Do Chicago Bears have what it takes in NFC North?

Some of you may have just read my NFL season preview blog. If you haven't check it out, I'll wait. Ok, now we can begin. It's time to take a look at my Chicago Bears' NFL season and why I think they have a shot to be where I predicted them to go where I did in that post.

As the photo shows Brian Urlacher at the top of the post, his presence is paramount on success on the defensive side of the ball this season. He missed all of the preseason after having his knee scoped, but has practiced all week leading up to Sunday's season opener against the Colts and should be ready to go. As good as Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman are around him on defense, the unit is not nearly as good without him on the field, he is that type of player. And with the expectations surrounding this team from Bourbonnais to Lake Forest and Halas Hall, he will be the difference on a defensive unit that looks to continue its pace of ball hawking like it had last year (11 fumbles recovered, 20 interceptions). Throw in the fact the NFC North includes the likes of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers along with Matt Stafford and the Lions and a defense that can keep you in games against those high-octane attacks is vital.

As good as the defense has been over the years, last year showed the importance of an offense for this team. Matt Forte has gotten paid, but the two biggest playmakers on this offense will be Jay Cutler and his reuniting with Brandon Marshall. When theses two were together in Denver, they were special and could be a great duo again this season. The Bears do have weapons around the offense, starting with Forte. But Devin Hester on the outside on the other side of the field and put rookie Alshon Jeffery in the slot and defenses will have nightmares figuring out what to defend. Marshall has shown throughout the preseason he is the true No. 1 receiver the Bears had been lacking over the years. The thought of what he can bring to the field, with Cutler no less, can be special.

Speaking of Cutler, his absence started the tailspin. The Bears are 18-10 in his three seasons when he is the quarterback. The Bears have gone out and gotten him weapons in Marshall and Jefferey to go with Hester and the resigned Forte. The key is going to be keeping him upright. The offensive line has been a question mark for the last few seasons and is again this year, especially on Cutler's backside. It was a point of emphasis in training camp and the preseason and will be tested in Week 1 against the Colts. If Dwight Freeney is kept in check, it will be a positive sign going forward.

As for Forte, I wouldn't expect him to have as robust rushing numbers as he has had in the past, but his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield will add to the passing game. Plus, the addition of Michael Bush, while it makes the team better, may hurt Forte's numbers. Either way, I'm not worried. As long as he stays healthy and is around in December, this team should be in the hunt for a playoff spot.

All that together has expectations high at Halas Hall. And with the window closing on the stars of this defense, things have to happen now to get back to where this team was in 2005. They have the pieces, now they just need a couple breaks.

Time for my Week 1 picks. Don't forget to join the Wilber's Way Pick 'Em league to go against me!
Cowboys at Giants
Colts at Bears
Eagles at Browns
Rams at Lions
Patriots at Titans
Falcons at Chiefs
Jaguars at Vikings
Redskins at Saints
Bills at Jets
Dolphins at Texans
49ers at Packers
Seahawks at Cardinals
Panthers at Bucs
Steelers at Broncos
Bengals at Ravens
Chargers at Raiders

Previewing the Brewers vs. D-Backs NLDS

It's finally here! What us as Brewers fans figured would be on the horizon at the start of September is now upon us with the National League Divisional Series opening Saturday at Miller Park against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It's a series, to be honest that is not an easy one for the Brewers, but definitely not one that are an underdog in, either.

As the Brewers learned in 2008, having an offense may be important, but winning a playoff series comes down to pitching. Both teams have named their Game 1 starters with Yovani Gallardo (17-10, 3.52 ERA), the man who started Opening Day, going for the Brewers and Ian Kennedy, who won 21 games (with a 2.88 ERA) during the season for the Diamondbacks. That's basically both aces going for Brewers manager Ron Roenicke and D-Backs skipper Kirk Gibson.

Winning Game 1 is crucial for both teams as the winner of that game gets a great advantage in this best-of-five series. You'd have to expect both guys to go deep into the game and keep that one close with things coming down to defense and clutch hitting. That's what scares me about the Brewers. There have been times this season where they just shut down with runners in scoring position and times when their defense has been shotty, at best. But they are at home and they did win 57 games there during the regular season which makes me believe they will be ready to click on all cylinders to start the series off.

If both pitchers are on their game it may take just a couple mistakes to turn the game. That's why I think the Brewers might have the edge with their offense because they can do so much with those mistakes, blasting them over the fence at Miller Park. That isn't just going on potential. In recent weeks, especially over the last week which saw them go 5-1 to close the season at Miller Park, the Brewers have been bashing home runs.
With both teams having solid bullpens with closers on both sides having over 45 saves apiece, that's what it could come down to.

Looking beyond to Game 2, the Brewers have a decision to make with Zack Greinke, but I'd lean toward him starting in Game 3 with either Shaun Marcum or Randy Wolf getting the nod in Game 2. Arizona has named starters for Games 2 and 3 with Tim Hudson (16-12, 3.49 ERA) going in Game 2 and Joe Saunders (12-12, 3.69 ERA) getting the nod in Game 4.

As a Brewers fan, part of me thinks this series will probably go four games with the Diamondbacks taking Game 2 and the Brewers pulling it together to shut down the Diamondbacks and win their first playoff series since the 1982 American League Championship Series. If it does go to a Game 5, the Brewers would most certainly tab Gallardo to get the start at home in front of what should be a rocking Miller Park. Having home field is so important to this team, rolling him out there with the home field would be what puts the Brew Crew over the top.


In case you were wondering, yes I will be in attendance for both games from the perch in section 223, row 6. A big shout out to those who I'll be spending my weekend with including @RJO25, @jessgaler and @aehlen. For the latter two, that is their first Wilber's Way shout out. Hope to see you at the tailgate to prepare for this great weekend of games! Giddy up!



Usually I'd do my Bears and NFL weekend preview in this part, but I haven't had a Brewers post in a bit and couldn't not do one heading into the weekend. That said, I still have my NFL picks and an abbreviated Bears preview.

Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, Ron "Chico" Rivera and the Panthers come to Soldier Field this weekend in a game that, honestly has me a bit worried. The Bears have to be favorites in this one, but Newton has been a highlight film through the first three weeks of the season and could post a threat against a weak Bears secondary. I still like the Bears' front four and their ability to get after Cam in the pocket and make Newton pass the ball downfield and field them, but from what we've seen from him, he can chuck it around the field.
That turns the attention back to the Bears defense. Fortunately for Mike Martz, the Panthers defense is nowhere close to the Packers defense and should make him look a little better this week. The key is simple, PUT THE BALL IN MATT FORTE'S HANDS!
Score prediction: Bears 24, Panthers 20.

