Forget Carrie Underwood. Well Christian Wilkins Jersey , don’t forget her, she’s terrific.But the NFL’s theme song these days belongs to Maren Morris, Zedd and Grey. You know, “Meet Me In The Middle.”ll with shots, both reasonable and long, at making the playoffs.Take a deep breath and consider:—Seattle and Dallas at 8-5.—Pittsburgh at 7-5-1.—Indianapolis, Baltimore, Tennessee and Miami at 7-6.—Minnesota at 6-6-1.—Philadelphia, Carolina, Denver and Washington at 6-7.—Green Bay and Cleveland at 5-7-1.And, yes, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Cincinnati and the New York Giants at 5-8.All are alive for the postseason.Even Atlanta, at 4-9, if you can imagine, isn’t eliminated.Just what the league loves heading toward Christmas: charity for nearly all.So let first-year Titans coach Mike Vrabel play the Grinch http://www.miamidolphinsteamonline.com/michael-deiter-jersey , trying to ignore any playoff chatter as his team heads to the Meadowlands to face the Giants.“We haven’t talked much. We try to eliminate all the scenarios,” he says. “The only scenario that we try to focus on is our preparation right now as we head into a road game against the Giants.“You could talk about scenarios all day. There’s scenarios where the Dolphins give up two punt blocks and score on a 70-yard hook-and-ladder; a scenario where a player jumps offside on a third-and-1 in a four-minute situation; a situation where a team executes a 50-yard hook-and-ladder and then the kicker slips. Those are all the scenarios that are crazy that happen in this league every week, so the one we’re going to try to focus on is our preparation versus the Giants.”Fair enough, because all of the playoff-qualifying scenarios for this week are enough to spark a migraine.The questions that should be raised are:—Is all of this competitive balance or simply mediocrity? Oasis or swamp?—Is it good for the NFL that such spiraling messes as the Falcons and Bengals remain in the running?—Do people really want to see a .500 (or worse) team playing in January, perhaps against a 14-2 opponent?LEVEL OF PERFORMANCENearly all the teams in the middle of the standings belong there. It’s fair to point out that the Redskins, Bengals and Falcons have been severely damaged by injuries — hey, Cincinnati was once 4-1 and Washington held the top spot in the NFC East until its current four-game slide.Still, there’s a flawed bunch of “contenders” for the playoffs. They are profiting because they are keeping company with equally blemished clubs.All of them have had impressive stretches and pretty much unwatchable ones, though Seattle and Dallas probably don’t deserve to be lumped with the stragglers because they seem to be legitimate threats to do something in January.What’s missing with the others is the consistency that the top teams possess. Look at the Colts, who went from 1-1 to 1-5, then won five in a row, only to get blanked at lowly Jacksonville before going to Houston, the league’s hottest team, and winning.FORGET THEMDo fans in Atlanta and Cincinnati and Washington envision any sort of turnaround in the final three games that would lift those teams into the postseason? Do those clubs’ front offices?They shouldn’t, even as the NFL boasts that 26 teams still have a shot at the Super Bowl.One likely good thing about such deficient teams being in the running in mid-December is that it should cool talk of expanding the playoff field — something that virtually would guarantee impostors getting in.MISMATCHESOnce in a while, a team scrapes into the postseason and catches fire. Wild-carders have won the Super Bowl often enough to keep that dream alive once you get in.But should, say Garrett Bradbury Jersey , a 7-8-1 Packers or 8-8 Lions sneak in, does that make for must-watch TV in the playoffs? Is a game with 8-8 Miami at 12-4 Houston enticing?SEEDINGSWhat is nice about