NFL Round-up: Week 13...

Who rocked?
Sam Bradford is surely a lock for rookie of the year. The Rams can definitely win this division if they keep pace with the Seahawks until the end of the season and avoid a 49 fight back. Beating Arizona all but buries the Cards, barring a miraculous collapse by the rest of these shockingly bad NFC West units. Division champs with 8-8 or below? I think .500 will be enough for the title!

The Falcons continued their romp towards top seed in the AFC by beating the refreshingly surprising Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Raheem Morris has done wonders with young QB Josh Freeman (who I had the pleasure of watching in the NFL London game 2009). The Bucs were not expected to fetch a winning record this year – let alone make the playoffs. It’s still a possibility for this young, promising team, but this will not be their year. This is Matt Ryan’s chance to take the Lombardi Trophy back to Georgia for the first time ever and I don’t think he’s going to give up on it easily.


Whose chances were knocked?
The Colts are locked in a tough scrap with Jacksonville for the AFC South. AT this rate, the Jaguars might be able to sew-up the division in a fortnight when the two teams meet. A win for the Jags over the Colts, gives them a postseason berth at the likely expense of Indianapolis who have featured in the postseason the last nine years straight. Is this the year that Payton and his Blue Meanies slip-up in the regular season? Losing to maligned Dallas does NOT look like a sign this team can last the distance.

After beating New England early in the season by a solid 14 points, the New York Jets moved into the driving seat for the AFC East. Week 13, however, was unlucky as hell for them. The Patriots came out firing – looking very much like the Brady Bunch of ’07 that went 18-0 before slipping to the Giants in the Superbowl.

The Jets looked incapable of threatening New England down the stretch after a 45-3 humiliating this week. If things play out as expected, New England will clinch first or second seed, while the Jets look likely to slide to fifth or sixth. This means that there may yet be a rematch of these two division rivals. I’ll be betting on Brady to atone for ’07 any day. 5 Rings before retirement? I think that has to be the goal…



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