Every season the AFC seems to be the favorite over the NFC to have the future Super Bowl Champion. In 2014, the pundits seem to be thinking the same way. With teams like the Broncos, Patriots, and Colts, the AFC will look to regain its dominance that the conference has held for so many years. Like their NFC counterparts, these teams are quietly good. Here is a breakdown of all 16 AFC teams and how the standings will look like when the season is all said and done:

Peyton Manning and the Broncos are the kings of the AFC, but will they make another appearance in the Super Bowl? By United States Marine Corps/Sgt. D.R. Cotton [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Denver Broncos: As football fans, we can all hope that Peyton Manning and the Broncos put the beat down they received in the Super Bowl behind them and get back to playing Bronco football. Denver especially revamped their defense with additions of DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib. They lost Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno but this gives Montee Ball time to shine. The Broncos will be strong contenders once again next year.

Record: 12-4, division winner

San Diego Chargers: After making some noise in the playoffs, the Chargers are primed to try and build on that success, but 2014 isn’t the year for them. The AFC is so strong and even with the addition of Brandon Flowers, which I really like, the Chargers will barely miss the playoffs. Keenan Allen is an absolute stud and will help the Chargers offense but their defense is still weak which will be their downfall.

Record: 8-8

Kansas City Chiefs: I really hope I am wrong about this one but I don’t see the Chiefs repeating their 2013 success. I still can’t get over the epic playoff fail where they blew a 28-point lead to the Colts. Personally, I love Jamaal Charles but aside from him who is going to score or be a real offensive weapon? Look for the Chiefs to take a step back in 2014.

Record: 7-9

Oakland Raiders: The Black Hole should get excited this season and it isn’t because of the playoffs. The Raiders have built a semi competitive team for the first time in what seems like forever. Additions of Matt Schaub, Justin Tuck, James Jones, LaMar Woodley, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Khalil Mack will make this team interesting. If they could only get another WR or two, this team could be a playoff team. Plus this may be one of their last years in Oakland, so their fans better appreciate this team before it’s gone.

Record: 6-10

AFC East:

New England Patriots: With Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots will again be a top team in the AFC. I am just worried about their offense. They get Rob Gronkowski back, but they lost Legarrette Blount to Pittsburgh. Blount provided them will a large spark of offense. I’m sure they will find a way to do it yet again; I mean they are the Patriots after all right?

Record: 11-5, division winner

Miami Dolphins: After almost making the playoffs last season, I see the Dolphins being hungry for the taste of the postseason. They seem to have put the whole bullying situation last season behind them and will look to bring Miami back to the postseason. Adding Knowshon Moreno will give them some extra spark to their offensive attack. I look for the Dolphins to win a wild card spot in the playoffs this season.

Record: 9-7

New York Jets: J-E-T-S. JETS JETS JETS! After adding Eric Decker and Chris Johnson to their offense and adding rookie Calvin Pryor to a defense that puts out Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Calvin Pace, the Jets defense is in good shape. While they are close, I still think they are a year away from the playoffs.

Record: 8-8

Buffalo Bills: IF the Bills can stay healthy they could an annoying matchup for some teams. They are still a few years away from really contending. I love the drafting of wide receiver, Sammy Watkins for them and they still have CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson at running back. I look for them to win a few games they shouldn’t win but they will end up in the lower-middle of the AFC standings.

Record: 5-11

AFC North:

Cincinnati Bengals: I understand that Andy Dalton has struggled during the playoffs but during the regular season, he has been pretty good. What I don’t understand is why everyone is so down on the Bengals this season. They are coming off an 11-5 record with a division crown. They drafted Darqueze Dennard out of Michigan State whom will vastly help their secondary, which was the weakest part of their top 3 ranked defense. Losing Mike Zimmer will hurt but losing Jay Gruden, as the OC will help them. Hue Jackson taking over means a more balanced offense with smarter play calling so no more throwing the ball at the 1 yard line. A second straight division title is in store for Cincinnati.