Here's the rest of the picks. Last week I had another 10-6 week to push my record for the season to 33-15. Winners, as always, are in bold.
Bills at Bengals
Panthers at Bears
Titans at Browns
Lions at Cowboys
Vikings at Chiefs
Redskins at Rams
Saints at Jaguars
49ers at Eagles
Steelers at Texans
Falcons at Seahawks
Giants at Cardinals
Broncos at Packers
Patriots at Raiders
Dolphins at Chargers
Jets at Ravens
Colts at Buccaneers

Bears success in Week 2 lies on Jay Cutler's shoulders

After making a statement that they should not be overlooked this season back in Week 1, the Bears go on the road this week to take on the New Orleans Saints.
All of the talk this week revolves around the noise in the SuperDome and the blitzes the Saints and defensive coordinator Greg Williams will send at Jay Cutler. That makes Cutler's game Sunday the most important of any other player on the field, or maybe a close second to the five guys on the offensive line in picking up those rushers and dealing with the noise.
It's an area, that could get rough considering the three sacks the Bears gave up last week without much blitzing from the Falcons. If the Saints are able to load up on one side and the linemen are a couple paces slow in getting off the ball because they can't hear the snap count, things could get dicey. I put things then on Jay's shoulders to make the quick reads and calls to get the ball out of there in time from the play calls of Mike Martz.
As I wrote Monday, Martz showed some signs of helping out his quarterback in Week 1 with short passes mixed with the down-the-field routes and Jay hit them, specifically the touchdown pass to Matt Forte and the long pass and run by Devin Hester that set up another touchdown. He'll have to adapt the same way this week. A change this year is his playcalling from the booth, which gives a different vantage point and focusing on the weapons this offense has next to Jay.
Martz seemed to do a decent job calling plays that featured each of those weapons in Matt (Pay the man!) Forte, Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Roy Williams. All four guys, and I could throw Matt Spaeth in the mix, too, had an impact last week. How often has a Bears fan been able to say that of four and maybe five receivers? The credit for that goes to both Martz and Cutler for getting them in position to make the right plays.
Will that pay off this week in New Orleans? With the blitzers coming from all angles, it will if Jay get's that extra second over the middle to get the ball out and let those receivers run after the catch. That's the one area the sending of blitzers from all angles allows. If Hester catches a ball in space and has a chance to turn on the jets, he can run away from anyone.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears got a great performance from their front four and saw Brian Urlacher have one of his better games in the last couple years. If the line can have a similar effort this week, they will be in a great spot to win.
It's no secret Drew Brees can pick a defense apart if he has time to survey the field and find an open receiver. If the Bears are able to get pressure on him with the likes of Julius Peppers, Harry Melton, Anthony Adams and Israel Idonoje they could have a good shot at winning.
The one question mark is what they do about the Saints' running backs of Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram. Ingram would be a more conventional back, but Sproles ripped apart the Packers defense at times and I'd be tempted to put a safety or a defensive back on him if he splits out wide. There really isn't another way to keep up with him. I'm not sure Lance Briggs can keep up with him and I know Nick Roach can't, which is why the DB option makes sense. The Bears will have to find a way to quiet that down, as you'd expect Sean Payton to exploit that matchup in some way.
The biggest thing that might propel this defense is having the heart and soul of it back in Urlacher who left to lay his mother to rest in Texas Wednesday, after she passed away Monday. You know he is going to play possessed and I expect the other 10 guys on the field to play for him. Knowing this unit, they are very close knit and have been together for a long time. I heard it in an interview with Lance Briggs today and he was feeling for Lac and it just seems like a week for this unit to have one of those games where they make the great plays. It is just meant to be.
The Pick: I see a few scores in this game and it will be a close one. But I'm confident the Bears line can continue to improve and, if they can get out front early in this game to take the crowd out of things a bit, can get the job done against the blitzes. On defense, I know Julius Peppers will have a great game, but would expect someone else to emerge on the line. Adams? Maybe.
That's why I see Bears 30, Saints 27 as the final score. It's that close and if the Bears can come away with this road win, they have to be taken very seriously heading into Week 3.

NFL Picks
Last week I went 10-6, which for the first week wasn't that bad. Once the landscape of the league gets laid out, it will get better. Let's jump right into Week 2. My picks are in bold, as always.
Raiders at Bills
Bears at Saints
Browns at Colts
Chiefs at Lions
Packers at Panthers
Ravens at Titans
Bucs at Vikings
Jaguars at Jets
Cardinals at Redskins
Seahawks at Steelers
Cowboys at 49ers
Bengals at Broncos
Texans at Dolphins
Chargers at Patriots
Eagles at Falcons
Rams at Giants

New faces set to push Bears; Plus Week 1 NFL picks

All week I've been building up to the start of the season. Yesterday I made my Super Bowl prediction, which was a bit outside of the box and Tuesday I took a stab at each division, setting the table for the playoffs. Now it's time to take a closer look at my favorite team, the Chicago Bears. They're on the flag at the top of the page if that comes as a surprise.

The offseason for the Bears was like every other team, jam packed into a month. General Manager Jerry Angelo made some moves to bring new faces into the fold at key positions and it has to be the biggest question mark heading into the campaign. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue, but given the (lack of) offseason teams had, it becomes more an issue.
The biggest names entering the fold are on offense in the form of Roy Williams at wide receiver, who I am not excited to have as the No. 1 receiver ahead of Johnny Knox. Apparently Knox isn't either and it only looks like a matter of time before Knox gets his spot back as the top guy. That might best suit the offense and quarterback Jay Cutler, who can use the weapons of Williams and another former Cowboy in Sam Herd to make an impact. If anything, the front office went out and got guys to push the guys in the receiving corps to step their games up, which they have.
Of course, the key to everything with this team is the offensive line. It is why Angelo and coach Lovie Smith decided to take former Wisconsin Badger Gabe Carimi with their first pick and put him at right tackle.
The biggest move in the offseason wasn't one that had the Bears adding players, but rather sending one away in the Greg Olsen trade to Carolina. It has to seem like offensive coordinator Mike Martz was allowed to call some shots with his offensive personnel. If they don't show signs early, expect coach Lovie Smith to step in like he did last season and get this team turned in the right direction.
One thing not being talked about is how strong Jay Cutler has looked in camp and in preseason. He's clearly slimmer and has made it clear football is his No. 1 focus after his wedding was broken off just before the end of the lockout. I'd say this could be a better season than last for Jay and one where he steps up and leads this team more so than ever before.
My reasoning for that thought is what some are considering a weakness for this team and that is the aging defense. Guys like Brian Urlacher and Charles Tillman continue to play at very high levels alongside Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers. They may have lost a step, but with the lockout, that may put them at an advantage, at least to start the season. Chris Harris remains at the top of his game from his safety position and the addition of Brandon Meriweather from New England could be one that pays dividends, as well. He's a guy that's made the Pro Bowl in two of the last four seasons and could be a factor immediately.
Am I worried about the distractions of Matt Forte trying to negotiate a contract and Lance Briggs asking for a trade? As Jerry Angelo told the media today at Halas Hall, no. Both know what is at stake as the season approaches and they are in prep mode for the season. So, if he's not worried, I'm not either.
What am I thinking about this team's finish? Well, the first three weeks are going to be tough with the Falcons at home, a trip to New Orleans and the Packers all on the docket. Things turn around after that with winnable games against the Panthers and Lions and Vikings. I'd be happy to get through that run at 4-3 and then get ready to make a run in the second half of the season.
Season prediction: As the season goes on, this offensive line will only get better. With the youth up front, that's an obvious point, but it will pay dividends after the Bye Week and a trip to London. The Packers seem too good to not win the division title, but don't count the Bears out of a Wild Card berth. I see them going 10-6 and getting the No. 5 seed.

