Super Bowl

A quick look at the Super Bowl contenders - warts and all:

Is Washington currently the best team in the NFC? Coach Joe Gibbs takes his Redskins to face Tampa Bay with the longest current winning streak of any playoff team. Can the master craft a memorable Super Bowl win?

Chicago's offense is no where near as effective as its own defense, the best in the league. If they can put it all together they could surely go all the way.

Can Seattle end their twenty year run without a playoff win? With players like ALexander this is the year to make up a lot of ground and banish the playoff demons of yester-year.

Does Carolina have a good enough rushing game? In Super Bowl XXXVIII two years ago, the Panthers had a great rusher in Stephen Davis. This time they have Steve Smith.

Giants stumbling? The NYG defense has been affected by a sudden crop of injuries at linebacker. You feel that Eli Manning needs to find some consistency if they are to progress.

Tampa Bay has allowed over forty sacks, which is more than any playoff squad. They will need some better QB protection for the playoff run.

Will the Steelers ride with Jerome Bettis (The Bus) to the bowl? Bettis may no longer be Pittsburgh's preferred runner but he still represents the power rushing game that is Steelers football.

Have Jacksonville been lucky with their schedule and season's opponents? If Byron Leftwich returns after missing five games with a fractured ankle, he'll have to be sharp.

Can the Patriots overcome the loss of Harrison and others? Belichick is still the best coach in the NFL. Tom Brady has passed for an NFL-high 4,110 yards but going against them is the fact that no playoff team has allowed more touchdown passes (twenty-five) than New England.

Will the RCA Dome help the Colts get to the Bowl? Having dispelled their Patriots demons - the Colts should fear noone. If they end up playing New England again, it will be in an AFC title game...indoors.

Have the Bengals had their confidence knocked by back to back losses for a combined seventy four points? The manner of those defeats was telling.

What is the story with Denver's secondary? Denver's last two seasons ended in RCA Dome defeats. To get to the Super Bowl, they could find themselves back there again. Although the Broncos have the second-worst pass defense of any playoff team, they have allowed just 16.1 points a game.