Record: 10-6, division winner

Baltimore Ravens: After missing the playoffs in 2013, the Ravens spent the offseason making sure they get back in 2014. Adding Steve Smith and drafting CJ Mosley out of Alabama are moves that will help them do so. Look for Joe Flacco and the Ravens to return to the playoffs where they rightfully belong.

Record: 9-7

Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel will dominate the headlines for the Browns this season and for good reason. If the Browns are smart and start him over Brian Hoyer, the Browns might have a chance to contend. Their only problem is that they don’t really have any receivers since Josh Gordon is too busy smoking pot to play football. Their defense is stacked with Paul Kruger, Justin Gilbert, Donte Whitner, and Joe Haden. The Browns are a season and a wide receiver away from actually contending again.

Record: 7-9

Pittsburgh Steelers: After making a strong push for the playoffs last season, the Steelers fell short on a bad call by the referees. The Steelers are one of the best organizations in all of sports but that won’t help them in 2014. They are an older football team that will fail to make the playoffs again in 2014. They could surprise everyone and have a resurrection but I personally just don’t see it.

Record: 6-10

AFC South:

Indianapolis Colts: Too many times, people get caught up in what happens in the playoffs and they put players on pedestals because of it. I am a huge believer in Andrew Luck but the Chiefs lost the playoff game last season more than he brought his team back and won it. It was a 28-point comeback so that is a major failure by the Chiefs, but I am not trying to take anything away from Luck and the Colts. They benefit from being in the worst division in football and will again make the playoffs and look to build on their success again.

Record: 11-5

Tennessee Titans: It seems that each season the Titans have an average season yet don’t really do anything about it. They lost Chris Johnson and cornerback Alterraun Verner and Jake Locker has potential but has yet to do anything with that potential. The Titans will have another lackluster season and miss the playoffs again.

Record: 7-9

Houston Texans: Outside of their quarterback situation, which is extremely important, the Texans if they can stay healthy are just a piece or two away from making the playoffs again. Their defense is scary-good with Jadeveon Clowney and J.J. Watt on each side of the ball. They still have Andre Johnson and Arian Foster but both are just getting older so the Texans need to try and find a quarterback, and fast. Hopefully they can win some games this season and then try and fix the holes in the team during the next offseason.

Record: 6-10

Jacksonville Jaguars: This is a team that I really like in about two-three years. I hope Blake Bortles gets a chance this season as he has tremendous upside but for some reason, the Jaguars management doesn’t seem to want him to play in 2014. Marqise Lee was a great second round pickup for this team. The Jags will be back in the lottery of the draft but are only a few seasons away from making the playoffs if everything pans out.

Record: 5-11

Playoff Standings:

1. Denver Broncos
2. New England Patriots
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Cincinnati Bengals
5. Baltimore Ravens (won tiebreaker with Dolphins)
6. Miami Dolphins

In contention: New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs

In a matter of 23 hours and 23 minutes I’ll be numb-brained by an unstoppable force of tryptophan. But who’s counting?

I’m set for the sedation. I went to the gym. Worked off who-knows-how-many calories in order to levy the oncoming attack of turkey legs, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, candied yams, green beans and bacon, buttered broccoli, rolls, red wine, white wine, champagne, bourbon, a lonely beer (who’s watching?), piece(s) of pumpkin pie topped with hand whipped cream, piece(s) of pecan pie and a secretive second-portioned concoction of them all (use potatoes as the base, then begin swirling cranberry and multiple others into the sticky starch based mountain of divinity).

I’m ready for Uncle Joe’s half-naked intoxication and Aunt Sally’s sassy pursed lip persuasions about another of her hippy skippy selling points on a Himalayan weight loss pill. I’ll dodge, bob and weave the children’s chattering food fights and face Ace, the silent untalkative cousin’s, snarling pit. It will good to be an American. Not only can a man let it loose literally, by unbuckling the slim fitting belt from the skinny jeans or slacks, but he can burp, fart and buzz on a triple-headed machine of NFL football without looking over his shoulder in fear. Blessings and all, am I the only man/woman completely over the traditional turkey day battles starring the irrelevant Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys?

