Wild Card Weekend - Jets Bengals

Maybe the best weekend in the NFL season, okay unless your team is out of the playoffs. But let's face it, Fantasy Football is over, win or lose you don't care about what's going on in the game you're not watching (I know only one game is on at a time, but you get my point). Now it's very rare I root for a number #1 seed. If you do I call you a bandwagon fan (see Yankees/Red Sox fan). Why is it that when a team wins the championship of their respected sport, their 'fans' come out of the wood work? Not only that, but a bunch of "life long" fans only have the newest apparal that says "Super Bowl Champs" or "NBA Champs", etc. If there is ever a Titans shirt made that says "Super Bowl Champs", I'll also buy one, but it's going in the closet or in a frame or something. You just don't wear something like that, it's sacred. I don't care if you buy an extra one.

What was I talking about again? Oh yeah, this weekend. The real reason my anticipation level is so high is because there are games on Saturday. And if you are familiar with the NFL's playoff seeding, you get really annoyed with how they schedule these games, but annoyed in a good and intriguing way. Let's talk about the first match up, the Jets at the Cincinnati Bengals. The Jets don't deserve to be here. I can say that now, but I won't be able to say it after they beat the Bengals at Paul Brown stadium. Rex Ryan has transformed the New York defense to something we haven't seen since the Parcell's days. Although their rookie quarterback is not capable of putting the team on his back, they have the best running game in the NFL. They will go as far as their running game takes them. I believe Mark Sanchez is capable of a game winning drive, but if they get down early its over.

As for the Bengals, they have been impressive all year. A 6-0 division record does not sound as impressive as beating Pittsburgh twice in a year and not to mention the Baltimore Ravens twice as well. Somehow without T.J. Who's Your Momma, Carson Palmer has led drives when he's had to with the help of a clutch running game and a commendable comeback year by Chad Eightfive. I'll be rooting for the Bungles in this one, but they will have to separate themselves early.