Why Does Merril Hoge Hate Baltimore?

So I'm sitting on my big comfy brown couch engaging in my normal everyday morning ritual of watching Sportscenter when what do I see on the helpful sidebar index of the show? AFC playoff picks with Merril Hoge. In the segment Hoge is going to go over last year's playoff teams and "predict" who will make the playoffs. Of those teams that don't make it he will go over who will make it instead. A light bulb goes off in my head to do the same thing until I actually watched his analysis.

Readers in case you have forgotten who those playoff teams were last year from the AFC here is some help. The division winners were Miami Dolphins (East), Pittsburgh Steelers (North), Tennessee Titans (South) and the San Diego Chargers (West). Wild card teams were the Indianapolis Colts and, a team close to this writer's heart and home, the Baltimore Ravens.

By the title of the article you may have guessed which team Hoge decided would not make the playoffs. Along with the Miami Dolphins, who Hoge said is a good team but would not be able to do what they did last season in their division, he chose Baltimore to be hanging at home come January. This doesn't bother me until he gets to who will replace these teams. New England (duh!) is who he expects to take the East over the Dolphins and to take the other wild card spot, drum roll please, the pride of Ohio (not Ohio State but that team is honestly better then...), the Cincinnati Bengals.

WHAT?!? I mean Hoge has a pair to actually pick them but his analysis as to why the Ravens wouldn't make it was that our defense is getting old (Ray Lewis and Trevor Pryce are but we still have the Suggernaut and someone who can Reed a QB's eyes very well) and how much he likes Joe Flacco. Then he goes and picks the Bungles? Is it because they have their own show on HBO? Vinny Chase and the boys from Entourage are going to take the West? Well Hoge if you watched HBO previously you would know that The Wire is real!

Hoge likes the Bengals because they finished strong after starting the season 1-11-1 winning their final 3 games. I'm quoting Woody Paige when I say, "look at the schedule!" In their final 3 weeks the Bengals (without Palmer) played the Redskins, Browns and Chiefs. By my recollection those teams were awful last year. 8-8, 4-12 and 2-14 (all last place in their divisions) with the best team being beaten in Cincinnati. Their best offensive weapon in the games, ironically enough that was Cedric Benson, was playing against terrible rushing defenses and their best receiving weapon is on another coast in Seattle. I would say that Hoge is bleeding Steelers black and gold but he still went in the division. Whatever, hater in the house!

So I can't really mock the guy if I don't man up and make my own predictions. Like Hoge I wouldn't be surprised if the Steelers do repeat as champs. If they did we would have yet another dynasty for this millennium(3 titles in 4 years). So here goes, New England will win the East(as long as Brady doesn't get hurt again), Baltimore will split the season series with the Steelers and take the division(then probably lose to them in the playoffs), San Diego (will have the best record since they play 3 JV teams in their own division) will win the West and the Titans will take the South. Pittsburgh and Houston will be your wild card teams. Houston can be a playoff team as long as they get consistency, not injury, from Matt Schaub. The team went 8-8 however they finished 5-1 beating a playoff team in Tennessee, not just crappy teams. They have enough young talent, Slaton ran all over the Colts and Jags last season, and Andre Johnson entered beast mode last year leading the league in receiving yards. Excellent compliments in Kevin Walter(WR) and Owen Daniels (TE) assist in Johnson getting a lot of those yards. The team has an up and coming defense with Mario Williams, obviously not a bust, owning offensive tackles on a regular.

So short list for you all, opening playoff weekend expect the Steelers @ Ravens and Texans @ Titans with the Chargers and Patriots with the bye. Think you are better then me? Go ahead and take a guess, man/woman up! Join me in the hate of Hoge Baltimoreans! Or just join me in the confusion of him picking the Bengals to make it to the playoffs. Since hate is such a strong word.