Week 15 AFC Playoff Picture

1. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (12-2)

WON vs. Kansas City 20-9
Rushing Yards For/Against 265/90
Passing Yards 88/151
Sacks 6/2
Turnovers 2/2
QB- Rivers 8-23-97 0/2; RB-Tomlinson 25-199 2 TD; Rec- V. Jackson 3-66

Nobody, and I mean nobody loves to bash Rex Grossman more than I. However, Pro Bowler Philip Rivers posted a 12.4 rating in this game. So if you say that the Bears can't win the Super Bowl because you never know when their quarterback is going to suck to high heaven, then you have to say the same thing about the Chargers now too.

That doesn't change though that the Chargers are still far and away the best team in the NFL right now. The only thing keeping them from being a slam-dunk pick to win it all is the fact that their coach has never been to a Super Bowl as a head coach despite having like 37 opportunities to have done so.

UP NEXT
AT SEATTLE 8-6 (1-2 LAST 3); SD -4 1/2

RUSHING- SD O 3RD IN NFL VS. SEA D 22ND
SEA O 16TH VS. SD D 3RD

PASSING- SD O 17TH VS. SEA D 16TH
SEA O 20TH VS. SD D 11TH



2. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (11-3)
WON vs. Cincinnati 34-16
Rushing Yards For/Against 112/133
Passing Yards 282/145
Sacks 4/1
Turnovers 1/1
QB- Manning 29-36-282 4/0; RB-Rhodes 19-52; Rec- Harrison 8-86 3 TD

If you had Peyton Manning on your fantasy team, chances are you were already out of the playoffs for this one thanks to his abomination last week in Jacksonville. Chances are you watched this game and could not stop dropping f bombs as you watched Manning, who has been putting up Brad Johnson numbers for the last month or so, suddenly unable to stop throwing touchdown passes.

As for the Colts, they really, really needed this game. Dwight Freeney was possessed, with 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. As Disco Stu once said, if these trends continue....ayyyyyyy. Actually though, now that I think about it, this game was set up perfectly for the Colts to win. The only teams they have a chance to beat are passing teams (Indy is 2nd versus the pass, 32nd versus the run). That works out great against a team like the Bengals, and might even work against, say, the Patriots in the playffs. Against LT and the Chargers, that no worky.

UP NEXT
AT HOUSTON 4-10 (1-2 LAST 3); IND -9

RUSHING- IND O 17TH IN NFL VS. HOU D 20TH
HOU O 24TH VS. IND D 32ND

PASSING- IND O 2ND VS. HOU D 24TH
HOU O 24TH VS. IND D 2ND







3. BALTIMORE RAVENS (11-3)
WON vs. Cleveland 27-17
Rushing Yards For/Against 142/68
Passing Yards 231/168
Sacks 6/1
Turnovers 2/3
QB- Boller 13-21-238 2/1; RB-Lewis 22-109 1 TD; Rec- Williams 3-100

Just like Christmas, the Steve McNair Injury can be counted on to come once a year. McNair injured his hand on the team's first series of this game, and the lamentable Kyle Boller came on in relief to game manage the Ravens to a home win over Cleveland. That's all well and good, but once the playoffs start their won't be any more home games against the Browns.

The Ravens have to pick up a game on the Colts in order to get a first round bye, because the Colts hold the common-opponent tiebreaker over them. In order to do that they will have to win their final two games, and they won't do that with Boller under center. This week's game at red-hot Pittsburgh is anything but a gimme, the Ravens are currently 3 point underdogs with the assumption that McNair will play. If he doesn't, it'll be at least twice that.

UP NEXT
AT PITTSBURGH 7-7 (3-0 LAST 3); BAL +3

RUSHING- BAL O 23RD IN NFL VS. PIT D 5TH
PIT O 12TH VS. BAL D 2ND

PASSING- BAL O 12TH VS. PIT D 15TH
PIT O 8TH VS. BAL D 6TH



4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-4)
WON vs. Houston 40-7
Rushing Yards For/Against 105/105
Passing Yards 125/93
Sacks 4/1
Turnovers 4/0
QB- Brady 16-23-109 2/0; RB-Dillon 10-61; Rec- Faulk 2-46 1 TD

Screw Santa Claus, if I'm a Super Bowl hopeful hoping to rebound from a pair of dreadful performances, I want David Carr to come to town. His 4 interceptions were more responsible than anything for the Pats 40-7 whoopin of the Texans.

In fact, if I have to pick one quarterback who contributed most to this New England victory, it would be Carr, and not Tom Brady, who has now thrown for a combined 180 some yards in NE's last 2 games, which should answer the burning question of "Meeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh why didn't Tom Brady make the Pro Bowl!?!?!"

UP NEXT
AT JACKSONVILLE (8-6); NE +3

RUSHING- NE O 13TH IN NFL VS. JAX D 3RD
JAX O 2ND VS. NE D 4TH

PASSING- NE O 14TH VS. JAX D 7TH
JAX O 27TH VS. NE D 13TH


That's it for the AFC Division leaders. Tomorrow, I put on my gulashes and wade thru the wildcard cesspool.