Patriots Reach 16-0

And the web site has been updated accordingly.

One last Christmas present for you all...

New SuperPower Rankings, of course, and an update on the Patriots' blitz through the entire NFL.

The Upset Special for the week is Miami beating the Bengals.

Can someone explain to me why Atlanta is favored over Seattle, even with the Seahawks having nothing to play for?

I was going to add something else really insightful, but I forgot it. But here are the teams that could get each pick of the NFL Draft, in selection order for all rounds. I'm discounting strength of schedule because that's too hard to look up and I'm not sure of the formula anyway.

1. Dolphins
2. Rams/Falcons/Jets/Ravens/Raiders/Chiefs (last three must lose and must have all of first three win)
3. Rams/Falcons/Jets/Ravens/Raiders/Chiefs (last three must lose and must have two out of first three win)
4. Rams/Falcons/Jets/Ravens/Raiders/Chiefs (fourth and fifth must lose and must have one out of first three win; Chiefs must lose)
5. Rams/Falcons/Jets/Ravens/Raiders/Chiefs/49ers (first two must win and must have one out of next three lose; Jets must win; 49ers must lose and must have all of previous three win)
6. Rams/Falcons/Jets/Ravens/Raiders/Chiefs/49ers (first three must win and must have two out of next three lose; 49ers must lose and must have two out of previous three win)
7. Rams/Falcons/Jets/Ravens/Raiders/Chiefs/49ers (first three must win and must have all of next three lose; 49ers must lose and must have one out of previous three win)
8. Ravens/Raiders/Chiefs/Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/49ers (first three must win and must have 49ers lose; four in-between must lose and must have 49ers win)
9. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/49ers/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals (49ers must win and must have one out of first four lose; last six must lose and must have all of first four win)
10. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/49ers/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals (49ers must win and must have two out of first four lose; last six must lose and must have three of first four win)
11. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/49ers/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals (49ers must win and must have three out of first four lose; last six must lose and must have two out of first four win)
12. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/49ers/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals (49ers must win and must have all of first four lose; Lions, Eagles, Texans, Bills, and Cardinals must lose and must have one out of first four win; Saints must lose)
13. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals (Panthers, Broncos, and Bengals must win and must have one out of last six lose; Bears must win)
14. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals/Redskins/Vikings (first four must win and must have two out of next six lose; last two must lose and must have five of previous six win)
15. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals/Redskins/Vikings (first four must win and must have three out of next six lose; last two must lose and must have four of previous six win)
16. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals/Redskins/Vikings (first four must win and must have four out of next six lose; last two must lose and must have three of previous six win)
17. Panthers/Bears/Broncos/Bengals/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals/Redskins/Vikings (first four must win and must have five out of next six lose; last two must lose and must have two of previous six win)
18. Browns/Titans/Bucs/Redskins/Vikings/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals (first three must lose and must have both of next two win; Lions, Eagles, Texans, Bills, and Cardinals must win and must have Redskins or Vikings lose)
19. Browns/Titans/Bucs/Redskins/Vikings/Lions/Eagles/Texans/Bills/Saints/Cardinals (first three must lose and must have one of next two win; Lions, Eagles, Texans, Bills, and Cardinals must win and must have Redskins and Vikings lose; Saints must win and must have Redskins or Vikings lose)
20. Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs/Redskins/Vikings/Saints (first four must lose and must have Bucs and (Browns OR Titans) win; Saints must make playoffs)
21. Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs/Redskins/Vikings (first four must lose and must have one of next three win; last two must win and must have one out of previous three lose)
22. Jaguars/Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs/Redskins/Vikings (Jaguars must lose and must have all of next four win; last two must win and must have two out of previous three lose)
23. Jaguars/Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs/Redskins/Vikings (Jaguars must lose and must have three out of next four win; last two must win and must have all of previous three lose)
24. Jaguars/Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs (Jaguars must lose and must have two out of next four win; last three must win and must have one out of previous four lose)
25. Jaguars/Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs (Jaguars must lose and must have one out of next four win; last three must win and must have two out of previous four lose)
26. Packers/Jaguars/Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs (Packers must lose and must have Jaguars win; last three must win and must have three out of previous four lose)
27. Colts/Cowboys/Packers/Jaguars/Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers/Browns/Titans/Bucs (last three must win and must have four preceding all lose; first two must lose and must have Packers win)
28. Colts/Cowboys/Packers/Jaguars/Giants/Seahawks/Chargers/Steelers (last four must win and must have Jaguars lose)
29. Colts/Cowboys/Packers/Jaguars (Jaguars must win and must have Packers lose)
30. Patriots/Colts/Cowboys/Packers (Packers must win and must have Colts lose)
31. SB loser (Patriots/Colts/Cowboys/Packers/Chargers/Steelers/Seahawks/Bucs/Jaguars/Giants/Browns/Titans/Redskins/Vikings/Saints) (last five must make playoffs)
32. SB winner (Patriots/Colts/Cowboys/Packers/Chargers/Steelers/Seahawks/Bucs/Jaguars/Giants/Browns/Titans/Redskins/Vikings/Saints) (last five must make playoffs)

Golden Bowl Tournament Semifinals

I only had to make decisions on two races, and only then because the vote (two for each match) split.

