Premature Jock-ularity

   Week: 24-12 (though 8-8 on the pros cost me a podium finish in the pool). Season: 227-126.

   NEW YORK JETS AT NEW ENGLAND (Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS):

   Playoff fever doesn't get old. This corner of Patriot Nation is pumped, jacked, stoked, geeked, etc. for the return of the J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! Sunday afternoon.

   We haven't seen all they can give us, either. In September, when the Pats built a 24-0 lead, then held the fort after a couple of big plays made it a game, the Jets really hadn't pulled their act together yet. In November, when the New Yorkers came to Foxboro and dropped a deuce on the Flying Elvis at midfield, the Pats were banged up and enduring the midseason doldrums.

   They're both humming now. The Jets beat the teams they were supposed to beat. The Pats survived two tricky road games to close out at 12-4. Maybe Bill Belichick and Nick Saban can be friends again now, but it'll take a lot more than Eric Mangini getting money-whipped by some SEC school for the nattily attired one to extend the olive branch.

   What convinces me that the Pats will move on to San Diego: they threw downfield successfuly for the first time in a month at Tennessee. Reche Caldwell caught two big ones, including a touchdown, and sucked up 38 yards by drawing an interference call. The 1-2 punch of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney is back, too. And so's the tude (c'mon Titans, maybe Vinny Testaverde wouldn't have been throwing with two minutes left if you didn't have Kevin Mawae going for guys' knees).

   What must be tightened up after the Jets' last visit: Chad Pennington spent the day doinking to guys wide open in the flat for 6-7 yards a pop (like Tom Brady's been getting by with late in the season). The run defense has improved, although without Rodney Harrison, the Pats really have to pick their spots with blitzes. They didn't put Pennington into enough third-and-longs - as good a set of playmaking receivers as he has, I like my chances if I'm making him throw more than 10 yards.

   With both teams bringing their A game, I can't see the Pats losing twice at home to any team.

   PATRIOTS 23, JETS 17.

   KANSAS CITY AT INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., NBC):

   Has there ever been a more trendy upset pick? Everybody's just taking it for granted Larry Johnson will roll for 200 yards on the ground. I don't necessarily think that will happen - let's see the Chiefs try to run the ball down the throat of nine guys in the box just for laughs. Trent Green will throw to Eddie Kennison for more yards than LJ gains rushing.

   So I why am I joining this chorus? I don't think the Colts can just outscore their defensive woes like they used to. Marvin Harrison is finally showing his first age spots, Dallas Clark isn't near 100 percent if he does play, Joseph Addai is good but not prime Edgerrin James, and Peyton Manning...has endorsing any product that offers him 10 bucks taken something out of his game? He's still a Pro Bowler, but the Indy offense doesn't inspire the fear it used to.

   CHIEFS 24, COLTS 20.

   DALLAS AT SEATTLE (Saturday, 8 p.m., NBC):

   This isn't the same Seahawk team that reached its first Super Bowl. Even with a healthy Shaun Alexander, it's inconsistent on offense. If not for four Josh Brown game-winning field goals, Seattle is under .500 and we're wondering how to stop Torry Holt or Frank Gore.

   But the NFC champs live to fight another day because they're playing Dallas. The defense is leaking like my roof did last winter - it got blitzed by New Orleans, pummeled by Philly, and shelled for 39 points by a Detroit team that blew the Number 1 draft choice by doing so. As for Tony Romo...a little less Carrie Underwood and a little more video might help him progress beyond flash-in-the-pan status. As for the postgame fallout, I like Parcells - a Jersey guy would realize TO can be taken out with a good nut shot.

   SEAHAWKS 30, COWBOYS 27.

   NEW YORK GIANTS AT PHILADELPHIA (Sunday, 4:30 p.m., Fox). Thank God Tiki Barber ran wild on the Redskins - a below-.500 playoff team is like a batting champion hitting below .300 (almost happened in 1968 - Carl Yastrzemski led the AL at .301). As for the quarterback, New York stands a better chance with Eli Manning's dad out there. Let's hope Tom Coughlin didn't misplace his real estate agent's card.

   When the Eagles can run, they can slobberknock people and kill clock - ask the Cowboys or Jaguars. Is Ed Harris (well, he and Jeff Garcia have never been photographed together) this year's Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson, the journeyman in the right place at the right time?  Methinks we'll be discussing that in a little more detail next week.

   EAGLES 27, GIANTS 10.

   Oh yeah, a little more college bowl talk:

   INTERNATIONAL BOWL: CINCINNATI 20, WESTERN MICHIGAN 16. Why not a 5-0 Big East bowl sweep?

   GMAC BOWL: SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 27, OHIO 20. The Golden Eagles have the hang of the minor bowl thing.

   BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: OHIO STATE 20, FLORIDA 14: The fifth-year Buckeye seniors finish their careers the way they started: hoisting the crystal ball in the Arizona night. OSU has delivered when necessary all season, defensively with big road wins at Texas and Iowa. They can play shootout when needed, such as in the 1-2 showdown with Michigan. They possess every offensive weapon necessary (to the point where we don't even talk about Ted Ginn that much anymore). Florida has been tested and found worthy of a title game, but lacks the offensive explosiveness a serious title contender needs (they rung up 38 on Arkansas in the SEC title, but still, much of Gator Country wants to bench Chris Leak and play Tim Tebow). Here's to you, Buckeyes - may you guys provide the thrills you did in '03 (or at least half of what Boise State and Oklahoma gave us Monday night).

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