Falcons at Bears Preview
I might as well get into the Week 1 matchup with the Falcons while I'm going strong here and it is definitely a tough one for the Bears and promises to be one of the better ones to kickoff the season.
Carimi has to be one of the main focuses in this one with the guys the Falcons have on the outside to rush the passer.
Those matchups will go a long way in determining if the Bears will be able to do anything on offense. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Cutler is going to rely on softening things up by looking to Matt Forte early and often and going with short routes that will allow him to start to look downfield. To me, the secondary is where you can beat the Falcons. The key is just having time to throw the ball down field.
As for the other side of the ball, the Bears defense in recent years has found way to keep Michael Turner in check and make Matt Ryan beat them. The only problem is that he has done just that. They were all close games and this one should follow that trend, too. I'm saying that guy at the top of the page is going to need to be a big factor and he will be.
Score: Bears 24, Falcons 21

And now to the NFL picks. Winners are in bold. I'll have the results in next week's picks post.
Saints at Packers
Falcons at Bears
Bills at Chiefs
Bengals at Browns
Lions at Bucs
Titans at Jaguars
Colts at Texans
Eagles at Rams
Steelers at Ravens
Vikings at Chargers
Giants at Redskins
Panthers at Cardinals
Seahawks at 49ers
Cowboys at Jets
Patriots at Dolphins
Raiders at Broncos

Wilber's Way NFL Preview edition is here!

The time has finally come! It's opening week of the NFL season, so I'm going to shift the blog a bit this week in that direction to get things kicked off. I'll introduce a couple staples along the way I'll try to have posted each week so you'll be sure to check in and see what I'm thinking on some things.
 In past year's I've broken down each division. This year, like last season, I'm thinking that is just too much work for something no one really reads. I, basically just want to go on record with my NFL picks so people can come back to them later in the season.
Well, here we go.

First, the NFC
North: This kind of spoils my Bears preview in a couple days, but I can't see the Packers losing the division this season.  As much of a Bears fan as I am I read a lot about the team I live two hours from and know what they're doing. Their only weakness is going to be that O-line again, just as it was last year. I didn't watch a second of preseason and know there were hiccups of epic proportions at times. Aaron Rodgers is too good to let it drag him down and that defense flies around the field and causes chaos unlike anything else in the league. They'll be a force and will be 12-4 this season. That will not be without a fight from my Bears, who I have earning a Wild Card spot this season. Sorry, one of my favorite publications has the Lions making the playoffs which I cannot disagree with more. I know you know football, but you have to walk before you can run. Donovan McNabb in Minnesota will have its ups and downs and that defense is awful. So my Bears find a way and make the dance.

East: Is anyone on the planet not picking the Eagles to win this division? Well, I'm right there, with them. All the publications are jumping on Michael Vick for MVP. I'm not there yet, as he was very pedestrian towards the end of last season (starting with the Bears game). But he'll be better this season with the big money in his back pocket and all of their weapons around him are just too good. Oh, and the moves they made with their defense have them in a very good spot too. Tight ends and running backs are going to be the only guys getting passes when you play that D. That's why I have them going 11-5 this season.

West: Last year the Seahawks made the playoffs with a 7-9 record and knocked off the defending champs in the Wild Card round. Sam Bradford will continue to be the savior in St. Louis and the Rams will win this division as he makes huge strides toward being one of the premiere passers in this league as I see them going 9-7 this season. Not great, but a step in the right direction for a team that continues to get better on both sides of the ball. 

South: This might be the best division in the NFC and even the league this season and could come down to a three-horse race. But really, it's a two-team race with New Orleans and Atlanta holding the key to the division title. The Saints defense was gashed last season at times and hasn't gotten any better. In fact, they've probably gotten worse, despite what you read in SI saying otherwise, I disagree. On offense, yes Drew Brees is a beast, but naming Olin Kruetz as a key offensive line acquistion shows it wasn't that great of a free agent periord. He's a great leader, but was slightly above average, at best over the last couple seasons. I don't see their line and running game being that much of a consistent factor this season, opening the door for the Falcons to repeat as division champs. That playoff loss last season opened their eyes and they will be focused. For the Bucs, they have a shot at helping the South sweep the Wild Card spots in the playoffs if they can continue to build on last season. I really like their quarterback Josh Freeman. Speaking of QBs, it's going to be a rough year again in Carolina for Cam Newton. It was a rough rookie year for Peyton Manning, too, so don't read too much into it. I'm not sold on him being great, but I'm not sold on him being awful, either. We'll have to see.

Wild Cards: Bears (10-6)- They key will be how will Roy Williams steps up, or allows Johnny Knox to take over the No. 1 receiver position. That, of course, means the offensive line has to give Jay enough time to throw the ball. I'll have more on them tomorrow, so I won't get too deep into it now.
Saints (10-6)- Drew Brees is too good to let this team miss the playoffs. This year will be all about the shootouts if they want to string wins together.

Playoff teams and seeds
1. Packers (12-4)
2. Eagles (11-5)
3. Falcons (10-6)
4. Rams (9-7)
5. Bears (10-6)
6. Saints (10-6)

 AFC
North: This division comes down to the Steelers or the Ravens. Which will it be? The Steelers just seem to get it done in those big games and it's all because of Ben Roethlisberger. I like Joe Flacco, but Big Ben is just on a diffeent level that performs in those big games. He gets it done in those games and the Steelers are winning this division. The Bengals and Browns? Well, the stripes in Cinncy won't be a factor and the Browns will show flashes, but can't compete with Steel City or B-More. Give me the Steelers winning this division with an 11-5 mark and the Ravens close behind in a Wild Card spot.

South: When was the last time the Colts weren't a lock to win this divison? It's been forever. Peyton Manning's neck and lack of arm strength have everyone, including me question who will win the division this season. I worked it by process of elimination. The Jaguars just cut David Garrard and are going with a rookie this season under center. Something tells me Jack Del Rio won't be around after this season. Too many headaches, sorry Jags fans, the blackouts will be the beginnings of your worries. In Tennessee there's a coach not named Jeff Fischer on the sidelines and that doesn't sit well with me. Plus, Matt Hasselback is in town with a rookie itching to get in the game. Things go south, and they will, look for this thing to go even more out of control. That leaves Houston. They have a premiere wide receiver in Andre Johnson, what could be a top-tier running back in Arian Foster and a QB in Matt Schaub that could make this offense very dangerous. The question mark lies on defense where Wade Phillips has made Mario Williams an outside linebacker in installing his 3-4 defense. Not a big deal, but you have to expect some hiccups along the way. This all comes down to how long Peyton is out for and how well he plays, but I might be on board with everyone else in thinking if Houston is finally going to make the playoffs and have its first winning season in franchise history, this is the year.

