Fantasy Football Friday: Week 15 The Playoffs

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Playoffs! Playoffs! Yes, we're talking playoffs. Hopefully you have made the playoffs and are still interested in looking for the best match ups to help you take the title. That is what I'll try to do for you today.

Best Fantasy Match ups of Week 15:

1. Cardinals @ Lions - Last week the Lions let up 47 points to the struggling offense of the Baltimore Ravens. What do you think the Cardinals are going to do after being completely shut down by the 49'ers? Watch out for big points. Larry Fitzgerald may not play, so look for a bigger contribution from Steve Breaston. I wouldn't suggest going for Early Doucette though. That's too much of a stretch in the playoffs. Make sure to start the Cardinals defense though.

2. Cowboys @ Saints - This has the potential of being a shoot out type of game. Personally, I don't think the Cowboys will make it much of a game. They may score 24+ points, but the Saints will score 34 at least in my opinion. Miles Austin is the must start with the way he's play the past 3 weeks (24, 24, 17 points). On the other side, it's the usual, and when I say usual, that now includes Robert Meachem. He only scored 8 points last week, but he did have 5 straight double digit weeks.

3. Texans @ Rams - Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are sure to give you 15+ points a piece. They are just pure fantasy gold. Arian Foster, one of the biggest pickups of the week, will get the start at running back for the Texans. Look for him to get 10+ points easily as he had 10 points in a limited blow out loss last week. Steven Jackson is banged up so if you have the option, put him on the bench for this week. I also like the Texans defense just for the simple fact the Rams have the 25th ranked offense in the NFL.

Put em' in the Lineup:

QB - Carson Palmer, Chad Henne, Kyle Orton

I really look for the Bengals to go off this week in memory of Chris Henry. The Chargers are 10th in the league in pass defense, but you need to throw out the numbers in emotional games like these. Chad Henne has really made some progress as the season goes on. The Titans are still 31st in pass defense, and Henne has looked more confident and comfortable in the pocket each week. I actually like him better than both Hasselbeck and Roethlisburger this week. I have both Hasselbeck and Big Ben, but I am seriously thinking about starting Orton this week. I love his match up against the Raiders.

RB - Jamaal Charles, Lawrence Maroney, Justin Forsett

Jamaal Charles is a must start every week. I don't even know why I have him here. Remember last week, when I ripped Maroney and praised Sammy Morris. It's time for me to flip flop this week after the Pats came out with a completely different looking offense in the 2nd half last week. Forsett has scored a touchdown in each of the past 4 weeks. Look for him to continue that this weekend against the Bucs

WR - Jericho Cotchery, Eddie Royal, Michael Jenkins

The Atlanta Falcons really struggle against the pass. It looks like Sanchez will be back this weekend which should help Cotchery. I may be wrong about this, but I believe the Raiders just might double Brandon Marshall this week. If that is correct, then look for Royal to get at least 5 catches. That's pretty good if you're in a PPR league. As you'll see below, Jenkins will be the beneficiary of Roddy White being covered by Darelle Revis.

TE - Ben Watson, Tony Gonzalez, Fred Davis

From what I've heard and read, the New England Patriots did not have Bill O'Brien calling offensive plays in the 2nd half of the Carolina game. What I do know is that the offensive play calling was much better, i.e. balanced, and finally used the tight end position. Tony the Tiger will also benefit from Roddy White being covered by Revis. Fred Davis has 3 straight games at least 13 points. Look for much of the same against the Giants.

DEF - Jets, Cardinals, Texans

The Jets should smother the Falcons who still do not have Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. The Cardinals are playing the hapless Lions and I really like the Texans defense against the Rams.

Make em' ride the Bench:

QB - Alex Smith, Vince Young, Jay Cutler

Alex Smith has looked pretty good, but he's going up against the ball hawking Eagles. You just might see Asante Samuel go for a pick 6. Is Vince Young going to play? Even if he does, a pulled hamstring is a very tender injury. I hate Jay Cutler. I also don't trust him.

RB - Rashard Mendenhall, LaDanian Tomlinson, Ryan Grant

Mendenhall is going up against the #2 run defense in the league and Ryan Grant is going up against the #1 team. Guess what, they play each other. LT is here because the Bengals whole team will be flying on Sunday. I totally know this is a gut thing, but teams that have an emotional reason to play their best usually do.