I’m unsure whether or not the new triple-header can salvage the stupidity of watching Detroit (4-6) host the Houston Texans (9-1), and Dallas (5-5) host the Washington Redskins (4-6). The playoff implications here are as small as a flea. Dallas WILL NOT make the playoffs, continuing to disappoint, And Detroit? Detroit is an underachieving mess of young stars succumbed with a sophomore slump.The Washington Redskins are only exciting because of their super-frosh stud, RG 3, but even he, the last three weeks, has looked more human than superhuman, with multiple sub 200-yard passing efforts.

Tryptophan might keep Cowboys fans from attacking their televisions tomorrow. By AJ Guel (originally posted to Flickr as Over the Top) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

How much Tony Romo can a man take, before he throws his 44-inch HD 1080-p television off his second story balcony (that is a made up image, I recommend you don’t do that unless you need your extended warranty check to cover rent)? Give it up already! Tryptophan can’t save Romo from the obvious: He can’t win when it matters. And it sure as hell can’t reverse the hard reality that Detroit plays in a division with Da Bears, The Pack and an upstart Minnesota Vikings team. The Redskins and Cowbowys are two teams with similar fates: Playofflessness. While the Redskins play just to continue the evolution of their franchise face.

So while the rest of y’all will be pretending you’re excited over the historic turkey day battalions, I’ll be sleeping, shellacked with peanut shells. I’ll be about as proactive as Al Bundy taking a third and fourthportion from multiple silent Peg’s in a dream. And when I wake, I’ll watch Uncle Joe call his daughter names while playing a game of boxing on the Wii, and pretend I care: “Uncle Joe, lay off Suzy! I’ll challenge you after another go on the pecan pie. Suzy go to bed. Joe you’re my bitch.”

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GFq6usPg6U

My predictions for the turkey day triple header:

The Houston Texans are clicking like no other team in football right now. Detroit has a struggling offensive line, which is exactly what J.J Watt and the fast-footed front line of the Texans devour. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has taken a large step backwards after his emergence last season, throwing just 12 touchdowns to 10 interceptions through ten games. The Texans will create two monumental turnovers, and Schaub and the offense will capitalize scoring ten points of those. Houston Texans 30, Detroit Lions 17.

The Dallas Cowboys’ speedy defensive lineman Demarcus Ware-led linebacking core, will rattle the spiraling RG 3 and his multi-dimensional attack. This game features two teams defensively underwhelming, but Romo, the man with a pro bowler’s intangible in games that do not matter, will outshine the more popular rookie. Romo vs. RG 3; Romo throws for 300 hundred on a poor Redskins secondary and Dallas wins. Dallas Cowboys 28, Washington Redskins 23.

In the “other” game, the biggest joke of the three, Tom Brady lines up against the Jets with no Gronk. But no Gronk means more Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Lloyd and Danny Woodhead in the slot. The point is, the Pats are not struggling. Brady could line up a cohort of team cheerleaders, and I’d wager money of a Pats route over the mouthy New York Jets. The Jets giving Tim Tebow the ball, is the only news worth covering.  New England Patriots 30, New York Jets 13.

If one takes the time to read a little bit deeper, they will find a couple of classic match-ups that both the seasoned and greenhorn NFL fan can get excited about.

In recent years, the NFL has bragged about having the most competitive and encompassing parody in the circle of major professional sports leagues. While this parody is evident amongst the league’s elite, an even playing field amongst the entire league is severely lacking.

This lack of competitiveness as a whole and the evidence of parody only among the elite is the reason why these final conference clashes, that may look like mismatches on the cover, are so intriguing.

I am advising everyone to spit the seeds out when judging the quality of the teams remaining, due to a number of factors occurring over the course of the NFL season that all were both as much surreal as they were anticipated.