East: Another year and another Patriots division title? Yep. And this year could be another one of those great years for the Pats, who welcome Chad Ochocinco into the fold and will have him determined the way Randy Moss was when he first got to Boston. Look for that defense to get a little better this year, too, and be a force that will have Bill Bellichek's boys 11-5 this season. The Jets will be right in the mix, as well, but after missing out on getting a shutdown corner to compliment Darelle Revis on the other side, this secondary might be a little soft (not awful, just with a hole or two) that good quarterbacks will find ways to exploit. The Bills will make vast improvements this season and the Dolphins will be solid, too, but I don't see them being on the level of the Jets and Pats.

West: The Chargers had the No. 1 offense and No. 1 defense last season and missed the playoffs because their special teams were absolutely horrendous at times. That won't happen again, even with Norv Turner leading the way, as this team will go 13-3. I know Philip Rivers is getting a lot of MVP talks and he deserves it with the year he had last year with his best receiver a no-show until November. Their closest run should come from the Broncos and Kyle Orton. I just like John Fox and his style and think he'll have this team in a position to win. Why no Chiefs in the hunt? Their starters lost to the Packers backups in the preseason finale. They've looked absolutely awful in preseason and will take a couple steps back this year. Just hand the ball off to Thomas Jones

Wild Cards: Ravens (10-6) This team is solid, but comes up short in the regular season against the Steelers. That's the difference between the division champs.
Jets (10-6) There is little to not like about this team, but when you reside in the same division as the Patriots, you earn Wild Card spots every year. Rex Ryan can hate me now and yell at me.

 Playoff teams and seeds
1.Chargers (13-3)
2. Patriots (12-4)
3. Steelers (11-5)
4. Texans (10-6)
5. Ravens (10-6)
6. Jets (10-6)

NOTE:
The main one during the NFL season will be my picks. I am in a few Pick 'em groups on the Interwebs and will post my picks each week (straight up) for EVERY game. Over the last couple of years I've posted about a 70 percent success rate. I plan on having that up on Wednesday or Thursday's throughout the year. Be sure to check out my Twitter or Facebook for updates to be sure when I'll have them posted.
Here's the schedule of what's to come this week:

Wednesday: Today was my NFL preview for the regular season. I'm going to make you come back and check out my Playoff preview tomorrow to see who I have winning the Super Bowl. Yeah, I'm cruel, but like the hits. You'll be back! Plus, I feel the need to pop off on why Peter King, one of my fave NFL writers is off base with his picks in the latest NFL preview issue.

Thursday: My full Chicago Bears Preview - I can't get enough of Jay Cutler or Brian Urlacher. I've got some things I'm ready to pop off on. Plus, I have to get my NFL picks in for the Kickoff game. People in Wisconsin are pumped for this game, I guess.

The Cutler trade is reason Bears are in NFC title game

It was early April of 2009 and baseball was on my mind when I got a text and a congratulatory phone call from a close friend that the Bears had finally gotten a franchise quarterback. I did not expect it at all, but the move set the landscape for the Bears going forward and it has paid off in just two seasons.
Yes, last year was a bit rocky for the Bears and Cutler and in a story today on ESPNChicago.com, the case is made that the Cutler trade and its after effects that led to a couple things in the offseason that made this Bears team what it is today.
First off, Jerry Angelo gets some credit for not standing pat and rolling into the 2009 season with Kyle Orton as his quarterback. He wanted a guy who could win him some games and not just play not to lose it. That led him in a search for a franchise quarterback. Yes, last year was not Cutler's best. Hell, it was one of his worst. But things like that are what you learn from and amidst a change with Mike Martz coming to town, Cutler has played within himself this year (and he'll need to Sunday, too). He showed last week why they got him by making some of the throws he made. Namely the one to Greg Olsen to open the game.
Now with Cutler coming to town and two first round picks going out of town, the Bears did not have a first-round pick. That opened up some cash and led them down a path to go out and bring in the mother of all free agents in Julius Peppers. The two are tied to one another now and it is the result of the Cutler trade that allowed the Bears to make such a move prior to this season.
Of course, the return of Brian Urlacher from an injury which forced him to miss all but 15 minutes of last season. That brought No. 54 into this season rested and ready - he only hurt his wrist - and made him hungry to get back on the field this season.
Of course, things had to change somewhat during the bye week this season for Cutler to completely bring the offense together, but it did. Is it a matter of him being better, or just playing better this season? To be honest, I think it is him just playing better. There was nothing I saw that made me say he couldn't be the guy the Bears traded for last season. He just had to limit the turnovers.
Of course the argument is there for whether Orton would have the Bears in this spot. My answer is simple. Cutler gives them a much better chance of winning than Orton did and that is why the Bears went and got him when the opportunity was there.


As promised, now is the time to turn things over to you the readers in a mailbag edition of Wilber's Way. I'm impressed with the turnout and am hopeful we can get more like this in the future.

 Jeremy Lubus, Packers fan

"Two of the three players to keep an eye on if your a Bears' fan this Sunday went undrafted, and the other was taken in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. Cornerback Tramon Williams and running back John Kuhn went undrafted in 2006 and 2005 respectively. Williams has been placed in the spotlight recently with his strong play and will be asked to lock down Johnny Knox who was shutout in their last meeting. Kuhn should not scare you on the ground but I expect him to be used more like he was when the Packers lost at New England. Kuhn had three catches for 27 yards and a score, two of the three resulted in first downs not to mention they were not check down passes. He is a north-south runner which will help given the surface at Solider Field.

The last guy that will make the difference is Donald Driver. Driver, a former seventh round pick who many thought was on the decline, has been extremely reliable in the playoffs. Driver has 11 catches for 127 yards in his last two games. More importantly an average of 10 plus yards per catch. Don't forget his costly fumble in their Week 17 meeting which should fire him up even more.

Prediction: I love the Packers but the field will slow down the receivers greatly. Much was made about Rodgers' escapabitly but he will be facing a much more talented front four that can get him down. Robbie Gold is head over heels better than Mason Crosby which will be the difference.

Bears 27 Packers 24"

-Jeremy Lubus is the Sports Editor for the UW-Milwaukee Post Newspaper and Journal Sentinel contributor.

Alex Tomter, Packers fan

"Aaron Rodgers vs. the Tampa Two – Since Jermichael Finley’s injury, Aaron Rodgers has looked confused at times against the cover 2, resorting to unnecessary scrambling, or holding on to the ball too long and taking sacks. Rodgers will have to stay patient and within the offense as he did in week 3 against the Bears as opposed to his efforts in week 17.

Take Advantage of turnover opportunities – When Jay Cutler gives the Packers a chance for an interception, they must take it.

Bears Keys

Front Four Must Create Pressure – Rodgers has proven himself deadly against blitzes, so the Bears front four will have to create pressure to throw Rodgers off his rhythm. Julius Peppers will obviously be the key to this attack.

