Hate to say it but the old bastard really is playing some of his best ball EVER

Louis New England at Miami (4) Okay, I think I can say this without any hesitation; the Patriots are not a great team anymore. I can’t believe I just said that about a team with Tom Brady starting at QB and Bill Belichick coaching. That team got ran out of New Orleans and that defense is just AWFUL Put them up against a good offense and they get shredded. What is it with the Patriots struggling on the road Did you ever think you’d see the Patriots flexed OUT of a Sunday night game The Dolphins can still give the Patriots some wild cat trouble, but unless Chad Henne can attack the Patriots secondary, the Pats should win easily here. I know they’re drilling bad teams, but I’m thinking of next week when they come calling to The Death Star in Arlington to face the Cowboys Again, classic case of a hot team playing a cold team. If the Chargers rolled up an improving, but not good Chiefs team, God only knows what they’ll do here. This is one of those games I could go back and forth with for hours Obviously, Vegas thinks the same thing Pick: Seattle Dallas at N.Y.

Giants (1) It’s December and we all know what that means for the Cowboys over the last few years. But, as usual, I’m going to hope against hope that this team actually plays its best ball when it matters most which is NOW. Not to be a Cowboys excuse maker, BUT they do have arguably the toughest schedule in the NFL from here on out. This is a game they MUST win as they are going up against a battered Giants defense and a sluggish Eli Manning who really hasn’t been the same since the plantar fasciitis. The Cowboys control their own destiny as they face all three NFC East division opponents (Giants, Redskins and Filthy Philly) along with a home games against the San Diego Chargers and a road game at New Orleans.

Winning their division games will seal the division and at least guarantee that they go into the playoffs with some positive momentum. If they blow it here, expect the same old December/January blues from these Cowboys. You can also expect Tony Romo and Miles Austin’s trip to Vegas over their 10-day post-Thanksgiving layoff to be called into question as well. Let’s see how much trash Brandon Jacobs talks here if the Cowboys shut his fat butt down. Maybe Tony Romo can inscribe something on the Giants Stadium locker room wall after the Cowboys win like “Just won the last meaningful game ever played here T.R. – December 6, 2009.” Pick: Dallas Minnesota at Arizona (3) NBC has their wet flex dream here as they get Brett Favre and the rolling Vikings in what could be a shootout with the Cardinals.

Hate to say it, but the old bastard really is playing some of his best ball EVER. Twenty-four TDs and three picks this late into the season for Favre, is near impossible to imagine considering he had been averaging in the high teens (pick-wise) the last three years.It really has been the perfect fit for him; great running game, great offensive line, great rookie receiver, and a dominant pass rush. Kurt Warner is still questionable for this one which could mean more Matt Leinart. Baltimore’s defense has been playing better as the season has gone on and Ray Rice is running the ball hard. This could be a game where the absence of Aaron Kampman and Al Harris is felt for the Packers. For some reason, Joe Flacco doesn’t look nearly as confident as he did last season. Pick: Green Bay. JERUSALEM, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Israel said on Wednesday that talks were still underway with Egypt over a ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip despite French President Nicolas Sarkozy's announcement that the plan had been accepted by the Jewish state."We welcome the French-Egyptian initiative.