Round 1: Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers - No Introductions Necessary

6. Denver Broncos vs. 11. San Diego Chargers

The final matchup of Round 1 is a familiar one, and one not too friendly. The old AFC West rivals find themselves squared off in Round 1. This one may be a battle of the two best vacation spots in the winter, whether it be embracing the snow in a ski lodge in Denver or hitting the beach in November in San Diego. In addition, they're two teams with pretty good histories and interesting casts of characters currently. Let's see what they offer...

Denver Broncos

Pros -

•  Perhaps the cold-weather city with the biggest upside. Sure, there's snow and it's bitter cold, but it's easier to deal with in a ski lodge.
• A solid team history (thought most of it is due to Elway)
• -Some of the best fans out west. Normally loyal and passionate (though they did let the Steeler fans infiltrate earlier this year

Cons -

• While a weekend of skiing/football sounds like a good idea, going into debt doesn't.
• The talking heads have gone from doubting to praising and back to doubting Josh McDaniel. I don't have a strong opinion either way, but he's not exactly making friends, so he better back it up with some wins.
• Not a big fan of the orange and blue.

San Diego Chargers

Pros

• Southern California and all that comes with it. Perfect weather, beaches, In-N-Out Burger...
•  They don't wear it enough, but you can't beat the powder-blue.
•  Philip Rivers. I know he's not everyone's favorite QB, but I like the guy.

Cons 

• Shawne Merriman. Where do I begin on this one...
•  They've had a couple decent stretches in their history (including the current one), but no Super Bowl titles.
•  Like Denver, great place to visit, but an expensive one

The Verdict 

An intense rivalry on the field in recent years, and it's just as intense here. 2 teams in 2 great winter vacation destinations (for completely different reasons). The Broncos have the better fans, the Chargers the better unis. The biggest difference here may a couple of Super Bowl titles that reside in Denver while none have made it to Southern Cali as of yet.

The San Diego/Southern Cal connections seems to put them closer to my other 2 loves out west (the Dodgers and Lakers), even though the Padres/Chargers fans might not welcome a Dodgers fan to their ranks (then again, maybe a Broncos/Rockies fan wouldn't either). Still, Denver is a team that's a little more appealing. Their fans are great and I've always needed an excuse to go skiing. While they haven't been a powerhouse in recent years, they've also shown they're willing to make changes to try to improve (though the result have varied). And honestly, I'm just not sure I could ever cheer for Shane Merriman in anything...

Denver on top...

Round 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins - The Battle for Florida

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 5. Miami Dolphins

Who doesn't love Florida? The beach? The sun? The food? It makes perfect sense that the two of the three Sunshine State residents have hung around for the playoffs. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, only one can advance to Round 2 as the state champ.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Pros -

• Raymond James Stadium has a Pirate Ship that fires footballs from a cannon when the team scores. You just can't beat that.
• Great uniforms and colors. You can't go wrong with pewter.
• Who doesn’t love a city with a Busch Gardens?
• A quick Southwest flight (or 8 hour drive) away...
• Plenty of room on the bandwagon

Cons -

• Pirates are so 2008…
• Outside of late Dungy/early Gruden years, a pretty rough history
• Not exactly a modern day powerhouse, either
• The Glazers' purse-strings seemed to have tightened since buying Manchester U. Are they still committed to building a winner?

Miami Dolphins

Pros-

• Lone residents of Perfectville
• South Beach…
• "Snowflake" stole the show in Ace Ventura
• Coach Sporano. I just like the guy. The mustache. Refusing to take ever take off his sunglasses. How his name is almost Tony Soprano.
• Bob Baumhower, not because he also played for the Tide, but more-so because of the Honey BBQ Wings at his restaurants.

Cons-

• Aqua and Coral. I think I've worn bad Easter outfits with these colors in my younger days.
• Mercury Morris and the Champagne Sippers. They're just obnoxious…
• It's debatable if the Dolphins are the most popular football team in their own city (see The U).
• They will never have another year better than 1972. Kind of makes it awkward to jump on board 27 years later.

The Verdict

For two teams from the same state, these two couldn't be much more different, from their histories down to their uniform colors, one's strength is typically the other's weakness. Tampa Bay is a team that reversed its fortune somewhat from switching from one of the worst uniforms in the league to one of the best, following up a few years later with its first Super Bowl title. Since then, things have been a little rocky, however. Miami is a team with a big personality, flaunting it's Perfectville residency card to the edge of obnoxiousness, but with a coaching staff and roster with a new look, feel and personality of their own.