Ride Matt Forte – Getting Forte 25-30 touches could be the most important key to the game for either side. An effective Forte will open things up for Greg Olsen and allow him to have a second straight huge day.

Final- Packers 23 Bears 1"

Matt Goins, Bears fan

"It's easy to look at this game on paper and think you know exactly what a team needs to do to win a game.
For the Bears, they need to be opportunistic with their blitz calls, and they need the front four - not just Julius Peppers - to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers and try to force him to make mistakes. They can't afford to be constantly sending five and six defenders to the quarterback and not getting there - Rodgers has shown his mobility can give his receivers time to get open for him.
For the Packers - get to Jay Cutler, early and often. In my mind, it's that simple. Cutler has shown me nothing to give me confidence that he is a great quarterback under pressure. He gift-wrapped at least two interceptions to the Seahawks that were dropped. He's going to make mistakes, and the more pressure that Green Bay gets on him, the more likely he is to make those mistakes.
Of course, this could be a 40-37 shootout too.
Prediction: As much of a Bears fan as I am, I'm going 23-14 Packers with the victory"

R.J. Osterhaus, Packers fan (and President of the 223)

"I foresee a relatively low-scoring affair coming Sunday. Late in the 4th quarter the Packers will find themselves up 17-14. One of the Bears TD's will be of the special teams variety, the other a passing play in which a defender loses his footing on the shoddy Soldier Field turf. The Packers will get their scoring on a field goal, a passing TD and a pick six. The Bears will find themselves driving for victory in the games closing moments, when a pass down the right sideline results in...nah, I'm not going to spoil it! But I can't wait to see it! :)"

Prediction: ?!?! (He didn't want to spoil it!)

Mitch Maersch, Bears fan

"Bears need to run a balanced offense. Don't give up on the run too early. Also, Cutler can't just toss up jump balls. This game counts, unlike the last one. Double team Matthews every down.

They must shut down the Packers' running game and make them one-dimensional. Cover Jennings since he broke free the last game.

Hester has to make plays on special teams, either give good field position or score.

Also, take the attenas from the Sears Tower and clunk Rodgers over the head with them, preferably before kickoff.

Packers must kick away from Hester and force Cutler into a key turnover or two, while not committing any. They also must have a balanced offense to slow down the pass rush

Prediction: Bears 27, Packers 24 (wishful thinking)

Vaughan Gartrelle, Giants fan

"Packers offense has a great first quarter taking off to a 14 - 3 lead. Second quarter and the rest of the game controlled by the bears defense taking a 17 -14 lead into the half. Bears come out firing on all cylinders in the second half getting to Rodgers very often.

Prediction: Bears win 35-21"

What do you think? Be sure to comment below!

**Check out tomorrow when I break down the five keys for the Bears to win and Packers fan Josh Golberg will break down the keys for the Packers.**

Alrighty boys and girls, it is now time for the Nussie Hunter portion of today broadcast and if you follow me on Twitter and FB you saw me mention Grace Potter of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals who performed on Jay Leno last night. I was enthralled by her and had to put her on the blog today. She's all legs, and has amazing pipes. Take a look at these pics with this preview.

What a difference a year makes for Lovie Smith

A year ago this week Chicago Bears President Ted Phillips, General Manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith pleaded with fans to accept their explanation for what had gone wrong as the Bears missed the playoffs for the third straight year. Lovie stayed on as coach, but had to give up his defensive coordinator post, handing it over to Rod Marinelli, and Mike Martz was brought on to run the offense. In fact, I was even one of those questioning whether it was right to let Lovie go. And I had been one of the biggest Lovie backers, so that is saying something.
The results this season could not have shown any better the Bears brain trust made the right decision in keeping Lovie on board as coach as the Bears went 11-5 when the "experts" did not see them doing much of anything. Lovie has always had one thing with this Bears team and that is loyalty. There have been zero players speak out against him or show any signs of the players not buying into what he has to dole out. The biggest sell to that end might be from the biggest name on the team, Brian Urlacher. It has become quite known that Urlacher absolutely hates this defense, but he is loyal and it has been shown to be successful so Urlacher buys in and performs at a high level.
Now with Urlacher back in the fold and a division title in hand, Angelo has gone as far as to call this team, the "best football team that we've had" referring to the teams he and Smith have built together, including the one that went to the Super Bowl after the 2006 season.
And amidst Jim Harbaugh getting offered Oprah money to coach in the NFL without ever coaching a game at this level, Lovie, who has one year left on his current contract, stands to cash in. The idea David Haugh at the Chicago Tribune gets by reading between the lines from Angelo is that Smith will cashing in depends on the Bears winning at least one game in these playoffs.
I'm down with that. He's shown the ability to work with what he has and coach them up to get a performance greater than the sum of the parts. And again, even when times got tough over the three seasons, everyone stood behind Lovie and that has to speak for what the locker room thought of him. I'd say he deserves everything he gets.


Speaking of playoffs, the Bears have been given a three-day weekend with the first-round bye meaning Wild Card Weekend has arrived. I told you the other day I would be back to break down the games and make some picks. So here we go.
Let's go in order. We'll start with Saturday's games.
Saints (11-5) @ Seahawks (7-9): A home team is an 11-point dog at home in the playoffs? That's what happens when you're the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record. Count the 'Hawks out? Not so fast. Now, they'll get Matt Hasselback back under center which should help, but they'll need EVERY break to go their way on defense in forcing a couple of turnovers to be in this one.
That's why I'm taking Saints.
Jets (11-5) at Colts (10-6): Will someone please shut Rex Ryan up? Yes, you, wearing the No. 18 blue jersey. Peyton Manning! Please, end this loser's face time and send the Jets packing. Maybe I'm not being totally fair here, but I hate how Ryan gets in front of a mic and takes all the attention off the players and onto him. I know that's his ploy, but all those ESPN losers don't even talk about the game. Know this, Manning is 6-1 in games he starts against a Ryan team. The one he lost, last year when he was pulled in the final game of the season.
So give me the Colts and ALL the points. It is personal. Shut this clown up Peyton!
Ravens (12-4) at Chiefs (10-6): We're on to Sunday's games and prior to Matt Cassel getting his face pounded in by the Raiders in Week 17, I'd have picked the Chiefs without hesitation, has they had yet to lose a game at Arrowhead this season. Had they not tried, that would be one thing, but Cassel kept getting sent out there and he threw a pair of INTs. Well, bring the Ravens ball-hawking defense to town and things get a little dicier. The Chiefs are good, don't get me wrong, and they are going to need a lot of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones (TJ!) to take the pressure off Cassel and I don't think they'll do it.
This will be a close one, but I'm taking the Ravens to go into KC and get the win.
Packers (10-6) at Eagles (10-6): The Packers are 3-5 on the road and the Eagles are 4-4 at home. I don't put much weight in the Week 1 game between the teams as Michael Vick didn't start and it was so long ago that many of the faces on both sides of the ball have changed. So you have to look at what the teams have done lately and how they're trending. Aaron Rodgers played OK in the Bears game, not great, but Vick is a game changer. The difference in the game is not letting him get time to throw. The talk has been not letting him run, well, he hasn't been running that much of late, relying more on his arm and the accuracy he's gained this season. The Packers must get pressure on him in the pocket. I'm talking quick pressure to not let him get the ball to DeShaun Jackson if they want to have a shot in this one.
I'm saying they do and the Eagles defense won't be able to stop the one-sided Packers attack.