This playoff season saw a wildcard winner with a record of 12-4 and a division winner with a record of 7-9. Two of the other wild card teams had records of 11-5. The fourth and remaining wildcard team this playoff season finished with a record of 10-6. The New York Giants missed the playoffs with a 10-6 record, three games better than the NFC West division-winning Seattle Seahawks.

Four of the division winners had a 10-6 record, or worse. That’s half of the division winners having no better of an overall record than the wildcard team with the worst record. Wait a second. Read that again – not for a spelling or grammar check, but for a reality check. I’m half-expecting Moe or Curly to come club me over the head with a skillet as I sit here flapping my lips with my finger.

The winners of the the four divisions who featured only a division winner and no wildcard participant averaged a record of only 9.25 wins and 6.75 losses. The second-place finishers of those four shallow divisions averaged a record of only 8.5 wins and 7.5 losses, and finished a full two games out of a wildcard berth – collectively on average.

In other words, half the divisions are exceptional, those half that are exceptional are extremely top-heavy, and the other half of the divisions flat-out reek of inferiority, book-end to book-end.

However, I digress from this tirade of attacking the current structure and overall parody, or lack thereof. The fact that gets spit out of this unprecedented equation becomes: any team that received a wildcard berth this season definitely earned it, as they ended up with records that would win divisions in any other season. It seems evident that the number six seeds that are challenging the number two seeds this weekend might as well be number two seeds themselves, and therein lies the hidden allure.

* * * * * * *

The oldest and arguably most bitter rivalry in the NFL, which boasts a combined twenty-one NFL titles (including four super bowl titles) all-time between the two teams, reconvenes Sunday afternoon at the new Soldier Field in Chicago. Dating back to 1921, this bitter duel amazingly has only occurred in the playoffs one other time, a whole seventy years ago, in which the Bears defeated the Packers in 1941 on their way to the NFL title.

Their clash on Sunday will be by far, the most penultimate contest this storied rivalry has ever seen in the one hundred eighty-one times over the past ninety years it has been celebrated. The rarity and significance of this game is the equivalent of being able to see Halley’s Comet, only having to wait an extra fifteen years on top of the already anticipated seventy-five.

This upcoming chapter of course, will be the third between the Packers and Bears this season. The Bears prevailed in a late September Monday Night affair in Chicago, 20-17. The Packers eked out a 10-3 win in the last game of the regular season that was highlighted by less than perfect weather conditions, as well as the Bears supposedly not putting their best foot forward in order to preserve health, seeing as they had already clinched the two seed with no way to obtain the one seed or fall to the three.

On Sunday, the weather man calls for a game-time temperature of 15 degrees with a windchill of zero or slightly below. The wind factor is what will dictate the course of this game. When it’s calm, its bearable – but when it gets whipping off of Lake Michigan, Chicago in January might as well be the surface of Mars.

If it stays cold and calm, expect the Green Bay-weathered Aaron Rodgers to come out firing, as his arm will set up the running lanes later on in the game for rookie playoff standout James Starks. If this occurs, expect Mike Martz to counter with a desperate pass-first approach, throwing caution to a deliberate Matt Forte running attack and playing right into the favored Packers’ hands.

If the wind picks up significantly however, expect a closer, field position battle that is more conducive to the efficiency of and puts less pressure on ‘feast or famine’ Jay Cutler. This could shorten the game undoubtedly, favoring the Bears and their home crowd.

Don’t count out these two underrated defenses either. Brian Urlacher is as equally one of the league’s best leaders as Lance Briggs is a surprise play-maker. The Bears do have a few worries on the back-end however, and if Julius Peppers and company up front don’t get a consistent and discomforting pass-rush on Rodgers, you could see the Packers run up some substantial yardage through the air.

