Well, after seeing some of their insane win against Socialist America's Team, I gotta go with the Cards.

No need to watch anymore. The Patriots season is done, which makes everything in the world peaceful and lovely until about March/April when the NBA Playoffs peer around the corner.

Now, I have to tune my radar into hyper negative thoughts for the Boston Celtics in the Spring and the NY Yankees in the Fall.

George,

That ain't cool because I went to high school with Aaron Rodgers, thought he was a sheltered d*** like every other star athlete, and now I am rooting for him for absolutely no sane reason other than I went to high school with him. I don't like the cheese heads either, but they can be swallowed now without Brett Favre leading them and crying at press conferences.

If I were playing, Dallas would be the safe bet

I'm going with Arizona.

Ryan, you brought your own weird stuff to interpreting my comment. Green Bay is the only team I give a damn about because they are the only team with a sensible ownership structure, and the only one where the owner won't ever try to pull a blackmail stunt a la Paulson. I think Socialist America's Team is a compliment, not a dig. We need more teams like GB -- oh, and a Supreme Court that will slap the NFL silly for trying to pretend to be a "single entity" for all purposes, thus making them anti-trust-proof.

I will take the JETS

The quest for perfection lives!!

Based on this article: http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/colts_to_rest_starters_for, I'm picking Baltimore.

Pick is serious, reasoning is not.

I like the Ravens in Indy, even though in the Ray Lewis vs. Peyton Manning era, Baltimore's never won there. Ravens have lots of weapons, on defense & special teams as well, and will control the ball on offense with great rushers and backfield pass-catchers. They can cover the Colts WRs and will punish them early & often. Manning may end up with multiple rug burns, and then pitch another hissy fit, blaming his teammates in defeat. NO is too strong on both sides of the ball for the Cards, and the SD passing game will squeak out a win over the Jets, alas. Jets would be a second choice, their defense could get to Rivers (if SD's doesn't get to rookie Sanchez first). Cowboys have a losing road playoff history (9-11), and Favre will not be denied (yet).

As much as I'd like to see New Orleans vs. San Diego in the Super Bowl, Arizona looks like the best of the four underdogs this week.

Kurt Warner goes into overdrive in the playoffs, and he has the weapons to shred New Orleans' inconsistent defense. Even if they were kind of resting people the last few weeks, the Saints aren't going into the playoffs with the momentum that's so important--especially for a team without a history of post-season success.

George,

Yeah, I like the concept of fan-owned franchises too. Furthermore, I am absolutely entranced by employee-owned businesses such as Full Sail Brewing out of Hood River, OR.

I only wish that my favorite beer company, Sierra Nevada, would be employee owned, but Ken Grossman is sure making a fortune out of the United States 2nd best selling craft beer company :(

When employees/fans have am economic and local stake in their company/franchise, then the ever increasing short-term profit mentality fed by non-local and foreign investors is replaced by an attention to the medium and long-term viability. I do not know of many employee-owned businesses who forsake quality of product for contracts that increases their distribution. All the employee-owned businesses I know of, tend to focus on quality and increasing their reputation locally and regionally.

Some would rightfully counter that a lack of diversification in your company's investor base limits long-term financial sustainability, but I have yet to see the evidence for their argument.

As for the underdogs, I am liking Arizona to beat New Orleans and Dallas to bowl over Minnesota.

New Orleans is in a complete funk having lost their last three games decidedly. Then again, it is the New Orleans Saints who until this season along with the Cleveland Browns, have been perennial dogs for the last 20 some odd years.

Minnesota is vulnerable with Adrian Peterson's past and very recent history of fumbling the ball at inopportune times. I also do not like Minnesota's weak secondary against Tony Romo and his receiving core. Furthermore, Brett Favre has had one or two playoff games where he choked at the end with an interception and add a penchant with Brett to ignore called plays, I can foresee at least 1 long ball that should have never been thrown.

There are no atheists in foxholes, nor in underdog pools when you're in fourth with two weeks to go.
So while it's hard for me to pick against the Saints, I'm going with Kurt Warner ("HIS favorite quarterback") and the Cardinals, whom I know HE loves since made so many of them in HIS College.

Gimme Arizona.

I'll take the Cardinals.