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My thoughts about last weekend's divisional match-ups and a look ahead to championship weekend...

Some may laugh and it will certainly become a staple sound bite on talk radio for years to come, but T.O.'s tearful defense of Tony Romo really spoke volumes to me. This is a guy who once called Jeff Garcia, as best as I can tell, a duck and ruined Donovan McNabb's career (13-13 since his departure and a groin made of styrofoam). Not only has T.O. seemingly...temporarily...POSSIBLY matured, but he refused to throw Romo under the bus and, instead, stood up for the underachieving slinger. Can you imagine what he would say about Donovan or Jeff in this situation? Terrell might as well walk up to the podium with a gas canister in hand with all the bridges he'd burn. And instead, we see a loyal, emotional T.O. reminiscent of Rod Tidwell speaking volumes of "his teammate". Touching. For once, I side with Owens. For all the rotten things he's done in his career - all the driveway sit-ups, popcorn references, and excessive endzone celebrations - he finally gets it. Maybe.
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Wade Phillips post-season record? 0-4. Looks like that relaxed technique is really working out. At least Tony Sparano (not Soprano) and Jason Garrett are coming back...oh yeah...ouch.
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If, for some strange reason, the Pats weren't allowed to compete in the playoffs, I'm fairly certain Jack Del Rio's Jaguars would win the Super Bowl. They had all the tools, an energetic physical D, a great running game, a smart quarterback, and a no non-sense head coach. Perhaps in another dimension, Jackie-boy.
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Brett Favre coming back from a 14-0 deficit and scoring 42 points with the sky falling at Lambeau Field ranks among one of the best quarterback performances of the decade. The man's 38 years old going on 28. Amazing to think that people were clamoring for his retirement for the last 4 seasons, this guy could go into his mid-40's at this rate and if you doubt that, check his iron-man streak. We're not just watching a legend at work, we're watching a freak of nature.
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With Mike Holmgren and Tony Dungy talking retirement, it seems like a very real possibility that two of the more familiar faces among the NFL coaching ranks in my lifetime are headed for the golf course. I remember being a Packers fan in the mid-90's under Holmgren's watch and the tremendous work he did with that team. Unfortunately, I also remember his awful clock management in Super Bowl XL. He's been around the league for about as long as I've been alive, so it will be weird to see him gone. Tony Dungy has always been a gentleman and a scholar. He took getting punted from Tampa Bay with the greatest of professionalism and his Super Bowl win in Indy was a true win for football as a sport. You'd be hard pressed to find a guy as well-liked and well-respected as Dungy. Two tremendous coaches and four giant shoes to fill.
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You can bet the Chargers haven't forgot the Patriots "classless" celebration at Qualcomm last year. But you can also bet that the Pats haven't forgot LT's earlier wise cracks about cheating. What do I look for this Sunday. Physicality, speed, and neither team giving a single inch. LT was hurt in last week's match-up, but as long as his leg is attached, he'll be on that field trying to excercise his past Patriots demons. Whether it's Billy Volek or Phil Rivers really doesn't matter, their job will be to limit mistakes, pray to God that Antonio Gates is good to play, and stick that ball in between LT's fifth and sixth rib snuck and secure.

My prediction? I still maintain that the Chargers would have lost to a healthy Titans squad (they still almost lost as it was) and they gave up an NFL record 296 rushing yards to a rookie playing in his 8th NFL game. The Patriots destroyed the Chargers back in week 2 (trust me, I was there) and I see no reason why it won't happen again. San Diego may have taken down a Colts team that apparently had no desire to repeat as champs, but disinterest won't be an issue on either sideline this week. Pats win, 31-24.
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Raise your hand if you thought Eli Manning would be playing in the NFC Championship game. Yeah, exactly. I've trashed Eli all year long, calling him a 12 year old and hoping that Tom Coughlin would get the axe so that Eli would be next on the old chopping block, but, this just in, the kid can play! The kid who once put up a stink about playing in sunny San Diego, under the radar, with LT in his backfield, and under the direction of offensive wizards Cam Cameron and Marty Schottenheimer (oops, oops, oops, and oops) to play under the spotlight in New York where he'd receive every millimeter of blame the adoring public could possibly dish out. The Giants, under the watch of a coach brought back from the dead and a 12 year old, have overcome several big injuries to get where they are now and I give them a ton of credit for knocking off an extremely talented Cowboys team.

Unfortunately, the fun stops here. Favre's been a pro since Eli was 10 years old watching Power Rangers (it's ok Eli, I did too). Favre and the Pack's loaded D takes down the Giants 17-14.
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So that leaves a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI where the late Reggie White terrorized the statue wearing a #11 Pats jersey, Desmond Howard put the nail in the coffin with a 99 yard kickoff in the Pats less-than-glorious Tuna days. We'll see if this scenario shakes down, but if it does, here's to a throwback for the ages!