The Packers bring to the table a stout 3-4 scheme that has potential defensive player of the year, Clay Matthews III flying off the edge and tossing his body around with reckless abandonment. This front also features the hand-on-the-ground inside presence of Cullen Jenkins taking up two blockers, with A.J. Hawk lurking behind him stuffing the run. I would be remiss not to make note of “Mr. Do-everything” Charles Woodson, as you can bet he will come up with either a key interception, a key fumble forced or recovery, or a key sack.

If Green Bay can make ‘Jay-kyll and Hyde’ Cutler look away from his go-to red zone tool, tight end Greg Olson, and force him to have to earn his paycheck on 3rd and long, Chicago fans are in for a long, cold day of sitting on their hands.

All-NFL returner Devin Hester could make a significant impact, that is, if Green Bay decides to even kick to him. Kicking to Green Bay’s poor-man’s version of Hester, Tramon Williams, isn’t a good idea either. Expect both punters to have worked on their directional kicking extensively throughout this week of preparation. Punting with the accuracy of a marksman may prove vital in this game, taking into account both the danger of both punt returners and the danger of the swirling winds that may arise.

My pick: Packers 21, Bears 17.

On the other side of the bracket, the gum-flapping, ‘look at me’ Jets travel to Heinz Field on Sunday night to face the Pittsburgh Steelers and 65,000 terrible towels. While the Jets have earned back-to-back AFC Championship game appearances, I have a feeling they are going to get this far only to fall just short of the super bowl for the second year in a row.

Yes, they beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh less than a month ago, 22-17. Yes, they squeaked by the Colts in Indianapolis albeit on the heels of a botched time-out call by Jim Caldwell. And yes, they took it to the evil Belichick and Brady empire in Foxboro with brash bravado and confusing defensive scheme. However, I see three major differences between the two teams they beat to get here and the team they have standing between them and the Jerry Jones Bowl in Dallas.

One, the meeting on December 19th between the two included four flukes that all favored the Jets: an opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Brad Smith, a late safety by Jason Taylor, a turnover-fee game by Mark Sanchez; and most importantly, the best player on the field when he’s healthy, Troy Polamalu, sat the game out with a bum ankle. The game was also decided on a goal-to-go situation for the Steelers, who failed to produce a winning touchdown inside the ten yard line in the closing seconds. All of these key factors turned out right for the Jets and wrong for the Steelers, something considered extremely against the odds and that any logical investor should not bet on to happen the same way again.

Two, Big Ben is anything but an immobile, standing pop-up dummy the likes of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. He is known league-wide as not only being able to avoid sacks by breaking head-on tackle attempts with his defensive lineman frame, but also being able to avoid them by getting outside the pocket with his surprising fleet of foot. These are two predominant dynamics that Manning or Brady could not even dream about doing.

You can guarantee the Jets will bring pressure and be in Ben’s face, due to the fact that the Steelers’ average running game featuring Rashard Mendenhall won’t be much of a deterrent – but you can also guarantee that Roethlisberger will be able to avoid at least some of the pressure with his mobility and toughness, creating more and different offensive opportunities the likes of what New York hasn’t had to contend with the past two weeks.

And most notably, three, Pittsburgh’s Defense makes the defenses of Indianapolis and New England look like rank amateurs. Versus the Jets the past two weeks, the Colts defense was undermanned due to injruy and the Patriot defense was young and inexperienced. The Steelers defense features the best and most experienced line-backing core in the league, lead by docket-fined and notorious head-hunter James Harrison, a factor that could turn the Jets bread and butter running game into toasted char.

The bottom line, if Ben Roethlisberger has time or can at least make a few plays with his feet, the Steeler offense will at the very least break even with the Jets defense. I see this push creating an actual advantage for Pittsburgh overall, as the weakest link in this game, the predictable and vanilla Jets offense, will be at a disadvantage and have trouble staying ‘on schedule’ in their down and distances versus the top-level Steeler defense.

My Pick: Steelers 17, Jets 13.