Everyone knows that if you're looking for the upset in March, look at the 12 vs. 5 matchups. The same holds true in January. The 1972 Dolphins were a great team, possibly the greatest ever.  The problem is if I cheer for the Dolphins now, the best I'll ever see will probably be the 2nd best team in franchise history.  There's just something to be said for getting to the very top of the pyramid for the first time. I'll pass on sipping champagne with Mercury and the boys…

Tampa Bay's Turn to Pop the Bottles...

Round 1: Tennessee Titans vs. Washington Redskins (a.k.a. Snyder vs. Adams)

7. Tennessee Titans vs. 10. Washington Redskins

This is probably the one matchup in the first round where the teams have little in common (i.e. the battle of small markets, the battle for Florida, and the AFC West matchup). Perhaps the only thing they share are big-name owners, one known for his meddling and the other more recently famous for his "flipping".

Tennessee Titans

Pros -

-  Location, Location, Location
- Bud Adams' middle finger
- Chris Johnson...e-lec-tric
- Only a 3 hour drive away, about 6 hours closer than any other remaining team

Cons -
- Those uniforms could use some work
- They've been 3 hours away for years, so why haven't they hooked me yet?
- Jeff Fisher's seat is a little toasty right now
- Sure V.Y. is fun to watch, but his first few years haven't been exactly consistent.

Washington Redskins

Pros -

- Brought in a proven coach for some stability (if the front office will let him)
- D.C. is a great city to visit any time of year
- Solid team history and tradition
- A loyal/passionate fan-base intact

Cons -

- Daniel Snyder. As long as he's in charge, you just expect turmoil
- The current roster isn't exactly inspiring
- Traveling to D.C. can put a dent in the budget
- What is up with the pig noses?

The Verdict

These two teams strengths are very different. The Titans offer a young team only a short drive away while the Redskins offer a franchise with a strong tradition and an established fan-base. Likewise, they've both got a lot of uncertainties. The Redskins leadership has been anything but stable over the last ten years while the Titans have their own coach with a seat warming up and a young, talented QB with leadership questions. While both teams offer a lot of good, they also bring a lot of risk.

At the end of the day, the decision comes down to 2 things. First, why should I believe that the Daniel Snyder reign will improve? He's plowed through coaches (some big names as well so let's not assume Shanahan is immmune to this) and led an all-together dysfunctional franchise of the last 10 years. Secondly, the appeal of a pro team just a short drive away is hard to overlook (considering my other 2 pro teams are across the country).

Titans with a Music City Miracle

Round 1: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills (a.k.a. the Battle of the Little Guys)

8. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 9. Buffalo Bills

These two teams have a lot in common. They both represent smaller markets, they both have extremely passionate fan-bases, and they're two of the best destinations for tailgating in the league. The similarities don't end there. Right now, neither team is very good at football. They've both recognized this fact and have started to make strides to correct that problem. The Chiefs by cleaning house last year and bringing in some good young talent. The Bills in the last few weeks, culminating today with the hiring of (drumroll please...) Chan Gailey.

If you asked me at the beginning of this search, these weren't two teams I would have predicted to find itself in the final 12. What I wasn't expecting was the passionate and persuasive e-mails and comments from both fan-bases. No teams' fans have stated their teams' cases as effectively as these two, which makes it a little tough to see them matched up in the 1st round. But neither of these teams are strangers to tough luck, so maybe it shouldn't be a surprise.

Kansas City Chiefs

Pros -
- Incredibly loyal/passionate fan-base with some persuasive e-mails
- Kansas City BBQ (ok, I've never had it (I mean, I've had BBQ, just not KC), but I've heard good things.
- Somewhat personalized team response
- Sharp uniforms
- Good young talent with a bright future

Cons -
- Kansas City isn't exactly a hot tourist destination
- Outside of a run in the 90's, the team has struggled since 1969
- A surprisingly long drive from Birmingham
- Constant confusion over whether the team is located in Kansas or Missouri

Buffalo Bills

Pros -
- The first team to send a response to the letter
- The most emails/comments/bribes of any fan-base
- I love buffalo wings. I'm kind of a soft and don't go for the really hot ones, but I enjoy a solid medium or the occasional honey bbq.
- No threat of being accused of "jumping on the bandwagon"
- Leading vote-getter in the fan vote

