by Frank Gordon

Here is what we know. The Patriots are scary. We can thank, or curse if you are the rest of the NFL, whoever decided to turn in Belichik and the boys for their video gaffe. You don’t poke a grizzly bear with a stick unless you are reaching out from a tank.

 We also know that Jon Kitna, nice guy that he is, should never go to Las Vegas. If he does he shouldn’t invite Jason Hanson. The Lions should have beaten the Cowboys when the normally reliable, or maybe we should say “formerly reliable”, Hanson missed what should have been an easy field goal for the Lions. Hey, Hanson is usually clutch, it’s a shame he didn’t cash in this one. Then the Cowboys band started to play “The Ballad of Tony Romo” and it was all over.

 The Colts seemed to have cemented their status as the team destined to lose in the AFC Championship game. While the Steelers, Chargers, Jaguars, and Browns have put themselves in position to cash a playoff check and avoid getting second jobs in the offseason. Though the Bills will have something to say about that next week against the Browns after eeking out a hard fought 38-17 nail-biter against those pesky Miami Dolphins.

 In the NFC, Dallas looks to build on their domination of the Lions, a game in which the Cowboys led for nearly eighteen seconds, to steamroll towards the playoffs. The Packers and Seahawks have clinched a playoff berth and the Buccaneers should by this time next week. The Giants, with media darling Eli Manning at the helm, have won two straight and should be ready to make a QB switch just when they clinch a wild card berth. Eli and the Giants, surprisingly more comfortable on the road than at home, host the Redskins in an always low-key NFC East clash next Sunday night.

 What we do not know, all sarcasm aside, will anyone be able to tame the Patriots. They play stout defense, they have the ability to score in a variety of ways, and they do not beat themselves. They are focused, hungry, and their head coach is as pissed off as any analogy I can come up with. Every player contributes, the QB is on fire, and they play each play like it is the most important play of their lives.

 We do not know if the Dolphins will win a game. We do know that if they are going to, their best chance may be against the suddenly soft Baltimore Ravens this week. Kyle Boller’s current audition for the part of NFL starting QB looks about like Brian Bosworth’s acting career. Hey, keep running him out there, eventually someone will want to see him. It may be time to dust off Troy Smith’s Heisman and see what he can do.

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