NFL: ‘Fighting Irish’ Week 17 Preview & Results – 2nd January 2011

The last round of games in the regular season is here and the superbowl picture together with the playoff scenarios are still far from clear. No doubt the cream has eventually risen to the top but it has certainly taken it’s time getting there. New England and Pittsburgh have finsished top of their respective divisions and both enjoy first round byes and the Patriots home field advantage to add to the view that this is looking increasingly like their year. Elswhere the Colts and Peyton Manning are being pushed all the way by the Jaguars and they need a win to make sure that they will be playing some late January football. In the AFC South it is a toss up between the Falcons and the Saints to see who gets home filed advantage and the Eagles are lurking in the playoff grass looking very dangerous with the likes of Michael Vick and Desean Jackson pulling the strings for them.

The first game this week is the rejuvinated defending Superbowl champions New Orleans hosting the Bucaneers in the dome. The Saints gave bitter division rivals The Falcons a pasting at home last week inflicting a rare defeat on the Falcons and QB Matt Ryan at home. They can still clinch home field advantage from the Falcons with a win and a Falcons loss so I expect the Champs to keep progressing now they have gamebreakers Like Bush and Thomas back to ease the burden on Drew Brees.

In the next game the preseason superbowl favourites Green Bay take on the Bears at Lambeau Field. The Pack have recovered well from an injury ravaged season and scored a fantastic win over rivals New York Giants in their last game. The now have their destiny in their own hands and I fancy them to win out againt Chicago who can secure their own bonus of home field advantage in the playoffs with a win. The significance of this should not be overlooked as they are a far more formidable team in Chicago than on the road. Nonetheless if Rogers has shaken off the serious concussion that has forced him to remain on the sidelines for the last 2 weeks then I think they will have too much for Chicago and expose their weakness on the road. Just dont kick it to Devon Hestor on the restarts and they should be ok.

The late game of Channel 4 is easily the most anticipated tie of the week with the most to up for grabs. Two surprise teams battle it out for a place in the Post Season as rookie QB and college star Sam Bradform leads his Rams on the road to Seattle to take on Matt Hasselback and the Seahawks.There is a doubt over whether Hasselbck will be fit in ti................................................................... Rest of the post on
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