As a side note, the NFL's new Playoff Overtime Rule goes into effect this week. Here's a great piece on ESPN.com on the matter that should break it down for you.

Alrighty, on to the Nussie Hunter portion of today's broadcast. The Playmate of the Year competition is heating up quickly and we here at Wilber's Way have a candidate we fully support. Her name is Francesca Frigo. A latin bombshell you can follow on  Twitter, or see more of on Model Mayhem (she linked it) with a sample below!

Welcome to Milwaukee Ron Roenicke!

The love affair with the guy Doug Melvin and Co. have named Ron Roenicke as the new manager of the Brewers has been in full effect the last couple of days. I'll say it just shows how much of a great pickup this is for the team and the city of Milwaukee. I'm not sure how much I can put into our TV play-by-play announcer, Brian Anderson, speaking his praises (Like he did here), but when Mike Scioscia, Angels Manager (Audio is here), uses the word "Incredible" about six times at least to talk about his now former bench coach, it runs a little louder.
Of course, there's the manager himself. Just as BA said, Roenicke is a great interview. It was actually rather refreshing listening to his presser where he was introduced and then he was on Homer on ESPN Radio in Milwaukee. (Take a listen). To follow it up Doug Melvin was on the D-List with Drew Olsen and Dan Needles this afternoon to talk about the hire (Audio is here). (Tom H.'s J-S story is here.)
Now that you have all of that, here's my take, I LOVE THIS DECISION! I know I wrote on this page on how I like the Bobby Valentine possibility, but sometimes changing your mind is a good thing. The more I found out about Roenicke (We'll be calling him Ro-Ro in the 223 next season!), the more I started to fall in line with the idea. Just think about the guys that have come from under Scioscia's wing to manage their own teams and what they have done. Bud Black and Joe Maddon have done nothing but win at their jobs and Roenicke was next in line to get his own gig. It has been compared to the Bill Walsh NFL coaching tree in the fact that is the best coach with the best assistants that have learned what to do. They all went on to be successful with coaching gigs in the past and this one is looking to be the same way. The key, of course, is if the pitching can turn around from as bad as it's been the last two seasons here, which has nothing to do with the guy that had the post before "Ro-Ro."
The biggest thing I liked in listening to him talk is that he doesn't spit out the cliches over and over. He knows the game and shows it when he talks. I love it.


The Bears are back in action this week after a bye week and travel to Toronto take on the Wisconsin alum Lee Evans (above) and the Bills. All of the pundits are thinking this could be the game where the Bills get their first win of the season. That makes me a little nervous. The ringing words that have come out of Halas Hall over the last two week is Mike Martz saying he is going to use Matt Forte and Chester Taylor more. I like hearing that and think it might be what the offense needs. Whether that's done in running the ball or with short screens, is something that will be shown this week. Martz also said he plans to have them both on the field at the same time. that might be something that could put teams in a pickle when it comes to which one to key off of and could help Jay Cutler out in finding a rhythm and getting the other guys open because they will be paying attention to the back. The defense used the bye to get healthy and I'm thinking them getting Lance Briggs back this week should help shore things up in what resulted in losses the previous two games. I'm saying it will. He's the type of player that makes everyone around him better when he's on the field, including Brian Urlacher. The two seem to pick each other up and that should help the unit get back to their old form.
Prediction: Bears 24, Bills 17

Time for my NFL Picks. Last week was not a good week for me, to say the least, going just 6-5 to push my record for the year to 64-53. Here we go. Winners, as always, are in bold.
Bucs at Falcons
Bears at Bills
Patriots at Browns
Jets at Lions
Cardinals at Vikings
Saints at Panthers
Dolphins at Ravens
Chargers at Texans
Giants at Seahawks
Chiefs at Raiders
Colts at Eagles
Cowboys at Packers
Steelers (21) at Bengals (17)

Alright, time to get into the Nussie Hunter segment of the broadcast. I came across a former Miss Universe on Guyism and I couldn't find someone to unseat her from a spot and mention in today's post. I'm saying pink is a good color on her, no? There's 46 more photos, here!

Game 1 in the books, what lies ahead?

Yes, I stole this pic from SI.com, but hey, it was too good and I couldn't pass it up. It seems all of San Fran is in love with these dyed beards (although no one will admit it's dyed) that have propelled the Giants just three wins from the World Series title. Cliff Lee got rocked last night after looking untouchable to start the game. It was rather shocking to me and the people who Tweets I was reading on Twitter last night during the game.
So is this series all Giants? I wouldn't go that far. The Rangers are still ready pitching-wise and this one will come down to the "other guys" after Tim and Cliff like we predicted anyway. I still like the Rangers behind Cliff, starting with C.J. Wilson tonight. I would not count them out, but they need to win tonight to right the ship. I also think they did a little bit of something of "giving them something to think about" with how they closed the game out last night, making a bit of a rally in the late innings to put up seven runs in the loss.
The key, something I did not touch on yesterday here, was the defense. You will never win a World Series game where you commit three errors. That is something they are not accustomed to doing and probably got caught up in things.
Enough said.


I have not posted in a bit and have missed my NFL picks for the season. I've been mired in mediocrity much like my Bears through the first seven weeks, going just 58-46 on the season in picking winners.Well, my teams doesn't play this week, so my judgment will not be clouded in their game. Here goes. Winners, as always, in bold.
Dolphins at Belgals
Jaguars at Cowboys
Redskins at Lions
Bills at Chiefs
Panthers at Rams
Packers at Jets
Broncos at 49ers
Titans at Chargers
Bucs at Cardinals
Vikings at Patriots
Seahawks at Raiders'
Steelers at Saints
Texans (28) at Colts (34)

Alright, now to a quick Nussie Hunter segment. I'm sure if you read the gossip mags, rumors are circulating whether or not my boy Justin Timberlake cheated on his girl Jessica Biel with one of our favorites here at Wilber's Way, Olivia Munn. Well, US Weekly is divulging details. Check that out and see what JT may have turned his back on, here.

