pantaloons

Will keep this brief: Charles - unbelievable. Such an innocuous fall. To lose a guy who will likely be the MVP runner-up in the first couple of minutes of a playoff game is so, so cruel. Maybe he's faking it and we're resting him for Denver though. Maybe it's my pessimism (ably backed up by Charles' injury and the fact we haven't won a playoff game in 20 years), but I don't consider this over. Negative cues I'm wary of: a Davis fumble, Mathis starts to get loose, Indy protects the ball and moves it consistently, putting points on the board. I used the injuries as an excuse on here in the earlier game against San Diego and to a lesser extent a couple afterwards, but Houston and Hali make our D work. We're seeing that today.

Strewth! You lads are on the KC BBQ pills! I just picked us because I'm excited to be in the playoffs!

For the record, I'm going: Saints 34-27 49ers 34-24 Bengals 38-20 And while every piece of pessimism and history tells me not to pick KC... Chiefs 23-21

Guys, thanks very much for comp and the weekly discussion. I've really enjoyed it. Go Chiefs.

Yes, sorry, you're spot on with the Fox coverage!! Disregard my comments!!!!

Titan, I'm fairly certain we'll lose this week. We can't move up or down from the #5 spot and should rest Charles and Bowe, the latter after a concussion, and I'd sit Smith for the second half. That's pretty much our offensive skill positions out. I'd give Houston some time in since he hasn't played since early in the last game against San Diego. I wouldn't read anything into our last matchup with them as we went in short-handed and lost the foundation of our defense (Houston and Hali) when we were whipping them and couldn't stop them after that. The amount we lose by will be determined by what's on the line for San Diego and how motivated they are if their season has just finished minutes before the game starts. As for OneHD, they should have a lot more or an AFC focus, as they get two CBS games and the SNF game. Foxtel gets the predominantly NFC-focused Fox games. Within that though, I'm not sure how they or CBS choose which games from which timeslot we get.

Hmmmm... Denver Carolina I'll take Green Bay with Rodgers in

What a disgraceful bunch of pretenders. I'll have no sympathy for us if we have to go up to New England in week 1. Edit: this game appears to have been rigged by all accounts though. A series of shameful penalties at key times. Taunting on Poe of all people on 4th down? Lol.

Lol at OneHD. Of the nine 1pm games, only two feature both teams out of the playoff picture and they're playing one of them. Pittsburgh-Green Bay would be the third or fourth most interesting of the five 4pm games as well. They need to work things out with CBS a bit better, I don't know how it's organised but that's putrid.

Personally, I think it could be for the best. We need to use this to our advantage and try to completely bomb. We could legitimately use injuries as an excuse to the fans (Kobe, Nash, Blake, Farmar) even though we're not very good in the first place. If we remain around .500 and miss the playoffs it's a disastrous season.

Denver Miami Dallas - foolish, I know KC really can't afford to rest our starters this week, despite a 99% likelihood we will finish 5th. A loss at home to Indy could mean we end up in New England in week 1.

How in the name of Warren Moon do we end up with Houston v Indy on TV? Gorgoroth must be over the moon with every Redskins loss given their first rounder is going to the Rams. Master, you're right - we won't beat Denver. But I'm more concerned with getting to the playoffs healthy. If we win a playoff game forst the first time in my memory, then it's been a raging success of a season. After Denver's disgraceful choke against Baltimore at home last year I doubt they'll be susceptible to similar malarkey this year, but we can't look any further than our next opponent.

I'll take Seattle, San Francisco and New Orleans this week thanks. Was going to wait to see if McGroin was at QB for Oakland but I'm happy with those. If any of them lose there are serious seeding consequences for them so they shouldn't be slacking off.

This week is stinking tough... KC Seattle, despite my hatred of picking against good teams Detroit

Yes, you're right. I'm just babbling here to respond because with the 'like' function I would have just liked your post to agree!!

It was always going to be tough and unlikely to get the 14 wins required for the division title and #1 seed. Hali's ankle sprain is on the less serious side but I'd definitely rest him this week, even though a loss all but ends our chances of winning the division. We need to get to the playoffs as healthy as possible, and actually, we have to qualify first. We've got a key chance for a win the following week at Washington so bring him in for that. Houston has a sublaxation (partial dislocation) of his elbow. Recovery time will differ depending on the individual and severity, but I believe JJ Watt took 4 weeks to recover from a similar injury 4 weeks ago. I figure 1 more win SHOULD get us into the playoffs, so as long as we get that, it probably doesn't matter if we finish with 10 or 13 wins, we'll still be a wildcard team. Just get healthy.

New England Denver Giants

That was the most bitter KC defeat I've experienced since the 2003/04 divisional playoff loss at home to Indy. Two of our best three players, Hali and then Houston, went down with what could be serious injuries in the first half. We gave up only 3 points in the first 29.44, and with them on the sidelines, we gave up 38 in the next 30.16. Needless to say, if they miss significant time, we won't win a single game without them as our opponents will score on every drive. I'm hoping 9 wins will get us into the playoffs simply to avoid becoming the only team in history to miss the playoffs after starting 9-0. The horror.

The only acceptable way to sell a white guernsey to Melbourne fans is to pitch it as a heritage style Invincible Whites guernsey so at least there is some history with the jumper. Looking at our clash guernsey now I can see a Melbourne version of Don Scott ripping off the little blue strip of fabric and revealing "A SYDNEY GUERNSEY".

Nawlins Carolina San Fran

Ha! Well you piled the points up today! Actually, Kansas City at Cincinnati in the wildcard round has been on the cards for a few weeks now. We haven't won a playoff game in 20 years and I haven't seen Cincy win too many either so it'd be nice to see one of us get a win in January. Some big losses today for a lot of teams on the playoff bubble. Somehow, the Giants are still breathing.

Well, SNF went pretty much as I expected. The offense was very disappointing against a mediocre D though. We'll need to play in blizzards in the playoffs if we're going to go anywhere.

Only at home games.

Well, I did say approximately!

Approximately 24 hours ago.