Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
Friday, January 14, 2005, Washington Post

Weekend Football Forecast: Hot, Hot, Hot!

This weekend is a pro football fan's favorite time of year. Two days, four big playoff games. The National Football League season has come down to the hottest teams and the biggest stars.

Who is going to win this weekend's big games? Let's look at the matchups of teams hoping to play in Super Bowl XXXIX (that's 39 in Roman numerals):

Eagles vs. Vikings -- I would pick the Eagles to go all the way if wide receiver Terrell Owens (14 touchdowns) hadn't hurt his ankle. Without him, the Eagles and quarterback Donovan McNabb will struggle to put points on the board even against the Vikings' sorry defense.

The Vikings have a chance at an upset because Daunte Culpepper had the best season (39 TD passes and 4,717 yards) of any quarterback not named Peyton Manning. Still, I like the Eagles to win this one.

Falcons vs. Rams -- I don't like Michael Vick, I love Michael Vick. The Falcons' quarterback makes watching football fun. At least once a game, he will scramble or throw a pass that will have me saying, "How did he do that?" Vick rushed for 902 yards this season. That's more than most NFL running backs.

The Falcons' defense will give up big yards to the Rams' high-flying offense. But I think the Rams will turn the ball over enough for the Falcons to win.

Steelers vs. Jets -- It's hard to pick against a team like the Steelers that have 15 wins and only one loss. The Steelers have a rock-ribbed defense, a star rookie quarterback and a grind-it-out offense that averaged more than 150 yards rushing per game.

The Jets' defense is tough and underrated. But I think the Jets will get worn down by the Steelers' big running backs and even bigger offensive line. I am not sure that the Steelers' rookie quarterback, "Big" Ben Roethlisberger, can lead his team all the way to the Super Bowl on Feb. 6. But I am sure that he will lead the Steelers over the Jets.

Patriots vs. Colts -- Don't miss this game! The defending Super Bowl champion Patriots take on Peyton Manning, the best quarterback on the planet.

Manning makes one of the toughest jobs in sports look simple. Peerless Peyton threw for a record 49 touchdowns in the regular season. Running back Edgerrin James and a trio of top-flight receivers make Manning and the Colts almost unstoppable. The problem is that the Colts' defense is only so-so.

The key to the game may be the weather. If it's cold and windy, Manning and the Colts could be in trouble. The forecast is not too bad: partly cloudy and in the 30s. My forecast is for the Colts to beat the Patriots in a thriller.