The battle of the Midwest and the battle of the East – when the dust settles, you end up, in my mind, with the Packers and Steelers meeting in Dallas. What a feature – the team of the 60’s versus the team of the 70’s, as well as both being super bowl champions again in the past fifteen years. Which one of these classic franchises will become their organization’s championship version, 3.0? Who could start this decade off with a Lombardi and lay the foundation for a dynasty of the teens?

However it plays out, make sure to spit out the bubble gum and strap on the leather come Sunday, because both of these epic collisions will exceed expectations.

-Andrew Stevens

Coach Ryan, you resemble a clown at a party trying to grab attention with balloon animals and a water-squirting flower in your shirt pocket. I’ve got news for you; kids over the age of five don’t even like clowns. And apparently that’s what you take this whole process as, a fun little birthday party designed for toddlers. The routine has become stale.

It seems hard to understand where this guy comes off? Did the ratings of his reality television stint on HBO’s Hard Knocks this pre-season inflate his ego? Congrats Rex, maybe you can bunk up with Vinny, Paulie and the Situation next season on the Jersey Shore. Make sure not to bring home any grenades from the club or you might get clowned, but you are already used to that.

Maybe it’s an aura of self-entitlement? He is after all the son of one of the greatest defensive minds professional football has ever seen, right? I don’t think Kevin Gilbride’s face agrees.

His father, Buddy, was the creator of the ’46’ or ‘Bear’ front that was ahead of its time and is still used today – on the high school football gridiron. Wow, the old man decided one day to jam the strong safety up on the line of scrimmage in an eight technique in the tight end’s face. What a novel concept. Hopefully his Canton parking spot is already reserved.

You would think a coach who has had every advantage through the ranks and undoubtedly got his first job in the business solely because of his last name would be a little more humble? The words coming out of this man’s mouth would lead the casual observer to believe he is speaking in front of a backdrop of Lombardi trophies.

He claims his bravado is because he wants to take all the pressure off of his players and lay it exclusively onto himself. Well, that idea is great in theory, but he fails to grasp the underlying and evident concept within that idea – just because the noise comes out of his mouth doesn’t make the other team want to beat his team any less. They don’t care where the motivation comes from. Coach or player, any material they can use from the opposition, they will.

Now the jowl-flapper’s new goal is to try and verbally infiltrate the Belichick compound that, as we are all aware of, is guarded tighter than Fort Knox. You’re no James Bond, Rex. In fact, Maxwell Smart makes you look ridiculous. The Pats are watching you dig your own grave, ‘and loving it.’

Ryan blathered earlier this week, “this isn’t about the players, its all about me versus Belichick, period.”

Uh, no coach. It has everything to do with the players and absolutely nothing to do with you versus Belichick. It would be one thing if you rivaled him somehow, but comparing yourself and your accomplishments to him and his is like comparing a collection of Olympic gold medals to a 5th grade track meet participation ribbon.

We are lead to believe that it is “all about” a coach with multiple super bowl rings versus a coach with three playoff wins to his name because you said so? Keep dreaming. And no, dad’s accomplishments don’t count.

It’s not just Ryan that is yakking. It seems this week Antonio Cromartie has been attempting to bait Tom Brady. The New York Post has even quoted him on the cover of a recent issue, “$@#% Brady.”

He has continued throughout the week with his outlandish statements and has been baited himself by the media, as it seems Cromartie has fallen into his own trap. He has taken as many shots at Brady and the rest of the Patriots this week as number of children he has fathered out of wedlock with different mothers – more than a handful.

Might I remind Antonio the fate of big-mouthed defensive backs when verbally challenging Brady and the Pats in the playoffs the week leading up to the game. Does a certain number twenty-seven in black and gold ring a bell? Three words: Anthony. Smith. Punked.

And not just punked, but punked of epic proportion. After proclaiming a guaranteed victory only to be beat on a deep ball for all the marbles late in the game, I believe he was then ousted out of football for good. Literally. Same day. Sources say he didn’t even get to shower before security escorted him off of the stadium premises. Will Cromartie be dealt a similar fate?