WR - Randy Moss, Nate Burelson, Roddy White

Putting Randy Moss here is really hard for me. After 4 bad weeks, I feel like he's going to bust out, especially after being called out by the Media last week. I also feel like He'll continue to be double covered opening up another huge game for Wes Welker. It looks like Nate Burelson will not play. Even if he does, stay away from him. Roddy White is banged up and will be facing off against Darelle Revis. That is not a good match up.

TE - John Carslon, Dustin Keller

Despite scoring his first TD since week 1 last week, I highly suggest staying away from Carlson and his disappointing sophomore season. Dustin Keller has a combined point total of 2 for the past two weeks combined. Ouch. Whatever happened to this kid?

DEF - Bears, Redskins, Chargers

The Ravens offense finally got going last week against the Lions and take on a fraudulent defense in the Bears. Despite the loss to the Eagles last week, Eli Manning and the Giants offense got their groove back. Even with all the front office changes for the Redskins this week, it's still the same team on the field. I am choosing to sit the Chargers defense because the Bengals this week. Let's see if I am right.

Good luck to everyone still in the playoffs!

Red Sox luck out with Lackey

By Rick Eggleston
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Then there’s John Lackey. While Roy Halladay may be this offseason’s coveted pitching prize, the Red Sox aren’t about to let the soon-to-be former Toronto hurler hold them for ransom. Instead Lackey is, and at a reportedly $85 million for five years, the former Angels right-hander will prove to be worth every penny as the Sox regain the throne from the Yankees in possessing the league’s best starting rotation.

Lackey joins a Sox rotation that’s already solid with the likes of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka. His presence now puts the Sox back on par with the Yankees’ starters, who won the World Series after landing last year’s big offseason pitching ticket, CC Sabathia.

Lackey’s pending arrival is reminiscent of 2004’s acquisition of Curt Schilling. A tough customer in his own right, Schilling was at first hesitant to come to Boston and it took the now famous Thanksgiving visit by Sox general manager Theo Epstein and owner John Henry to convince him to sign on the dotted line. Eleven months later, Schilling proved instrumental in leading the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years and then again in 2007.

Likewise, Lackey is a big-game pitcher whose presence will help get Boston back to the World Series, a place he has not been since he led Anaheim to the 2002 title. Needless-to-say, Lackey (11-8 with a 3.81 ERA last season) is hungry for a return there, especially after being eliminated in the playoffs by the Sox twice in the last five years, and most recently by the Yankees this past season. In addition, his fiery, no-nonsense approach to the game has him fitting in well in Boston, whose fans arguably harbored little love for him as an Angel. But now that he’s presumably set to sign with the Sox, they’re more than happy to have him aboard — much like the Celtics’ pick-up of Rasheed Wallace over the summer.

The trick now for the Sox is providing Lackey and company the needed run support that ultimately translates into wins. While Jason Bay’s recent and somewhat surprising prima donna antics certainly aren’t helping things, viable options are out there. It’s just up to Epstein to find them and has with veteran Gold Glove outfielder Mike Cameron poised to join the team today.

Week 14 Recap: Pats Unimpressive In Win

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Patriots won, but questions still remain, as New England looks like it will be one and done in the playoffs.

Patriots 20 (8-5) Panthers 10 (5-8)

It was hard to feel good about this win. The Patriots came out on top, but looked far from a playoff team. After playing uninspired in the first half, the Patriots managed to do just enough in the second half to avoid yet another upset loss. What has happened to the offense? There is just too much talent on the Patriots to only be putting up around 20 points each week.

Colts 28 (13-0) Broncos 16 (8-5)

This was a record breaking day for both teams. Even though he threw 3 picks, Peyton Manning also managed to add 4 TD passes in helping the Colts stay perfect. The win also was the 22nd straight regular season win for the Colts, breaking the record held by the Patriots. The Colts were not the only one breaking records, as Brandon Marshall caught an NFL record 21 passes for 200 yards and 2 TDs for the Broncos.

Saints 26 (13-0) Falcons 23 (6-7)

The Saints are suddenly living dangerously. Behind 3 TD passes by Drew Brees and a late field goal by Garrett Hartley, the Saints managed to sneak by the Falcons in Atlanta. It was the second straight week that the Saints survived a scare, having beaten the Redskins in overtime the week before.

