Dallas Cowboys (1-1) at San Diego Chargers (1-0)

I am the person who doesn't care about preseason until the final preseason week. The last game tends to mean a lot more, as it helps set a tone for the regular season. So, I would suspect that the regular season starters would play at least a full quarter this week.

Tony Romo	4,483 Yards	63.1%	26 TD - 9 INT
Marian Barber	932 Yards	214 Carries	7 TD
Felix Jones	685 Yards	116 Carries	3 TD
Miles Austin	1,320 Yards	81 Catches	11 TD
Jason Witten	1,030 Yards	94 Catches	2 TD
DeMarcus Ware	57 Tackles	5 FF	11 Sacks

This is preseason, folks. Wins and Loses don't mean squat, at least, until, you realize that teams who have a winning preseason, will typically go to the postseason, or at least if you having a losing preseason, you don't do the playoffs. Winning in your preseason, doesn't equal playoffs, but losing in the preseason typically means no playoffs for you.

Forecast: What is important in this game is what the starters do... second team is also important, but the main thing is what the first team does, and that is what I would take into account as I give this prediction. I really like the Cowboys to make some noise this year. I expect the first team to be leading when they hand the ball to the second, who should also get some points. I am NOT going to dig into prospects and such right now, as this is preseason, and I am not all that interested. I expect the Cowboys to grab 10 points with Romo at QB, although the reports of the offensive line being, well, offensive. Um, the third and fourth team blew for the Cowboys last week, but they third and fourth team were playing the Raiders second team, so, go figure. Think about that, the Cowboys fourth team wasn't as good as the Raiders second team, whup-de-freakin'-do. Cowboys lead after the first quarter, who really cares after that. Final may look like this: Cowboys 24-20 or Chargers 20-17... who really knows?

Bears Sign Peppers; Rolle Becomes Richest Safety

By RACHEL COHEN AP Sports Writer

The Chicago Bears were big spenders as NFL teams entered the free agency period unconstrained by a salary cap, signing top prize Julius Peppers.

The New York Giants also got in on the action Friday, making Pro Bowler Antrel Rolle the richest safety in the league in the waning hours of the opening day of free agency.

Miami and Atlanta were also active, with the Dolphins agreeing to terms with Rolle's former Arizona teammate, linebacker Karlos Dansby, and the Falcons and cornerback Dunta Robinson also coming to terms.

The Bears also added running back Chester Taylor from Minnesota and blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna from San Diego.

Divisional Playoff Brackets

Divisional Games:

• Saturday: Baltimore at Tennessee (3:30 CST)
• Saturday: Arizona at Carolina (7:15 CST)
• Sunday: Philadelphia at NY Giants (Noon CST)
• Sunday: San Diego at Pittsburgh (3:45 CST)

Quickpicks? Baltimore, Carolina, Giants and Steelers.

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Wild Card Game: Colts at Chargers

This is a rematch of the game played on November 23rd. The Colts won that game by 3 points. The Chargers have won their last four games to make the playoffs, entering the postseason with an 8-8 record. Indianopolis finished with a 12-4 record. The Colts have won their last 9 games. And who is going to pick a team who is 12-4 with 9 wins in a row entering the playoffs as a STRONG wildcard? Well, it would just be foolish... to pick the Chargers.

Quarterback Comparison

Name	QB Rating	Comp-Att	Comp %	Yards	TD-Int	Fumbles
Peyton Manning	95.0	371-555	66.8%	4,002	27-12	1
Philip Rivers	105.5	312-478	65.3%	4,009	34-11	8

Wow, based on statistics, Rivers is the better QB. He has more TDs, fewer interceptions, just a little more yardage and a higher QB rating. He has eight fumbles, four lost, which is a lot more than Manning, who has one fumble that wasn't lost.

Rushing Comparison

Name	Carries	Yards	TDs	Catches	Yards	TDs
Joseph Addai (Colts)	155	544	5	25	206	2
Dominic Rhodes (Colts)	152	538	6	45	302	3
LaDainian Tomlinson	292	1,110	11	52	426	1

Tomlinson is better than the Colts rushers combined, except when you consider the catching part of the game, then the Colts rushers are better. Still, I would personally like to have Tomlinson over the Colts rushers. But that is just me.

Receiving Comparison

Name	Catches	Yards	TDs	Fumbles
Reggie Wayne	82	1,145	6	0
Dallas Clark	77	848	6	2
Anthony Gonzalez	57	664	4	0
Vincent Jackson	59	1,098	7	1
Antonio Gates	60	704	8	1
Chris Chambers	33	462	5	0

The Colts have the better receivers. Although Vincent Jackson is a serious threat for the Chargers. Whatever game Jackson has for the Charges is going to determine the way that San Diego will go... and the same goes for Wayne and Clark for the Colts.

Defense Comparison

Name	Tackles	Sacks	Ints-TD	Deflections
Kelvin Hayden	42	0.0	3-1	12
Robert Mathis	47	11.5	0-0	3
Dwight Freeney	28	10.5	0-0	0
Eric Weddle	127	1.0	1-0	5
Quentin Jammer	88	0.0	2-0	19
Shaun Phillips	76	7.5	0-0	4

I like the Chargers defense on this one, at least the pass rush. Pass defense? It's about the same. Forecast: The numbers tell me San Diego, of all things. But my gut tells me that the obvious thing is to go with the Colts. It just makes sense to go with the Colts. And that is what I will do. Colts take this one 27-13.

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NFL Playoffs 2009

How will the playoffs go? Well... let's see the obvious.

• Titans will be one and done.
• Vikings will drop the wild-card game, thus sending the Eagles to play against the Giants.
• Arizona will also will be one and done.
• Panthers take out the Falcons.
• Giants vs. the Eagles... I will take the Giants, although I am tempted to pick the Eagles.
• Ravens vs. Dolphins... I am trying to care. Ravens have a better team. Ravens.
• Colts vs. Chargers... Chargers.

That's going to be the extent for now. I'm still sick from the Cowboys loss.

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Pre-Season Game 1: Cowboys at Chargers

Well, this is preseason and the first game for the Cowboys, at that. It is really difficult to say who will win the first few games of the preseason… it is not until you get to the last two games that you really see how things are going to take shape, and even those, the first team doesn’t hang for the entire game.

Since this is pre-season… and the 1st team will more than likely play one two series (maybe three for some…) and the second and third strings will be playing most of the way through, look for the Cowboys to still manhandle the Chargers for the majority of the game. Maybe. Yes, I am on the Cowboys bandwagon for the Super Bowl this year… but I am a bit leery about the whole thing. I’ll give the ‘boys the benefit of the doubt on the preseason games, but look for tougher criticism when the regular season starts.
Forecast: Cowboys second and third teams are better than the Chargers second and third teams... well, at least the second teams. Score: 27-13.

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