When questioned about Cromartie’s remarks this week, Ryan backpedaled, “without question, everyone on this roster respects Tom Brady.”

Oh yea? By everyone, you mean everyone except Cromartie, right? Nothing says respect like a direct blast that requires dollar and percentage signs when relayed in print.

You are a savant of blunt honesty, aren’t you coach? Or is it selective and only when it benefits you? Ryan must take people for idiots. Again, coach, you may be a clown, but we aren’t toddlers. Your spin doesn’t work on the media or the fans and it only makes you look even more foolish.

*

It’s almost as if the Jets are talking to themselves in a way, trying to drum up an actual scenario where they win in their own minds, like a consistent failure would do when transparently trying to make up for his shortcomings.

The way the Pats put a beat down on them in their last meeting, maybe they are more comparable to a Chihuahua who constantly and insignificantly keeps trying to bite your ankles, no matter how many times it gets shooed away.

The best part about this verbal spewing by the Jets is that the Pats don’t need to say anything. They don’t need to return fire. The fire coming from the Jets is coming from too great of a distance to even register on the Pats’ radar. The franchise with three super bowl rings this decade is confident on their veteran battleship. The franchise that hasn’t sniffed a super bowl in almost four decades is pathetically grasping from their rubber dingy.

The Pats are the quintessential ‘play with your pads’ team. If their skill in big games over the past decade had a mouth, it would rival that of Floyd Mayweather.

The fact is, it doesn’t. And that is more than just refreshing. It is perfect for the old-school fan to get behind when choosing between a team that talks with its pads and a team that has a mouth that writes checks its ass can’t cash.

All that considered, Ryan continued to ramble this week, “you shouldn’t like the other team you are playing right now, it’s the playoffs!”

Yes coach, you shouldn’t like the other team you are playing. No one in the sporting arena likes the opposition standing in the way of its goal. We understand that you need to find reasons to get fired up for the game. Such is the nature of this game of football.

However, to make this exercise a public spectacle and a media circus only raises the stakes to a level that will bust you completely sooner than later. It is the equivalent of shoving all your chips in the middle of the table with a marginal hand at best. Your only problem is the Pats love nothing more than to call bluffs. They have built a dynasty on it. News flash: the owner won’t keep giving you re-buys every time you bust out coach. The more you talk and lose, the sooner you get fired.

When considering Rex Ryan as a coach and what he is so desperately trying to accomplish, my mind keeps coming back to one common theme; and that is the direct relationship between super bowl champion coaches and a calm confidence that exudes from them and doesn’t need to be at all overt.

Bill Bellichick comes to mind. So does Bill Walsh. There is a reason why Mike Ditka and your daddy as his assistant were one-hit wonders. The talkers at the podium during the week don’t win the ultimate prize year after year. They never do. The ones that talk with actions on Sundays end up hoisting multiple Lombardi’s.

You want to become a super bowl winner someday, coach? A piece of advice for you: keep it under the radar. Quit giving endless bulletin board material.

Your big theme for the season speech to the team that was filmed in training camp for Hard Knocks comes to mind, “$@&% being the hunters, we want to be the hunted! We want to play from on top and have all the pressure! We want people always coming after us!” (And apparently talk every form of trash in the book along the way). What a misguided idiot.

Contrary to that, quit giving teams reasons to see themselves as the hunters and you the hunted. Predators last longer than prey. It’s not an opinion; it’s a fact of nature. There was this guy named Darwin…. oh… well… never mind.

The more teams have reasons to really come after you, the higher the probability that you will get beat than would be otherwise. It’s a simple concept.

And the sad fact is teams don’t want to beat you now because you are on top. You aren’t on top. They want to beat you simply because you talk too much! What a greatly advantageous place to be!

You want to have success in doing something where you can put yourself way out there on a limb? I would forget coaching in the NFL and stick to posting homemade foot-fetish videos.

-Andrew Stevens