The league on notice, time to hit the Big Apple for the Bears

After Week 2 everyone said the Bears made a statement. Well, after Week 3 was put to rest, the statement got its punctuation. Yes, there were 18 penalties on the Packers, but the Bears took advantage and became the NFC's only 3-0 team.
They have areas they need to improve, but the positives do out number the negative which is promising heading forward this season.
Devin Hester shined and got that first return touchdown in two years and it helped Jay Cutler put it together. Yes, I'm not giving my full endorsement of his performance, but he did enough.
As usual, it was the defense that made the big statements ring true. The leader of all of that was the biggest acquisition made in the offseason, Julius Peppers. How amazing was he in the third quarter?
The stats might not show that the Bears did a lot of things right in terms of getting to the quarterback, but three big holding penalties and an intentional grounding speak for that.
Also, Brian Urlacher (So great to have him back) and Lance Briggs just continue to show how great they are together. Yes the Bears are 3-0 by way of a bit of some help, but you have to win those games if you're going to be a successful team and you have to give them credit for that.
This week, the New York Giants are on the docket, as the Bears get to check out the new Meadowlands. For once this season, the Bears are favored in a game and they'd rather be the underdogs. I think they have reveled in being the underdog and want us to not give them a shot so they can prove us wrong.
The Giants have shown they are not disciplined at all the last two weeks, and I'm not so sure that can go away after a week. It could be the key, again, for the Bears to win. I have not been impressed by Eli Manning all season and this could be another chance for the Bears to take a step forward.
Prediction: Bears 24, Giants 14


Before I get into my picks, I got an E-mail from a big Giants fan this week, that I have agreed to not talk about the game with this week so we wouldn't say anything lame to upset each other. Yes, On The Line Sports' own Vaughan Gartrelle wanted to chime in as things led into the game. These are his thoughts on the week:
"This is the week where it sucks to have two of your closest friends be bears fans. I will tell you this much my New York Giants will come out swinging. We have many problems but we are a team that plays extremely well under the owners pressure i.e. 2007. If I was in thee Giants locker room my pregame speech would sound something like this :

We played a damn good week one, instead of taking that momentum into week two for our game against big brother we let the media convince us we had no chance. And then in week three we did exactly what we should have done for week two and took that terrible momentum into a game that we should have won. No look at where it has us behind the eight ball let's just be glad we have many other shots before that's our concern. Now we must go out today and be the reverse of ourselves and be GIANT KILLERS. Let's go win on the big stage.

If this is the speech 20-13 giants if not 31-6 bears."



That was pretty good from V. But it's now time for my NFL Picks. Last week I delivered a great week and went 10-6 to push my record on the year to 28-20 for the season. Here is Week 4 with the winners in bold.
49ers at Falcons
Jets at Bills
Bengals at Browns
Lions at Packers
Broncos at Titans
Seahawks at Rams
Panthers at Saints
Ravens at Steelers
Colts at Jaguars
Cardinals at Chargers
Redskins at Eagles
Bears at Giants
Patriots (17) at Dolphins (14)

It should be a big week and the Nussie Hunter wanted to give you a girl that is a fan of sports to close things out. Is there one hotter than Kelly Brook right now? Yes she's made the blog twice in recent months, but that's because she's at the top of her game. Just check out the photo below. Then head over to Guyism.com to see her in a red dress. ALL HOT!

Looking for another better showing in Week 3... THE PICKS

Before I get started, I have a bit of a programming note for this week. This would normally be the time when my Bears preview would be accompanied by my NFL picks, but with Da Bears set for a Monday Nighter, I'm holding out on that until right before kickoff, so you can call me on my shit during the game.

Alright, now that that is out of the way, let's get to the picks. Last week I went 10-6 and rose in the nationwide rankings as my season record is no 18-14. I'm looking for similar results this week. Here we go...
49ers at Chiefs
Browns at Ravens
Cowboys at Texans... PANIC!
Lions at Vikings... PHEW!
Bills at Patriots
Falcons at Saints
Titans at Giants
Steelers at Bucs
Bengals at Panthers
Eagles at Jaguars
Redskins at Rams
Colts at Broncos
Raiders at Cardinals
Chargers at Seahawks
Jets at Dolphins
Packers (20) at Bears (23)... DUH!!!!!!

Going to make today a quick post as I have a busy final Brewers weekend to get to (should be a blog tomorrow night). Yeah it's bittersweet, so to get to the festivities, I'm going to turn things over to the Nussie Hunter.

The pages of Maxim this month were blessed by the one and only Ciara. For some reason she had sort of gone away the last couple years and I almsot forgot about her. Well she's back with the ridiculous video for "Ride" Check it...


Uhh, yeah. She's gorgeous and Maxim attempted to do her justice and did a good job, but I'm not sure pictures can do her complete justice. Check below and the rest of the pics, here.

The Bears & Boys, plus all of Week 2 in the NFL

For two teams that really didn't do a lot of things right, Week 2 of the NFL season has the Bears in Dallas to take on the Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. The only difference from Week 1 for the Bears and 'Boys was that the Bears were the benefactor of an odd call.
The key to this game will be which offensive line can pick it up late in the game. I'm imagining both defenses living the the backfield and meeting at the quarterback all game, making things rough for Jay Cutler and Tony Romo. Last week, former Bears first-round pick Marc Colombo cost them the game with a holding call in the final seconds. I'm not sure which unit will step up, but I know it's the key. I see both defenses running amok in this one and creating chaos all over the field.
If Cutler can hit Matt Forte out of the backfield on some short passes to counteract that quick rush, it could put the Bears in a position to do some damage.
I have made my picks and the team I picked to win shouldn't surprise you.
Prediction: Bears 20, Cowboys 17 in a close one in the Jerry Dome.

Now for my Week 1 picks. Last week was a rough one, as I only went 8-8. It's time to get better in Week 2. Here they are (Bold teams are winners):
Cardinals at Falcons
Ravens at Bengals
Chiefs at Browns
Bears at Cowboys
Eagles at Lions
Bills at Packers
Steelers at Titans
Dolphins at Vikings
Buccaneers at Panthers
Seahawks at Broncos
Rams at Raiders
Patriots at Jets
Jaguars at Chargers
Texans at Redskins
Giants at Colts
Saints (28) at 49ers (13)

Alright, got a quick Nussie Hunter to present in today's broadcast and it's a woman that shares a name with one of my fave teams. Nicole Brewer was on CoEdMagazine.com this week and look amazing. I'm thinking the Brewers need to get her some sort of appearance deal! Here's a great sample below. You can see the rest of them here.

The picks are in for Week 1 of the NFL season

Week 1 of the NFL season is finally upon us! Yes I'm excited and you probably are too. So let's get right into it. Here are my NFL Week 1 picks with the winners in bold. This season I will keep a running tab of how I'm doing on the blog and not just on my ESPN.com pick-'em league. That way, I can make fun of you every week for picking more than you.
Vikings at Saints (Yes I made this pick before the game. Here's the proof.)
Dolphins at Bills
Lions at Bears
Raiders at Titans
Bengals at Patriots
Panthers at Giants
Falcons at Steelers
Browns at Bucs
Broncos at Jaguars
Colts at Texans
49ers at Seahawks
Packers at Eagles
Cardinals at Rams
Cowboys at Redskins
Ravens at Jets
Chargers at Chiefs

Alright, time to jump right in it and get to the Nussie Hunter pick of the day. Figured we had to have some football tie-in and the one and only Sara Jean Underwood was more than willing to help us out with some bodypainting. there's more of that, here!

Championship Sunday is just around the corner!