the chase in December is the intrigue of seedings. The general feeling in the AFC is that avoiding a trip to Foxborough in January is necessary. So, the other division winners not only want and likely need to win their games, they’re hoping the Patriots, currently seeded second, don’t win out. Kansas City tops the conference right now, but barely.The NFC is a two-team race for the top spot between the Saints and Rams, who met in a high-scoring affair won by host New Orleans in early November. Both are 11-2, making their final three weeks critical in that race.And then they have the prospect of sitting out wild-card weekend while a team or two emerging from the quagmire stokes up its fan base before probably getting routed. For those fans who dislike Thursday night football, rejoice that this week is the final game of the season on such short rest.Also rejoice that it’s one of the best matchups of the year, with hefty implications in the standings, as Kansas City hosts the Los Angeles Chargers.Even with a loss, the Chiefs keep the top spot in the AFC West with a better division record as the teams will have split their series. A win for Kansas City (11-2) could secure the top seed in the conference, though, depending on what happens to the Patriots and Texans.The Chargers (10-3), who lost to KC 38-28 in the season opener, will own a postseason berth with a victory. They also can get in with a loss and help elsewhere Noah Fant Jersey , but those scenarios give Pro Picks a migraine.Los Angeles, ranked fourth in the AP Pro32, is a 3½-point underdog at top-ranked Kansas City. We think, right now, the Chargers are the better-balanced team, though winning on the road on Thursday nights is very difficult, especially if the top two running backs are out. That could be the case with Melvin Gordon (knee) and Austin Ekeler (neck, concussion protocol) uncertain.Bye-bye Thursday nights.CHIEFS, 30-29KNOCKOUT POOL: Too bad we had to make last week’s selection before all the Broncos‘ injuries hit. If you’re still alive — Pro Picks most certainly is not — try BALTIMORE.No. 19 Green Bay (plus 5 1-2) at No. 6 ChicagoNormally, letdown for Bears could be expected. Not against Packers, though.BEST BET: BEARS, 23-16No. 9 Dallas (plus 3) at No. 11 IndianapolisWe recognize this could be sucker bet. OK, we’re suckers.UPSET SPECIAL: COWBOYS, 20-17No. 5 New England (minus 1 1-2) at No. 10 PittsburghSteelers about to blow division and possibly wild card.PATRIOTS, 39-32No. 22 Tampa Bay (plus 8) at No. 12 BaltimoreRavens about to surge to AFC North title.RAVENS, 26-20No. 2 New Orleans (minus 6 1-2) at No. 17 Carolina, Monday nightSaints need to stay ahead of Rams for NFC home-field edge.SAINTS http://www.cowboyscheapauthenticstore.com/trysten-hill-jersey-cheap , 33-20No. 16 Philadelphia (plus 9 1-2) at No. 3 Los Angeles RamsEagles play hard while undermanned, just don’t win enough.RAMS, 37-24No. 8 Seattle (minus 5 1-2) at No. 31 San FranciscoSeahawks have that NFC wild-card berth in sight.SEAHAWKS, 17-13No. 7 Houston (minus 6) at No. 26 New York Jets, SaturdayTexans get back on track in New Jersey.TEXANS, 28-13No. 14 Tennessee (plus 2 1-2) at No. 21 GiantsTitans keep it going in New Jersey? Well, no.GIANTS, 30-19No. 20 Cleveland (plus 3) at No. 18 Denver, SaturdayBrowns on right track, Broncos too banged-up.BROWNS, 27-23No. 15 Miami (plus 7) at No. 13 MinnesotaNo “Drake Escape” or “Miami Miracle” this week.VIKINGS, 22-20No. 32 Arizona (plus 8 1-2) at No. 25 AtlantaCardinals even more confounding than Falcons.FALCONS, 30-20No. 23 Detroit (plus 2 1-2) at No. 27 BuffaloTwo more confounding also-rans.BILLS, 23-17No. 30 Oakland (plus 3) at No. 28 CincinnatiBengals have lost their way. They’ll partially find it for one week.BENGALS, 21-20No. 24 Washington (plus 7) at No. 29 JacksonvilleWill Redskins show up this week? Will Jaguars?JAGUARS, 20-10