Packers 21 (9-4) Bears 14 (5-8)

It looked like the Pack was poised to blow out the Bears, jumping out to a quick 10-0 lead, but the Bears rallied, taking a 14-13 lead in the 3rd quarter. Hope for an upset quickly faded however, as Jay Cutler threw a costly pick in the 4th quarter to set up the go ahead score by Green Bay. Ryan Grant had a nice game for the Pack, rushing for 137 yards and two scores.

Bills 16 (5-8) Chiefs 10 (3-10)

Can things get any worse for Matt Cassel? Cassel threw four interceptions, including one in the Bills end zone, as the Bills escaped Arrowhead with the win.

Vikings 30 (11-2) Bengals 10 (9-4)

One week after playing his worst game as a pro, Adrian Peterson bounced back nicely. Peterson ran for 97 yards and 2 scores, as the Vikings gained an impressive win at home against the Bengals. The Vikings defense also shinned, holding Carson Palmer to under 100 yards passing.

Jets 26 (7-6) Buccaneers 3 (1-12)

Maybe the Bucs should change QB's again. Josh Freeman threw 3 more interceptions, as the Jets earned an easy win in Tampa. Thomas Jones made things easy for Kellen Clemens, as Jones ran the ball 24 times for 99 yards and two scores in the win.

Dolphins 14 (7-6) Jaguars 10 (7-6)

The Dolphins are doing just enough to stay alive in the wild card race. Behind 108 yards and a TD from Ricky Williams, the Dolphins managed to pull off another upset, this time in Jacksonville. Miami is now right in the middle of the playoff picture.

Ravens 48 (7-6) Lions 3 (2-11)

You never know what to expect from Baltimore. After looking terrible against the Packers on Monday night, the Ravens were great against the Lions on Sunday. The win keeps the Ravens in the hunt for a spot in the post season.

Texans 34 (6-7) Seahawks 7 (5-8)

This is the Texans team many people expected to see this season. Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson were the show, hooking up for two scores in an easy win at home.

Titans 48 (6-7) Rams 3 (1-12)

The Titans may have won big, but may have lost Vince Young to injury in the process. With Young missing most of the game with a leg injury, Kerry Collins was back in at QB. Collins only needed to hand off to Chris Johnson however, as Johnson went over 100 yards and added a pair of scores. The win keeps the Titans slim chances at the playoffs alive.

Redskins 34 (4-9) Raiders 13 (4-9)

Hail to the Redskins! The Redskins offense has come to life, scoring 30 or more points for the second straight week. The defense also came up big, getting 8 sacks in the win at Oakland.

Chargers 20 (10-3) Cowboys 17 (8-5)

Wade Phillips saw a real team of winners beat his Cowboys this week. The Chargers made it 8 straight wins, and the Cowboys continue their history of December fades, losing their first two games of this month.

Eagles 45 (9-4) Giants 38 (7-6)

DeSean Jackson's two TDs, one which was on a punt return, helped the Eagles win a shootout over the Giants at the Meadowlands. The win gives the Eagles possession of first place in the NFC East.

Monday Night Football: Cardinals Seek Another NFC West Title

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

These Arizona Cardinals are rare birds.

With a win over the San Fransisco 49ers on MNF, the Cardinals will win consecutive division titles for the first time in over 30 years. A generation has passed since the last time the Cardinals franchise has had this kind of success.

Some may say, including myself for much of the season, that the Cardinals are only winning division titles because of the weak competition in the NFC West. While the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers are not exactly NFL powerhouses, the Cardinals are starting to show that they are more than a team that wins just because of their schedule. Need proof? Then look no further than last week when the Cardinals dominated the Minnesota Vikings, handing Brett Favre and the Vikings just their second loss of the season.

Kurt Warner has been the key to the turnaround in the desert. Warner has been on fire lately, throwing 12TDs and no picks in his last four games. Having weapons like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, who is finally healthy, certainly makes life much easier for any QB, but it all comes back to Warner. After missing a game in Tennessee due to a concussion, the Arizona offense struggled with Matt Lienart under center. Once Warner returned to action, the offense was clicking again. If the Cards are going to do any real damage in the playoffs, then it is imperative that Warner stay healthy.

