5 NFL Playoff Questions
By Tony DeFazio

Why can't anyone beat New England?

The Patriots don't seem unbeatable. Yet no one has done it since late summer turned into fall. This team won road games at Philadelphia, Miami, Denver and Indianapolis. They also have wins over playoff teams Dallas and Tennessee. They've won 11 straight and 13 of 14, doing it with defense (shutouts against Dallas and Miami) and offense (38 points in wins against the Colts and Titans). The Pats are right in the middle of the AFC in terms of offense: 14th in rushing, fourth in passing. The D is stout, but won't be confused with the Ravens' D of 2000. Intangibles and great special teams have carried them so far - will it be enough to reach the Super Bowl?

Was Mike Vanderjagt correct in his criticism of Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning?

When the Colts' kicker said that his quarterback and head coach were too soft, most felt he was out of line but not many disagreed. Vanderjagt had not missed a kick this season as of press time, hitting 44-of-44 point-after attempts and 35-of-35 field goals. Manning has been nothing less than superb, ranking number one in the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes, and second in passer rating. He also has 95 straight starts - in the NFL, that defines toughness. Dungy's Colts head into the playoffs as one of the favorites in the AFC, but with a mediocre defense and lingering questions about their ability to win the big one - are they still too soft?

Is this the year Donovan McNabb's supporting cast finally gets the Eagles past the NFC Championship Game?

The Eagles have lost two straight NFC title games, to Tampa Bay and St. Louis, and both losses hinged on key interceptions. This is not to place all blame on McNabb - he has not had the help he needs offensively. McNabb has 10 touchdowns and just four interceptions since November, and the offense is back on track, averaging 30.7 points per game over their last six outings before week 16. The onus figures to be squarely on McNabb once again, as he plays for a team with neither a running back nor a receiver ranked in the top 30 in rushing or receiving yards.

Are the Chiefs pretenders?

KC was merely a .500 team over the last six weeks, giving up 45 points twice in that span. They've defeated just three winning teams, and have had trouble stopping the top running backs all season. Clinton Portis ran for 218 and 141 in their two meetings, Rudi Johnson ran for 165, Onterrio Smith 146, Ahman Green 139, Travis Henry 124, Jamal Lewis 115, LaDainian Tomlinson 106 and Shawn Bryson 105. The Chiefs can expect to see top-of-the-line backs such as Portis, Lewis, Eddie George or Edgerrin James in the postseason.

Is Marc Bulger ready to take the playoff torch from Kurt Warner?

Recent images of Kurt Warner are of a turnover-prone quarterback, but it was just two seasons ago that he won his second MVP and was only three points away from winning his second Super Bowl in three years. The Rams had won 11 of 12 heading into the final week, but Bulger has thrown 13 picks against just 8 touchdowns with two lost fumbles over has last seven games. Winning is obviously the bottom line, but he must play better to win games in the postseason.