#5 LSU v. #8 Oklahoma (Sugar Bowl)
The mass of red in the stands of the Cotton Bowl turn the tide when a late comeback attempt by the Hokies ends just short of the first-down marker on fourth down. But what relative home field giveth, it can also taketh away. The #3 and #12 offenses in the country promise to light up the scoreboard - but not if the #9 and #20 defenses (the latter of which gives up the third-fewest yards per game) have anything to say about it. LSU relies on its #12 rushing attack, but it will have to contend with the #11 run defense of the Sooners. Oklahoma is more balanced, with a #18 rushing game and #26 passing game, but LSU is #18 and #17 at stopping the run and pass, respectively. It's like they're set up to counter each other!

#2 Georgia v. #11 USC (Rose Bowl)
Ohio State gets a surprise from a Georgia team that comes ready to match them on defense, as the Buckeye offense is exposed in a tight 7-6 Georgia victory that ends on an interception by the Bulldog defense snuffing a late comeback attempt. Things don't get any easier for the Bulldogs, as they now have to travel far from home to play a team that some say should be seeded a lot higher. USC's defense is not much worse than Ohio State's - fourth in points, second in total yardage, eighth in passing defense, fourth in run defense - but it also does not have that great an offense, and if Georgia can handle Ohio State they can handle USC. As with Ohio State, USC's offensive strength comes on the run.

All polls expire New Year's Day at 5pm PT.

Running Playoff and SNF Week 17 Watch

I'll be updating this post throughout the day and not creating any new posts. New changes:
-A Browns loss cinches up the division for the Steelers. And they're losing at the moment.
-A Packers loss cinches up the #1 seed for the Cowboys. And they're losing at the moment. Not even Favre love is likely to save NBC.
-The Panthers are out with a loss, so Bucs-Panthers is out on Sunday Night.
I'll report on the results as they come in. Jags are beating the Raiders which could cinch up the 5 seed. Giants are beating the Bills which should cinch a playoff spot. Saints losing to the Eagles at home.

Bills have taken the lead over the Giants.

Giants got down to 4th and G on the 1 but could not score. That's proving to be an interesting game.

Giants just got an INT return for a TD to retake the lead. The Bears look like they will relegate the Packers to a 2 seed.

Bears knock off the Packers, so the Cowboys and Packers have nothing to play for. That means next week's game is meaningless enough that Favre might not play, meaning NBC might shy away from it. Titans-Colts may now be a virtual lock, assuming the Titans end the day still with a shot at the playoffs.

Giants have opened up a big lead and are probably playoff-bound. Bengals knocked off the Browns so the Steelers win the AFC North.

Jags beat Raiders. Here's the AFC Playoff Picture:

• As mentioned, the Steelers win the AFC North.
• The win by the Jags and the loss by the Browns cinches up a 5 seed for the Jags. A Titans win ties them with the Browns for the 6 seed and likely cinches up Titans-Colts as the favorite, or at least top competitor with Packers-Lions.
• I doubt MNF really comes into play here, but the Steelers did win earlier in the week, so the Chargers are at risk of a 4 seed.

Giants over the Bills now official. Eagles defeat Saints. Here's the NFC Playoff Picture:

• Giants win to move to 10-5 and lock up a playoff spot. Vikings still pending. Saints lose to move to 1.5 games back, and now desperately need the Redskins to win to even be able to come down to a tiebreaker. If Washington beats Minnesota, then both Washington and Minnesota lose Week 17, and the Saints win next week, then I believe everyone would have 8 losses and, as described in my previous Flex Scheduling Watch, the Saints would be plucked by the tiebreaker. But again, there is only one scenario in which the Saints move into the playoffs. Now if the Vikings win, they're in.
• Dallas is now the 1, Green Bay the 2. Tampa Bay and Seattle are playing now for the 3, and the Bucs have just taken a 3-point lead.

Let's move into the afternoon games.

Bucs behind in a tight one against the 49ers. Titans leading Jets, Seahawks demolishing Ravens.

Two games are very interesting, the Bucs and Titans games.

Jets are driving and attempting to come back.

TO on downs, then Titans pick up a first and they will keep their playoff hopes alive. Titans-Colts a good bet for next week on NBC.

Meanwhile Bucs are down against the 49ers. Not the way they want to enter the playoffs. Seahawks still leading big.

Seahawks win, and the Bucs go down despite a late comeback, so the Seahawks will get the 3.

In the AFC, Titans and Browns are tied for the final playoff spot. I've heard that the Titans would hold a tiebreaker over the Browns and thus would only need a win to get in. Of course, it's against the Colts. This pick is very tenuous, and there's still a chance that NBC will spring Brett Favre love on us, but there are two things against that: 1) The Packers are in the playoffs, so unlike last year this is not going to be Favre's last game period, and 2) The Packers aren't playing for anything, so expect Favre to get limited playing time.

Final prediction: Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts.

Actual selection: Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts (just announced on NBC itself).