Although the offense generally gets the headlines for Arizona, the defense has also contributed. Last week they harassed Brett Favre, sacking him 3 times, and intercepting him twice. The run defense was also impressive holding all pro running back Adrian Peterson to a season low 19 rushing yards.

If the Cards can play like this the rest of the season, then they could be one of the few teams in the NFL that could upset the New Orleans Saints. The Cardinals however should not be looking too far ahead, and must first deal with the 49ers. The Cards have played down to their competition at times (think of the home loss to Carolina), and the 49ers have started to look better on offense. Alex Smith has started to show signs of looking like a franchise QB at times, and Michael Crabtree has helped get the 49ers offense moving.

If the 49ers are going to pull off the upset at Candlestick however, it will be with their defense. Constant pressure must be applied to Warner if the 49ers have any shot. Problem is that the Vikings, who have a better defense than San Fransisco, were not able to do that last week with any real consistency.

In the end, Kurt Warner will have another big day, and Cardinals will have their back to back division titles.

Prediction: Cardinals 34 49ers 13

Week 14 Predictions: Pats Falling Apart?

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Back to back losses, and a player calling out his coach have helped make it a very rough week in Foxboro. Are the Patriots falling apart? Or will they rally and get back into the win column? We will have to wait and see.

Here are this weeks picks.

Patriots 24 Panthers 16

The Pats will get a win, put it will be yet another unimpressive performance - on both sides of the ball. If they don't win, then wheels could fall off the wagon. At this point the Patriots season looks pretty clear. Win the division, host a game on wild card weekend, and maybe get to the second round at best.

Saints 34 Falcons 10

It doesn't matter if Matt Ryan plays or not, because the Saints look like a team of destiny. Unlike last week, Drew Brees will not have pull out a miracle win. The Saints will remain unbeaten.

Packers 30 Bears 17

Aaron Rodgers and the Pack were fortunate to win last week against the Ravens, committing a ton of penalties and turnovers. They will be sharper this week. A division game against hated rival, gives the Pack plenty of reasons to stay motivated. The Packers make it five wins in a row.

Colts 34 Bronces 24

The Colts make it 22 consecutive regular season wins - breaking a record held by the New England Patriots. A win over the Broncos will also secure the top seed for the Colts in the playoffs. Could we see two undefeated teams in the Super Bowl?

Bills 17 Chiefs 13

The Bills can't score, but the Chiefs are terrible on defense. The Bills will do just enough on offense to get the win.

Vikings 28 Bengals 13

Brett Favre and the Vikings will bounce back after a poor performance last time out against the Cardinals. Adrian Peterson is also due for a big game. After gaining only 19 yards against the Cards, Peterson is a good bet to crack the century mark this week.

Jets 20 Buccaneers 13

The Jets are getting right back into the playoff picture. Thomas Jones will get a ton of carries, and Kellen Clemens will not be much of a down grade from Mark Sanchez, as the Jets will make it three straight wins.

Jaguars 21 Dolphins 17

Chad Henne will come crashing back down to earth after last weeks big game against New England. The Jaguars will take a huge step towards the playoffs, but too bad nobody will be there to see it. The game figures to be blacked out once again.

Ravens 33 Lions 21

The Ravens have been unpredictable this year. One week they look good, the next terrible. After a horrid performance on MNF against the Packers, it is time for Joe Flacco to step it up. He will, and the Ravens will get the win.

Seahawks 22 Texans 20

The disappointing season for the Texans will continue. Texans coach Gary Kubiak looks to be out of a job at the end of this season.

Titans 27 Rams 10

The Titans will start a new winning streak, and the Rams are the perfect opponent to help get it started. The Titans get the win, and stay in the discussion for the post season.

Redskins 31 Raiders 14

It is time the Redskins catch a break. After playing playoff teams like the Eagles and Saints tough, the Redskins will take out some frustration against the Raiders.

Chargers 38 Cowboys 21

Wade Phillips might want to rethink his statement that the Cowboys are a "team of winners" after this week. The Chargers will make it eight straight wins with an impressive win in Dallas.

Giants 24 Eagles 21

Just when it looked like the Giants were all but done, New York will find a way to get back into the race for the NFC East. The G-men will make it two wins in two weeks over division rivals, having beaten the Cowboys the week before.

