Now that college football is about to go on hiatus for about a month (you know, outside of the lsureveille.com Bowl), you are going to have to find something to do with your time during winter break.
I’d suggest starting to pay attention to what is happening in the National Football League.
I’m not talking about Andre Johnson forgetting he isn’t a boxer or the whole impending possible labor pains with the collective bargaining agreement. It’s time for the playoff run down the final five weeks of the season.
This year is more interesting than the past few in that no team has already clinched a playoff berth.
Normally by now, the Indianapolis Colts are resting everyone on their team. Not so much this year. They are sitting in second place in their division. In fact, they could miss out on the playoffs for the first time since James K. Polk was in office.
The New York Jets and the New England Patriots battle it out this weekend for supremacy in the AFC, while the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers will fight for the AFC North lead. Those two games may very well be the best you see all season, and that, for once, is not an exaggeration.
Then you have the somehow resurgent Kansas City Chiefs with Dwayne Bowe of LSU leading the way at wide receiver.
Look for a possible Jets versus Patriots rematch in the AFC Championship game with the Jets coming out on top for their Super Bowl trip.
But the more exciting races may come in the NFC.
Obviously, you have the “overachieving” NFC West. St. Louis and Seattle are tied at the top with  an outstanding 5-6 record with San Francisco closing in at 4-7 on a one-game winning streak.
How is it that the west divisions in baseball and football are typically so “turrible” (as Charles Barkley would say)? There has to be some theory out there about that.
Anyway, the NFC North is a little more exciting. The Chicago Bears (8-3) are just a game ahead of the Green Bay Packers (7-4). Out of nowhere, the Bears are back to the team that defeated the New Orleans Saints back in the 2006 season. I see them back in the Super Bowl as the dark horse to win it all.
The NFC East will come down to the last game with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants tied atop the division. I don’t really think either of those teams will make it out of the first round with their inconsistency.
And finally, there is the NFC South with the ever-changing division winners.
Earlier this year, I said the Saints would have a tough time winning the division. I’m prophetic sometimes. I think the Atlanta Falcons will win the division by a game over the Saints, but the Saints will make it to the NFC Championship game.
Needless to say, I’m overly excited about meaningful football in the next few weeks. Plus, my fantasy teams are all in the playoffs, so I have them to take care of.
It’s going to be a fun month in the professional leagues. So while you are waiting around for LSU to play, take a look at the NFL.
Hell, it may be the last time you get to see them for a few years (work it out, guys).
 
Andy Schwehm is a 21-year-old English and psychology senior from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_ASchwehm.
 
 
 
—
Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]