by Gerald Udowiczenko

Hope you all had a good Christmas & New Year and that the best of your past is the worst of your future.

Apologies about the lack of a newsletter last time, but I left it all at work, thinking I had emailed myself everything. But (D'OH!!) I'd forgotten to do that and what with it being Christmas we'd shut-down. So I could either redo it again (without the Rammys) or give myself another Christmas pressie and give myself the week off. Well you know which one won.

Well the real life Patriots failed to make it to the play-offs, thanks mainly to the Pack being inept enough to lose at home for the first in years to the Jets, who won the AFC East (but thankfully lost to the Raiders ). Oh well, I guess there's always next year.......

Thanks to Graham for his invaluable contributions for both this and last week and a smaller thanks (especially during the post season ) to Brucey for his contributions.

CHAMPIONSHIP BOWL

BB (12-4, W2) @ CL (14-2, W2) Last time : wk 4, 2005 (31 -37)
Gerald : The Browns get slapped into next year, as they struggle to copy with the Offence power of the Bills. Bills by 25.
Graham : CL by 6
SPLATT : Buffalo by 3.

CB (13-3, W4) @ NO (15-1, W8) Last time : wk 13, 2005 (16 -17)
Gerald : Last time it is was as close as you can get and I see no reason for it to be any different this time around. But it should be the same result. But this time they will have to settle it in OT. Saints by 3.
Graham : NS by 3
SPLATT : New Orleans by 11.

DIVISIONAL BOWL

NE (11-5, L1) @ SD (12-4, L1)
Gerald : No comment.

PE (9-7, L1) @ DC (10-6, L1)
Gerald : This game will either be a classical (as both coaches care enough to put some effect in) or a bore (as neither coach cares, after last weeks results). I'll go for a classical, as these teams play each other for the third time in a season, with the series even (1 each) and only a FG has separated them so far. Boyz by 2.

SILVER BOWL

WR (9-7, W1) @ MV (9-7, W1)
Gerald : Skins 'D' should win it for them. Skins by 4.

AF (6-10, W2) @ OR (7-9, W6)
Gerald : Raiders keep their good run going with a close win over the Falcs. Raiders by 3.

BRONZE BOWL

SS (1-15, W2) @ KC (2-14, W2)
Gerald : Unfortunately there is nothing much to choose between these two, so homefield should be the difference. Chiefs by 3.

MD (8-8, W2) @ SR (8-8, W6)
Gerald : The Rams left it very late in the season to find themselves, but now they have, they seem to be the teams of old and hard to beat. Rams by 10.

by Graham Canwell (Week 18)

	PLAYOFFS
	Offence	Buffalo	Offences were generally in pretty good form this week but two performances stood out, those of the Bills and Saints. It wasn't easy to choose between them but the Bills were better balanced and didn't get quite as much help from their defence.
	Defence	New Orleans	Despite just missing out on the offensive award the Saints were comfortable winners of the defensive gong, having put in what was frankly the only dominant defensive performance of Divisional week.
	Coach	Dilworth (NS)	He was expected to win (as were the other winners) but to record such an overwhelming victory against a tough opponent was a terrific achievement and made this an easy choice.
	CON BOWL
	Offence	Oakland	The Raiders were frankly horrendously unlucky during the regular season, and they seem to be getting it out of their system by outclassing their Silver Bowl opponents. This week they rolled over the Lions a team with a usually pretty decent defence.
	Defence	Miami	The Dolphins defence stomped all over a 49ers offence which isn't noted for collapsing so totally so this was an easy choice. Oakland's D did a good job but then thanks to their offence they weren't on the field that much, and the Falcons deserve a mention too.
	Coach	Crowther (OA)	If the Consolation Bowls aren't for taking out frustration what are they for? No-one so far is making better use of them than Rob's Raiders.
	The Diddley	Cleveland	Outgained in yardage and lost the turnover battle, but snatched a win in overtime against the Pats. I'll admit they weren't overwhelmingly Diddleyish compared to some winners of this award (their "In Range" defence looks to have been terrific) but I don't often get a chance to dish out a Diddley to Julian so I don't feel inclined to waste this opportunity.

Graham to Gerald : Unlucky. Maybe you'll get the Divisional title back next year. It's been a while.

Graham to Jon : Looks like Randy finished his career with a performance as limp as Chris Miller's against you last year. Which is a shame.

Gerald to Richard : Did you really want that QB in the first round or were you just filling up space? I'm glad I didn't (fill up space(), as I would have had him instead of you.

Gerald to Jon : Bad luck.

	Giveaways				Takeaways				Net
Team	Fumbles	Ints	Total	Rank	Fumbles	Ints	Total	Rank	Total	Rank
Pittsburgh	9	17	26	3	13	29	42	4=	16	4
Miami	17	13	30	8=	22	18	40	6	10	6
Kansas City	3	20	23	2	19	13	32	17=	9	7
Buffalo	18	12	30	8=	15	23	38	7=	8	8=
New England	15	19	34	12	19	23	42	4=	8	8=
Cleveland	11	22	33	10=	9	28	37	10	4	11
Oakland	17	20	37	14	17	17	34	14=	-3	12=
Tennessee	16	23	39	15	16	18	34	14=	-5	14
San Diego	17	24	41	16=	10	25	35	12=	-6	15=
Cincinnati	14	22	36	13	12	17	29	22	-7	17
New York	17	27	44	18=	16	20	36	11	-8	18
Seattle	23	26	49	22=	12	20	32	17=	-17	22
	Giveaways				Takeaways				Net
Team	Fumbles	Ints	Total	Rank	Fumbles	Ints	Total	Rank	Total	Rank
Chicago	9	20	29	6=	23	29	52	1=	23	1=
New Orleans	8	21	29	6=	26	26	52	1=	23	1=
Dallas	9	18	27	4	24	23	47	3	20	3
Philadelphia	13	6	19	1	17	15	32	17=	13	5
Minnesota	12	21	33	10=	13	25	38	7=	5	10
Washington	18	10	28	5	5	20	25	23	-3	12=
St Louis	16	28	44	18=	17	21	38	7=	-6	15=
Detroit	26	18	44	18=	17	16	33	16	-11	19=
Tampa Bay	18	23	41	16=	15	15	30	20=	-11	19=
San Francisco	25	24	49	22=	17	18	35	12=	-14	21
Atlanta	17	33	50	24	9	21	30	20=	-20	23
Arizona	22	22	44	18=	7	9	16	24	-28	24

Well that about it for this week, good luck to those still in the play-offs and less luck to one person in particular. All the best for 2003.