All the newborns recently crawled out from under their rocks to chastise Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress for wanting to upgrade his team's performance by benching the media deity Brett Favre in last weeks 26-7 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Favre, of course, butted heads with Childress and refused to come off the field. Business as usual for a guy who has always put himself before his team. A selfishness that has reared its ugly head on the Vikings sideline a few times, not once, this season. Childress has reportedly wanted to lift Favre from a few games this season, because the quarterback chooses to play the game he desires and not within the framework of the entire team. A move that caused Mike Holmgren to go gray faster and get out of Green Bay away from the frustration that comes dealing with Brett Favre. The same Favre who threw Javon Walker under the bus for wanting a pay raise, even though he was a few years fresh off a $100 million contract he signed. The same Favre who cried that the Packers tired of his love for turnovers a few months after he threw away the Packers chances to win the NFC Championship with another of his trademark ill-advised passes, and wanted to start Aaron Rodgers instead. He retired in a hissy fit. When he tried to return to Green Bay, they didn't want him so he went on a media blitz with his reporter buddies to disparage the Packers. Though it temporarily worked, it is clear now that Packers general manager Ted Thompson made the absolute 100 percent correct call by committing to Rodgers. The same Favre who realized the New York Jets couldn't carry him to a Super Bowl, so he quit on them. It is just a few weeks away when we will see him throw away a game in the playoffs in Minnesota, then blame someone else and probably quit again. The Vikings cannot be shocked that he is creating turmoil in their locker room. That is his Modus operandi. They knew they were hiring a self centered egomaniac who has generally been a clubhouse cancer throughout of his career. His fans point to his consecutive starts streak, as well as his touchdowns and passing yards thrown. Never do they point to the fact he averages almost two turnovers a game for his career, and has won one Super Bowl that was from Desmond Howard and the defense carrying the Packers to victory. The way he is talked about in abated breath by his followers, one would think he has won more Super Bowls than Terry Bradshaw or Joe Montana combined. Through all his easily found faults, there is a respect that he has earned. Though he has played in a era where the league is geared to carrying the quarterback by adjusting the rules to ensure their success, he has achieved a level of play few others have come close to in his time. The records in his back pocket do not lie, and his one Super Bowl ring is more than several other legends of the game. The one thing he does best is be a media tramp. His name is mentioned every 15 minutes on ESPN, as if it were by contractual obligation. Every time he retires, the network runs a huge banner announcing it on a continuous loop as if the end of the world was commencing. He has smartly used his media connections to bend at his will. When Childress tried to take a stand to get Favre to play within the framework of the team, he had his buddies vilify the coach fresh off a contract extension and bring into question his job security for having dared question their exalted leader. So sit back and enjoy his perpetual circus. It is same old defecation, different day when it comes to Brett Favre. Now on with this weeks picks. Last weak I took a beating and went 5-10 . I am now 135-69. San Diego Chargers @ Tennessee Titans I think Chris Johnson will go nuts, but the Bolts will win because the Titans won't be able to stop Rivers from throwing to all his weapons. Chargers 30 Titans 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints Now that the Saints finally lost a game, they can relax and concentrate on getting to the Super Bowl only. Saints 38 Buccaneers 17 Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins This is going to be a pretty good game. The Dolphins running game versus the Texans passing attack. Dolphins 26 Texans 24 Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers The Pack is going to crush the Hawks. Packers 37 Seahawks 20 Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants I think if the Jints play like they did last Monday, Carolina is in for it. Giants 27 Panthers 17 Oakland Raiders @ Cleveland Browns I just never pick the Raiders right. They are bizarre. Browns 26 Raiders 16 Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots Both teams need this, but the Pats got the experience. Patriots 31 Jaguars 23 Kansas City Chiefs @ Cincinnati Bengals I think the Bengals better clinch the AFC North now. Bengals 40 Chiefs 27 Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers Game Of The Week The Ravens need to win to stay in control of their playoff destiny, but the Steelers have owned them recently and are still alive to defend their crown. Can you say all out battle? I can. Ravens 27 Steelers 24 Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons Neither team is playing after next week, so they should have little heart showing. Falcons 27 Bills 19 Saint Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals The only fun fact here is that the Cardinals used to play in St. Louis and the Rams used to play in nearby Los Angeles. That's it. Cardinals 41 Rams 16 Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers You gotta give Niners head coach Mike Singletary credit that his team went down swinging, even though they aren't getting consistent quarterback play. 49ers 28 Lions 17 Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles Broncos safety Brian Dawkins has had this game circled on his calender all year. Philly, however, is on a mission for the late Jim Johnson. Eagles 31 Broncos 23 New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts I keep thinking the Colts will lose, but they don't. Colts 23 Jets 17 Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins The Redskins showed no heart last Monday. Dallas will win. Cowboys 30 Redskins 17 Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears Expect the Vikings to handle the underachieving Bears so that they gain gain some momentum heading into the playoffs. Vikings 34 Bears 21 NFL Power Rankings 1. Indianapolis Colts 2. New Orleans Saints 3. San Diego Chargers 4. Minnesota Vikings 5. Philadelphia Eagles 6. Green Bay Packers 7. New England Patriots 8. Cincinnati Bengals 9. Dallas Cowboys 10. Denver Broncos 11. New York Giants 12. Baltimore Ravens 13. Arizona Cardinals 14. Pittsburgh Steelers 15. New York Jets 16. Miami Dolphins 17. Tennessee Titans 18. Jacksonville Jaguars 19. Atlanta Falcons 20. San Francisco 49ers 21. Houston Texans 22. Buffalo Bills 23. Carolina Panthers 24. Chicago Bears 25. Seattle Seahawks 26. Oakland Raiders 27. Cleveland Browns 28. Detroit Lions 29. Kansas City Chiefs 30. Cleveland Browns 31. Washington Redskins 32. Saint Louis Rams
