardinals. I can't foresee the Cardinals winning anything of importance, so Seattle gets the nod by default.

Wild Cards: Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have played one good game all season while the Panthers can't seem to find a healthy quarterback. The Giants are a lock for a wild card. As long as they don't suffer a massive late-season collapse (and you never know with that franchise), the Lions should wrap up

SUPERBOWL XLII: New England Patriots beat Chicago Bears (but does it really matter who the NFC puts up?)
It still doesn't matter who the NFC puts up, but I think the Dallas Cowboys can give the Pats a run for their money until about five minutes after halftime. But you might as well start warming up the duck boats now.

The following selections are for entertainment purposes only and should not be the basis for any actual cash wagers.

Last Week: 9-5
Season To Date: 65-57-8
Best Bets: 5-4
Eliminator: 7-2 (Streak: W 1)
The Monkey: 5-3-1

Steelers (-9.5) over Browns
I love the way the Browns have been playing lately, but after putting up 38 points in a driving rainstorm, the Steelers look unstoppable (at least until Big Ben suffers a season-ending injury after foolishly being left in the game during the late stages of a blowout). LOSS

Packers (-6) over Vikings
Missing a game to attend the funeral of the woman who raised you is completely unacceptable as far as the Vikings are concerned. Hiring strippers to perform oral sex on you on a booze cruise? Now that's another story. WIN

Redskins (-3) over Eagles
After both of his sons were sentenced to incarceration, a judge called Andy Reid's household a "drug emporium." Reid promptly received a phone call from the Cincinnati Bengals organization offering him the head coaching position. LOSS

Titans (-4) over Jaguars
Vince Young is underperforming, Pacman Jones wasn't reinstated, and the majority of the nation can't name any other player on the team, but the Titans are a quiet 6-2 and playing like they belong in the postseason. For some reason, I think that Jeff Fisher wouldn't want it any other way. LOSS

Falcons (+4) over Panthers
After losing three quarterbacks to injury this year, the Panthers should probably just throw in the towel and run the triple option for the rest of the season. WIN

Patriots over nobody
I don't care that they're on a bye week -- the Pats will still find a way for Tom Brady to throw three touchdowns en route to running up the score yet again.

Chiefs (-3) over Broncos
A 44-7 loss to any team is bad enough, but dropping a game to the previously hapless Detroit Lions means that your once-proud franchise is an embarrassment to its city and its fans. LOSS

Bills (-3) over Dolphins
For the first time all season, the Dolphins can finally play a game without coming off a loss the week before. TIE

Saints (-11.5) over Rams
See entry for Bills-Dolphins. LOSS

Ravens (-4) over Bengals
Chris Henry can finally return to his team now that his suspension is over. Cincinnati's drug dealers rejoice! LOSS

Raiders (+3.5) over Bears
Lane Kiffen showed some promise early on but with the Raiders' struggles as of late, he very well could be the next victim of Al Davis' notorious impatience. LOSS

Giants (+1) over Cowboys
If last Sunday featured the de facto AFC Championship, this game could very well be the de facto title game in the NFC. Let's hope we'll see a Manning brother on the losing end for the season straight week. LOSS

Lions (+1) over Cardinals
Jon Kitna appeared in Sports Illustrated this week wearing a hat with a cross on it to show off his faith. Funny, I never knew that going to a Halloween party wearing a costume that ridicules your own team's assistant coach for his indiscretions was a Christian thing to do. LOSS

Colts (-3.5) over Chargers
The Chargers are coming off a game where they gave up 296 yards to one player. Joseph Addai must be licking his chops. A WONDERFUL LOSS

Seahawks (-10) over 49ers
ESPN is begging the NFL for a mulligan on this Monday Night Football selection. You're better off watching the 57 minutes of filler that is the Dancing With The Stars results show, followed by an always-exciting episode of Heroes, then switching over to MTV for the guaranteed train wreck that is Heidi and Spencer on The Hills. WIN

BEST BET: Lions (+1) over Cardinals LOSS
ELIMINATOR: Green Bay Packers WIN

THE MONKEY: Raiders (+3.5) over Bears LOSS