Cardinals 34 49ers 13

Kurt Warner looked great against the Vikings, finding Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin all game long. The 49ers simply do not have the weapons to keep up with the Cardinals.

Fantasy Football Friday: Week 14 Saturday Edition

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Well, first off I need to apologize. You see, I simply didn't know yesterday was Friday. No excuses, I screwed up and lost track of the days. Apparently that happens when you have newborn twins in the house and your on leave from work. Enough of that, now onto Fantasy Football. This is week 14 so you should either be in your last regular season week or the first week of playoffs. Either way, you're gearing up for a big championship run or playing the spoiler. If you're season is over and you have the chance to prevent someone from making the playoffs, make sure to keep your fantasy integrity and put out your best lineup.

Fantasy Match Ups of the Week:

1. Eagles @ Giants - I simply love this NFC East match up for fantasy this week. Both starting QB's are good to go this week. Normally I really like Philly's D, but something about this game screams big point on both sides. Brian Westbrook is out again, so keep looking for LeSean Jackson. It's also time to start Jason Avant. While doing research, I also like Kevin Boss in this game as he had a good game against the Eagles earlier this season.

2. Chargers @ Cowboys - The same goes for this match up. Phillip Rivers and Tony Romo are primed for big games. I am not a huge fan of LT this week, but do love Gates and Vince Jackson. Please forget about both defenses and look for Miles Austin to have a 3rd straight big game.

3. Seahawks @ Texans - The Seahawks are 1-5 on the road this season. Forget about that this week. They may not win, but they'll put up some fantasy points. Jim Mora Jr. continues using Julius Jones (I don't know why) so don't expect too much for Justin Forsett. You can look to his usual TJ Housh and Nate Burelson though. What ever you do stay away from John Carlson. He's like fantasy poison. On the other side, I think Matt Schaub will be fine. The Seahawks give a ton of yards up in the air so both Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter should have double digit fantasy games.

Put em' in the lineup:

QB - Joe Flacco, Bruce Gradkowski, Matt Moore

Flacco will have an easy double digit game against the Lions. If you play in a deep, deep league and are in need of a QB for some reason, don't feel bad about using Gradkowksi against the Redskins. He's played very well against the Steelers last week with over 300 yards and 3 TD's. I know I am really going out on a limb with this one, but trust me, Matt Moore will have a good game against the Patriots

RB - Jamaal Charles, Quinton Ganther, Sammy Morris

I love Jamaal Charles lately and especially against Bills run defense. Ganther is simply a better back than Rock Cartwright and he'll get more touches. Sammy Morris will get more carries than Maroney as the Pats need a more straight forward runner against the Panthers defense.

WR - Robert Meachem, Steve Smith (CAR)

Robert Meachem has turned himself into a must 3rd WR start every week with his play. I love the original Steve Smith against the struggling Patriots defense.

TE- JerMichael Finley, Jason Witten

Finley looked fantastic last week hauling in 7 catches and a touchdown. Look for him to finish the season strong. Yes, we did have a Jason Witten sighting last week. I've always been a fan and look for him to continue to help that Dallas offense down the stretch.

DEF - Jets, Cardinals

I love the Jets defense against Tampa Bay this weekend. Same thing goes for the Cardinals. Did you see the way they played on Monday night? There will be no letdown this week.

Make em' ride the bench:

QB - Jay Cutler, Kellen Clemens

I really don't like Jay Cutler, especially in big games. Don't trust Kellen Clemens. The Bucs defense isn't that bad.

RB - Lawrence Maroney, Brandon Jacobs, Justin Forsett

We all know I am not a big fan of Maroney. Like I said above, I just expect his touches to be reduced with Sammy Morris on the field as well. Last week was not something you should expect from Brandon Jacobs. Don't start him against Philly. I know I will not. I really like Forsett, I just don't think he'll get enough touches to warrant a start.

WR - Sam Aiken, Antonio Bryant

Aiken has looked pretty good lately, but look for a heavy dose of Wes Welker tomorrow. Antonio Bryant meet Darelle Revis. Expect to be shut down.

TE- Benjamin Watson, John Carlson

Is Watson even on this team anymore? Where have you gone John Carlson? Apparently to the waiver wire.