First off, I'd like to say my apologies for all of the photos turning into "Bandwidth Exceeded" graphics the last couple of days. I got an E-mail yesterday that said I had exceeded my 10 GB bandwidth at Photobucket. I think that means the site is doing pretty good and I had to upgrade my photo hosting to allow for an unlimited bandwidth.

Now that we got that out of the way, lets' get into making my Super Bowl picks. Now that both of my preseason picks (the Chargers and the Bears. Yes I know. Thought we had a shot to get one right), it's back to the drawing board. I like both matchups Sunday and should be two great games.
Let's start with the 2 p.m. game that has the Jets going to Indy to play the Colts. A lot is being made of the history of these franchises, but to be honest, that means nothing to the guys on the field. It's great history, but will have no effect on what happens Sunday.
Was looking over this week's Sports Illustrated, I am a subscriber, and they break things down. Looking at how the Colts did what they had to do to the Ravens, I'm saying we get more of that this week. Peyton is too smart and will find the holes in this defense to get the Colts out front. On the other side of the ball, the Colts D has been playing great and if they can get to Mark Sanchez and knock him out of his game, they'll make it easy. This will be about stopping the run for them and if they can keep Thomas Jones quiet for the day. The Colts are pretty one-dimensional relying on the pass almost exclusively and that should allow the Jets to put Reggie Wayne out on Revis Island for the day and let them keep a the extra safety deep to keep an eye on Dallas Clark.
I must say though, I really like the Colts to earn this win. Remember, the only reason the Jets are here is because the Chargers lost that game. They beat themselves. The Jets just lucked out. Yes I just said that.
On the NFC side, its the Vikings and Saints. I think everyone is expecting this game to be a shootout. I'd say if it becomes that, the Saints will be right at home. Putting pressure on Brett Favre to have to score points usually leads to turnovers. The fact that the Vikings have lost their last three home games plays a part in this, too. I don't really like anyone going into the Superdome and getting a win. Now if the game were in the Humpty Dump, I'd probably be saying the Vikes have the upper hand, but we're in Nawleans and for that it's time for the Saints to March on. Drew Brees is just cool in the big games and if he can get production out of Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush like he got last week, the Saints will give that vaunted Minnesota D fits.
For the Vikings, finding a way to get Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor off and running is going to be a key for them. Take pressure off Favre until he has to make the play. He seems to play within himself more in those situations. Not to mention the Saints defense isn't that good and getting them to bring that extra guy into the box will allow "Brent" to play the 1-on-1 matchups that could lead to big plays.
Like I said, I like this being a close game. I'm not so sure it will be as high scoring as people think, but I like the Saints.

Here we go, the official picks...
AFC Title Game: Colts over Jets, 20-17. Jets D will make some plays to keep it close, but not enough of them.
NFC Title Game: Saints over Vikings, 24-20. Another close one with the Saints making the big plays let and Favre making at least one of his patented "dumb" plays that costs the Purple Dumpster Divers the ballgame.

Keeping it on the Vikings, did you hear this awful Prince fight song he was inspired to write after going to the game last week? Eesh! Stick to Purple Rain!



This next item is something from last night's Conan. Tonight is his last Tonight Show and if he brings guys like Pee Wee, then it's going to be good. If you know me, you know I love PW and he was awesome on this. Check it!



Alright boys and girls, time for today's Nussie Hunter. Was checking something on Asylum today, who counted down the most exposed women of the last decade. Remarkably one of them hasn't graced our pages. Yep, Jessica Alba. She is part of the Jessica trifecta and somehow the Nussie Hunter has gone over 100 posts without her. Well, not anymore. Guess I'm helping in the over exposure, but hell. She looked good in that cat suit in Fantastic 4! ... And here.

Post 101: Schooling you all on NFL Divisional playoff weekend

It just might be the great NFL weekend of the year. Four huge games that mean everything for next week's conference championship games is why this is the best.
Last week I went 2-2 in my picks thanks to that wild Green Bay/Arizona game. And I'm back for more to pick this round.
Let's go in chronological order on how these games will go down. So we going to Nawleans first for the Saints and Cardinals.
I'm going to say this, I'm really not sure which Saints team is going to show up for this game. They've been handed their hat in the past few weeks, so they really need to return to October form, as odd as that sounds, to win this game. Can they do it? Sure. Drew Brees is a leader of men and these Saints are not Archie's Saints.
The key is going to be starting strong. it's what got the Cardinals settled in last week against the Packers and let Kurt Warner find a groove. If they can get Warner to have to sling it around the field and put pressure on him both literally and figuratively, they will be able to win this game. But defense will once again be optional, so be ready for the fireworks.
Tomorrow night, Peyton, that's P-E-Y..., and company take on the Ravens. This one is going to be a cat and mouse game all night as Manning tries to outsmart this Ravens defense. It should be fun to watch, but I know he'll find a way to do it.
The key to this one is going to be what Joe Flacco can do against the Colts defense. If the Ravens can get the ball down the field, it makes it a lot easier for the defense to take some chances, obviously, and get to Peyton.
Sunday's fun kicks off at noon with the Vikings hosting the Cowboys. Two of Wisconsin's favorite sons square off as Favre and Romo take the field.
This is another one where the team that is at home limped into the playoffs. Don't be fooled by the Week 17 win by the Vikings. The Giants had cashed out and were just physically in the game.The Cowboys need to play this game like they did against the Saints four weeks ago. That means if DeMarcus Ware can fly around the field on the D-line against what has shown to be a pourus Vikings line, the boys in purple could be in trouble. Vikings will need that defense to step up and make Romo look a little silly, too. These quarterbacks are pretty much the same guy. The team that wins will have the one that makes the fewest and least costly mistakes.
The final game of the weekend will be in Cali where the Chargers host the J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS. This one is interesting, too. Can Philip Rivers continue to dominate? Will Darelle Revis show why he should be the Defensive Player of the Year? Can LT run on this defense?
It's all intersting stuff. and should be fun to watch. I say the Chargers offensive line is too strong for the Jets' front seven and finds a way to get LT going . That means a lot of Rivers getting it to Gates in the flat and to Sproles and LT out of the backfield. That makes Revis pretty much moot.

OK, so here's the picks. Straight up, as always:
Saints 38, Cardinals 34
Colts 24, Ravens 14
Cowboys 27, Vikings 20
Chargers 31, Jets 20

If you want more, why not check out the best NFL writer in the game, SI's Peter King. He's got a look at how the underdogs win these games.

Now for some goodness. If you're follwoing this latenight TV fiasco they delieverd some funny last night.
First Jimmy Kimmel was on Jay Leno. He launched jab after jab and Jay being the tool that he is could do nothing. Loved it! (Like Lyle!)



To take things even further against NBC, Conan put the Tonight Show up on Craig's List. Yeah pretty awesome!



Ok, tomorrow is my 27th birthday so I get to pick the Nussie today. The Nussie Hunter told me it was my present. So I was combing Maxim.com and found one of my old favorites Letica Cline. She was on Beauty and the Geek way back when. And she was actually on the Stern Show a year or so ago and rode the sybean. It was damn hot. Just like this picture!

Got a list and checking it twice!

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