However, the Patriots' offense stagnated once the Bills started loading up against the run and keeping an eye open for short passes.

Still, a win (and hanging on to the AFC east) is always welcome.

Flacco has the arm and he's getting the smarts. And Ray Lewis is playing some inspired football.

(Granted, it was the Texans, but I want to spike the ball now and again)

As a BC fan, I take solace in watching the Matt Ryan I predicted to slice up NFL secondaries...slice up NFL secondaries. People discounted the kid because he played college ball in New England. Ryan is the most polished NFL style QB to come out of college in a long time; even Manning was not this efficient and ready as a rook.

I was astonished as anyone when the Packers' kick at the end went wide right. That's the sort of game the Vikings always lose. This time they didn't.

If their QB would stop throwing interceptions and they stop giving up touchdowns on returns, they're going to be a pretty goddamn good team. How often have teams gotten 2 safeties in a game?

Dude. I love this blog. I love its range. Its literary focus. The community of commenters you've built.

But.

The Cowboys? You're from Baltimore, right? I request a totally transparent (and possibly apologetic) explanation of why you root for the Cowboys. Please.

San Diego pulled out a last minute win- against the Chefs.

Now, New York proved that they are a well coached team. Great calls by Coughlin tonight. Good penalty refusal. Reid was outcoached. I don't know that Philly was outplayed. Titans and Giants in the Superbowl.

Giants look like a sure thing to be there, but I don't buy the Titans. I can't see them getting through the playoffs with that ragged quarterback.

The AFC is just a mess this year. Tom Brady must be disgusted, this would have been his 5th Super Bowl.

I'm a big Colt McCoy fan (most awesome, stereotypically texan name ever!), and the loss to Tech was heartbreaking.

Back on topic- as a Packers fan, I'm still not quite sure what to think of Brett Favre. I hate the idea that he's playing for another team, it's just wrong.

This is like the 5th time I've seen this question asked and I don't think I've seen TNC touch it so I'll take a stab at it.

Knowing his age, TNC was 8 years old the last time the Colts called B-More home. From the last good Baltimore Colts team in 1977 until their final game at Memorial Stadium in 1983. The Colts sold out maybe 10 home games in those 6 seasons, therefore you're looking at 1 or 2 home games per season televised in Baltimore.

Plus the Colts were gawd-awful and as a kid, you want to see winners, want to identify with winners. I could imagine those Colts teams just hard to grow up liking, especially when Bert Jones was always hurt.

The Cowboys, America's Team. On TV all the time and always in the playoffs, they were winners and they had Tony Dorsett. I mean, growing up at that time, who didn't want to be Tony Dorsett? I was never a Cowboys fan and I wanted to be Tony Dorsett (and Freeman McNeil).

It's the same reason so many kids growing up in the 90's loved the Chicago Bulls.

That's my synopsis anyway...

Giants look like a sure thing to be there, but I don't buy the Titans. I can't see them getting through the playoffs with that ragged quarterback.

The AFC is just a mess this year. Tom Brady must be disgusted, this would have been his 5th Super Bowl.

You just made my argument for me. Titans are questionable, but they are finding way to win in a league plagued by messy teams.

And since TNC's younger than I am, his earliest memory of the Colts might well be their leaving town. I never liked the Cowboys myself because I always rooted for the underdogs. NFL teams I liked as a kid were the Chargers in the Air Coryell years, and the Redskins, but I could see why someone would go for the Cowboys.

Thanks. I think you're probably right on.

But I'm a 26 year old Philadelphia fan that first paid attention to the Eagles in the Randall Cunningham/Keith Jackson/Reggie White/Seth Joyner era, and it's painful for me to see people without Dallas roots cheer for a team I've always considered the bad guys. Especially given that the first Cowboys I knew well were the exceptionally venomous Troy Aikman/Michael Irvin Cowboys.

I appreciate any fan with a hometown connection. I think neighborly love between fans is what makes sports great. But America's Teams make me crazy (Duke basketball, Notre Dame football, and the Atlanta Braves fall into this category as well, in my opinion). And since I've grown, in my short time reading this blog, to respect TNC's opinions about a lot of things, I would love to see him discuss the life of a hometeamless football fan and his relationship to the Cowboys.

I was born and raised in St. Louis. Hang in there, it might grow on you. Now granted, I don't ever want to move back, but as long as you avoid serious Blues fans and hit up the right parts of town, you might change your mind! I don't know what are you live in, but I know what areas to avoid like the plague.

-Stacy