Outside Oberlin

By the way, where did the Niners' dignity go?

You all suck.

That's all I have to say. I offer you a chance to see your ideas printed in the college paper, and I don't hear a word from you. I have no more ideas people! Ah well. There's always a rambling coverage of the NFL...

The AFC East is the division to watch in the conference, but mostly by default. Out of the five teams likely to vie for the three AFC wild cards, three - New England, Miami and Buffalo - are in the East. While the New England Patriots are unraveling fast, having suffered three division losses in their last four games, the Miami Dolphins have a lighter remaining schedule including two games against the Jets, while the Buffalo Bills get Thurman Thomas back this Sunday against the mediocre New York Giants.

The latter two teams will likely make the playoffs, but they're both getting old and lost their grooves somewhere in the middle of the season. They'll need to get them back and get healthy soon to progress in the playoffs. Of course, if Kansas City beats Minnesota this Sunday, even making the playoffs becomes more of a struggle. And if New England is still in it by week 16, this one could go down to the wire when Buffalo travels to Foxboro on Dec. 26.

Meanwhile, I'll say it again and probably not for the last time: can you believe there was even a question two years ago about Ryan Leaf vs. Peyton Manning? And is there a Nobel Prize in team architecture for Colts' general manager Bill Polian?

Okay, here's an original thought: the Indianapolis Colts will win the division and probably face Jacksonville in the AFC championship. Going purely on the basis of statistics, either Indy or the Jags would face the Rams for the NFL title. What kind of sick and twisted world are we in here? The worst part being that the statistics are pretty damn accurate as to the abilities of the respective teams. Regardless, if the Colts can get past Jacksonville - all of this assumes of course that we're predicting the playoffs accurately with four weeks to go in the regular season - they should put together a solid win over whatever team comes out of the NFC.

The Jacksonville Jaguars' current success in the AFC Central just begs the question: Why in the hell can't expansion teams do this well in the NBA? Jacksonville, who everyone forgot about after the Carolina Panthers enjoyed a surprisingly successful inaugural season, are taking no prisoners en route to the league's best record at 11-1. Their only loss was a one point defeat at the hands of the Titans back in week three. The Jags have done it on the shoulders of an offense that for an average of almost four yards a carry, and the healed shoulder of Mark Brunell. Brunell's only rated at 84.8 though, worrisome since the line has been getting a little worn as the season goes on. Playing in a thin division certainly has helped.

In fact, this could be the least exciting division around - technically the AFC West crown is up for grabs by anyone. In the Central, the Tennessee Titans are the only ones still making a playoff push, and with their win over Baltimore last night their slightly shaky footing has solidified considerably. The Pittsburgh Steelers were a confusing disappointment with tough wins and very ill-timed losses leading many to say Cowher will be seeking employment elsewhere. To make an even further reaching prediction, it could well be Denver. The Cleveland Browns never had a shot, but you get the feeling some serious groundwork has been laid. Now if they could just get an offensive line.

And in the West, just in time for Armageddon, the Seattle Seahawks reign supreme. Much of their success is a testament of Mike Holmgren's ability to create a team that works together at everything. That's why the Packers were seemingly so deep and so tough and that's why the Seahawks will be the same for at least a few years. A bit of boozehound trivia for you: alphabetically, the first player on the Seahawks roster is Sam Adams.

The Kansas City Chiefs are still hanging tough, and with games against Seattle and Oakland in the last two weeks of the season, they'll be a constant threat to take the division. But just because this division is tight like either East or the NFC Central doesn't mean it's as strong. The division winner and wild card (if one comes out of here) could make it out of the first round, but it'll end there.

No comments on the Denver Broncos; it's just too many things at once for any analysis.

While anyone could win the AFC West, we'll lay money that the current NFC East leading 'Skins will miss the playoffs entirely. After that and with all due respect, it really doesn't matter who makes the playoffs. Dallas has the best shot based on upcoming schedule, but without Irvin, they're not going far.

If you've glanced at the standings in any sports section, you know that the NFC Central is where the action is. Rather than speak to what the final weeks hold, or even the what the playoff paths might look like, let's jump to season's end for each team:

Detroit Lions: The clock strikes 12 in the second round, but not before the Lions faithful have cluttered the stands with 'Batch not Barry' signs. In the offseason, management shores up the depth problems on both lines through trades, signings, and draftings, and all is copasetic in the Motor City.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: If these guys don't get home field advantage against their mainly domed opponents, we bid the Bucs a fond adieu. Following season's end, Tony Dungee gets an extension for figuring how to win without Warren Sapp or what's-his-face the running back.

Green Bay Packers: If the Pack even makes the playoffs, they will almost certainly suffer a first-round loss, after which superstar quarterback Brett Favre will begin to mutter about a trade. But this mighty team fell of its own accord, so I'm not getting nostalgic.

Minnesota Vikings: At best, they win it all. At worst, they bow out gracefully in the second round to the Rams. Yeah, I'll stick my neck out and say that the Vikings are into the playoffs. Staying there is dependant on their run defense.

The NFC overall is in need of realignment, perhaps with Arizona coming out of the East, Carolina and Atlanta out of the West, and any change that would prevent Tampa Bay vs. Minnesota from being a divisional clash. Some have argued that moving the Cardinals out West would weaken that division further but that's just bunk with Arizona's play last year, the Rams rise to power this year and the fact that the rest of the West is having... off years.

The New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons are veritable poster children for the far reaching effects of injuries to marquee players. Mike Ditka's heart is in the right places down in New Orleans, but his mind gets a bit scattered - especially at press conferences - and a healthy Ricky Williams anchoring the team on the field should get Ditka focused on the sidelines... next year. The Falcons just break your heart. From last years Super Bowl to this years bottom feeders in just one preseason injury.

Prompted in part by this weekend's 49ers-Hawks matchup, this was supposed to be a dissertation on the Twilight Zone the NFL has become. But that point has been driven into the ground (plus Eben did a piece on it a month ago) and it became easier to do some picking at the teams that are going places this season. Moreover, and here's the one bit of sentiment for this weeks musings: yeah, they lost to the Browns, the Bengals and the Saints, and the title may be catchy (I hope), but it misses the point. It doesn't matter what the experts and analysts and random sports editors at small Midwestern colleges say.

Denver played for nothing more than pride against Oakland two weeks ago. The Jets and the Hawks could have folded completely but chose to work with what they had and play each game, not just show up and go through the motions. Chicago, playing in the toughest division out there, plays with all the right moves - just not enough of them - so you know that Sweetness is smiling down from above.

The mighty may have fallen this year, but every time Steve Young picks himself up and dusts himself off and hunkers down behind his linemen for another down, we know exactly where to find his - and the team's - pride.