My Preferences in This Year's NFL Playoffs

This coming weekend will see the commencement of the National Football League playoffs, with the teams sporting the best records receiving a bye until the following week. Although none of the Florida teams came even remotely near to making the playoffs, I still have some favorites. So in a downsized version of my "favorites" lists, here is the order that I prefer to see the teams do. The top is my favorite, down to the bottom,which is composed of the "bad guys":

1 New York Giants...I still appreciate them beating undefeated New England in the Super Bowl four years ago, I like the location (NY), I like their coach Tom Coughlin, QB Eli Manning, and offensive standouts Victor Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw. Plus, even when they play badly, they still seem to function as a team.

2 Baltimore Ravens...I've rooted for them since back in 2000 during their playoff surge, powered by their incredible defense headed by Ray Lewis, that brought them their one Super Bowl win. They still impress me. Besides, they are in the same division as the Steelers, a team near the bottom of this list.

3 Green Bay Packers...Now that they are no longer a threat to go the entire season undefeated (thanks to QB Kyle Orton and the Kansas City Chiefs defense), Miami can breathe a sigh of relief (their 1972 unblemished record is still unrivaled). So now I can once again sit back and enjoy this offense, powered by its talented QB Aaron Rodgers.

4 New Orleans Saints...They're "kind of" close to Gainesville. And Drew Brees rivals GB's Rodgers with his talent.

5 Cincinnati Bengals...Just because they, like the Ravens, are a divisional rival to Pittsburgh.

6 Atlanta Falcons...Atlanta is another regional pick, relatively close to Gainesville.

7 Denver Broncos...I am not a Tebow fanatic, but he's got "spunk" and the team is fun to watch (sometimes). Plus, their first (and probably only) playoff game is against those doggone Pittsburgh Steelers.

8 Houston Texans...I couldn't care less about this team, one way or another. Whether I root for them or against them hinges completely on which team they are playing.

9 Detroit Lions...I would have them higher on this list, but they seem to have some serious issues with unsportsmanlike conduct. Can their coach control his players' antics?

10 San Francisco 49ers...With SF, it's the coach Jim Harbaugh and his arrogance, not the players, who is the problem, at least as far as I am concerned. However, I do like QB Alex Smith, unfairly maligned from last year.

11 Pittsburgh Steelers...I'm still harboring a decades-old resentment about the Steelers stealing the Dolphins' thunder with their "dynasty" of Super Bowl championships in the Seventies. There's only one way I'll root for them, and that's if they end up playing:

12 New England Patriots...All of Miami's AFC East rivals are anathema to me, since, after all, I am a Dolphins fan. However, I have been recently known to root for the spirited New York Jets for the last couple of years in the playoffs after Miami abysmally failed to qualify for the post-season. But New England or Buffalo? NEVER!