Short is great. But it's a little easier to rush a passer when your secondary and linebackers are that good. The Bengals put most of their defensive load on the line.

I'll give you the linebackers - Carolina is ridiculously stacked with Davis and Luke - but the secondary outside of Norman is slightly above average at best (and trending downward with the loss of Benwikere and Tillman + now Kurt Coleman's injury).

Anyway, you'll probably win your first game.

A playoff win is all I can ask for. But the Steelers are the Steelers.

As far as the Bengals' secondary, it's pretty much Reggie Nelson and, when he's feeling well, Leon Hall. The other corners —Dre Kirkpatrick, Adam Jones and Darqueze Dennard —are inconsistent as hell. And George Iloka is pretty standard as strong safeties go.

When the 1996 season started I decided that I didn't want to be a 49ers fan just because I lived in close proximity to San Francisco. While I watched the games from week to week, there were two teams that stuck out to me in particular. The Brett Favre led Green Bay Packers, and the second year Carolina Panthers. The difference maker for me was that I felt like the panthers were a good team, but had no particularly stand out players. Green Bay had Favre. Antonio Freeman. Dorsey Levens. Desmond Howard. Reggie White.

When it got to the post season, I'd already made my parents buy me a Brett Favre jersey for Christmas. I remember watching the 49ers play the Packers in Lambeau in the playoffs. My entire family rooting for the 49ers. Me rooting for the Packers. And when the Packers won, even though they were the #1 seed in the NFC that year, I felt like the underdog in my household. And that win just made me love them even more. Then they went on to beat the Panthers in the NFC Championship game. And that was when the Panthers fell off my radar. Then the Packers went on to beat the Patriots in the superbowl.

People called me a bandwagoner at first. But 20 years later, that's still my team.

But I was really close to being a Panthers fan.

lol @ comparing Short to Atkins

yo i'll bet any amount of money Carolina goes 0-1 in the playoffs.

Agreed.

Not because i think it will happen as much as i just want it to.

The steelers will bounce the bengals. I will feel bad for the bungles but worse inside that the steelers will get to the divisional round. Espescially after the caricature of my ravens swept them this year

I want to see the redskins do well. Im basically rooting for the worst teams

Short beat Atkins in every statistical category this year tho? Pro Bowl tho?

Both are beasts

Lol @ afc wildcards tho. Chiefs and Steelers basically get a bye
Another trouncing of carolina this yr will be nice, too.

I hope Carolina takes it but Seattle looks scary in the nfc tbh

Afc might be different but will win the SB

Go Dolphins!

The Texans have won seven of their last nine.

Hopkins da god

Hopkins is crazy

Hopkins is a beast but he is a bit overrated if u ask me.

Who's the Texans qb now? Lol

AFC should be pleased the Jets aren't in it

Joe Smith or something probably

The Jets had two good wins the whole season and a worse point differential than the Steelers and Chiefs. I wish the Bengals were playing the Jets.

Bucs fire Lovie

lolololol

That's cold how they did him.

I know he only got 8 wins in 2 seasons but still.. I feel like he was given a raw deal there.