DEF - Patriots, Broncos

Do you get a theme from me this week. Don't get me wrong, the Patriots will win this game, but I think it'll be a lot closer than you think. I just don't trust the defense at all. It's not that I don't like the Broncos, I just don't like their defense taking on the Colts

Good luck with the Playoffs

Pats have so much to prove vs. Panthers

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's gut-check time Patriots.

Do you guys have the stones to fight to the bitter end, or are you just happy to be collecting a paycheck?

No one is happy with the New England Patriots right now --players, coaches and especially the fans.

For a team that had Super Bowl aspirations to begin the season, it feels like the season is going down the toilet -- sort of like Charlie Weis' head job did at Notre Dame.

But the Patriots desperately need a victory, and the Carolina Panthers are coming to town and should be able to help out the wounded Pats.

Yes, I said should, but that doesn't mean it will happen.

See, every time you think the Pats should win, they let you down. Here's reality fans: The Pats haven't beaten a real good team (they have wins vs. Buffalo, Atlanta, Baltimore, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Miami and N.Y. Jets), so they're feasting on the weak.

Well, the Panthers are the weak, especially with Matt Moore at quarterback.

Who? Matt Moore?

Yup, the backup to starter Jake Delhomme, whose nursing a broken finger and will be out of action on Sunday.

There's now way Moore can pick apart the Pats' secondary, can he? Well, I thought that last week against Miami, and Chad Henne (over 300 yards passing) looked like Joe Montana.

So Moore can expose the Pats, but don't bet on it.

Carolina coach John Fox is captain conservative so don't expect to see Moore air it out like Henne did. But when they do throw, WR Steve Smith better be double-covered on every play. He's too explosive to be covered by any sub-par corner from the Pats, so expect to see a safety over the top of him to prevent big plays down the field. They better focus on taking Smith away or he'll burn them and burn them bad.

What the Panthers do well -- and better than most teams in the league -- is run the football. You would figure DeAngelo Williams should be back from an ankle injury that kept him out last week's Tampa Bay game, and the other part of the two-headed monster is Jonathan Stewart. They both can pound between the tackles and break away from defenders on the outside.

The Pats better stop the run or they're in big, big trouble. They not only will get gashed by the run, but then Moore might actually have success throwing the ball, even to Smith.

Offensively, the Pats need to put the pedal to the medal from the first quarter all the way until the final whistle in the fourth quarter. They always leave way too many points on the field.

This unit also needs that killer instinct. That goes for everyone, from Tom Brady to Wes Welker to Randy Moss. And those three better get the job done, even though Carolina's best strength is against the pass. The Panthers, led by ball-hawking cornerbacks Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall, have 17 INTs on the year, but Moss and Welker are extremely tough matchups.

But the Pats need to commit a bit more to the run with Laurence Maroney, who has done a very good job in my book, Sammy Morris and third-down specialist Kevin Faulk. But committing and being productive are two different things. If you run on two straight plays for 2-3 yards, the advantage is on the defense as far as down and distance on third down and they know you're going to throw.

So they need to produce both with the run and pass, but the biggest thing is moving the chains and putting points on the board.

The play-calling needs to improve, too. It's frustrating watching the Pats be too predictable. They throw and throw and throw to get a lead, and when they do they take the air out of the football and run on first and second down, and then have to throw on third-and-long and the defense is prepared for it. How about a screen pass? Remember when that was a staple in the playbook? Open up the playbook coaches, now is the time to be creative because the same old plays are getting stale -- long to Moss and short to Welker, with a few runs sprinkled in.

Chad's Take: The Patriots have so much to prove this week. I think we're going to see what kind of team they really are. Are they fighters with a passion to win, or are they pretenders that might sneak into the playoffs and then get hammered in the first round?

I think this is still a playoff team, but one that has so many issues, offensively and defensively, along with chemistry concerns between the players and coaching staff.

Carolina will give the Pats fits. Williams and Stewart will pound away at the Pats' run defense, chew up the clock and keep the Pats' offense on the sidelines. The Pats will be frustrated by the Panthers, but they have too much power on offense to be completely held down. Not to mention the Panthers struggle throwing the ball so they won't light up the scoreboard.

The Pats get it done, but still leave their fans wondering if they'll ever play a complete game.

Prediction: Patriots, 23-14