Cons -
- Buffalo. Not the easiest city to get to and not exactly a tourist attraction.
- The weather.
- They're bad. And while Chan Gailey is an underrated coach, the hire doesn't exactly have anyone dancing in the streets.
- A reputation for breaking hearts

The Verdict
This may be the toughest choice of the first round. There are good reasons for both teams (very few of which relate to their actual on the field product). I want to keep the Bills around. They were the first team to respond. Their fans made the most noise. They're winning the poll. On the other hand, the Chiefs fans have been just as vocal and passionate. Their response, while not as swift as the Bills, was a little more personal. They're struggling in the fan vote, but the majority of those votes were cast very early when the Bills were one of only 2 teams that had responded (the Lions were the other, which explains why they actually got 225 votes).

So with that said, what does this come down to? Well, it's a case of which fanbase I could see myself a part of on Sundays. Both groups tailgate early and have filled the stadium for some bad teams, but there's just something about the sea of red at Arrowhead on Sundays. Bills fans, you've been absolutely great and you got me excited about this search from the get-go with your numerous emails and comments. For a team that gets no national love and ignored all too often, I was blown away by your passion. But, at the end of the day, I just don't think I'm cut out for those Buffalo winters.

Kansas City in a nail-biter...

Let Me Upgrade You - THE Playoff Bracket

Huge thanks to reader/college friend Kyle for the upgrade on the bracket. He rightfully informed me that my bracket caused cornea burns. This is much better.

Playoffs!?!?!?!?

Yes Jim, Playoffs. And below is a link to the official Single White Fan Playoffs. The winner's prize? My allegiance.

Single White Fan Playoff Bracket

Setting the Brackets - The Final 12

The plan all along here has been to get to a playoff style format, set up the same as the NFL's with the top 12 teams, eventually getting down to just 1. Here's the problem - we've got 14 teams left (easily fixable by cutting 2) but only 5 are NFC. Since the plan has to been to set this up similar to the NFL (i.e. NFC and AFC brackets), this leaves me with a decision: a) Cut 3 AFC teams to get to 6 and bring one NFC team back from the dead b) Cut 2 AFC teams and move the lowest-ranked over to the NFC bracket or c) cut the AFC/NFC idea altogether and just seed the top 12.

After much consideration, I think option C is the way to go. After all, it's not about figuring out my favorite team in a division or my favorite team in a conference, but which single team will capture my heart from here til eternity. If I restrict this by conference or division, maybe I'm forced to pit 2 teams tugging at my heart-strings against each other too early, leading to a decision I end up regretting a couple of weeks later. Sure, it's going to be a hard decision either way, but at least this way the toughest decisions can (theoretically) be saved for last.

So with that said, we've got to get down to 12 teams, which means 2 have to go. With that said, the Packers, the Steelers, the Cardinals, and the Ravens are the current top 4, thereby escaping the dreaded Bottom 10:

Bottom 10

Miami Dolphins - 71
Denver Broncos - 69
San Francisco 49ers - 68
Tennessee Titans - 66
Kansas City Chiefs - 66
Buffalo Bills - 63
Washington Redskins - 60
San Diego Chargers - 60
Indianapolis Colts - 59
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 57

So which 2 are missing the playoffs?

Indianapolis Colts - I like the tradition.  I like the jerseys.  I even like the new stadium.  Still, the Colts have a couple of problems here.  First, The Band That Wouldn't Die documentary on ESPN wounded me.  I know it was a long time ago and all of those guys are long gone, but that thing was powerful.  Second, "Colts fans" have popped up a little too often here in recent years, and why not?  They're in one of the best runs of franchise history and have been one of the best teams in the last decade.  They're mind-blowingly consistent, and they've got one of the greatest QBs of all time.  Oh, but about him...that's  number 3.  I don't have anything against Peyton Manning as a person.  He seems to be a good enough guy.  His commercials make me laugh.  But, when I look at him, all I see is orange...an ugly, pale, Tennessee orange...

San Francisco 49ers - An e-mail I received from a lad named Andrew puts this into words better than I can:

As a SF Giants and 49er fan since birth, I am writing to you in regards to a team that you should NOT choose. Please, with all due respect, do not choose the 49ers. Although, the fan base would welcome you as a fan, once they find out that you are a “fanatical relationship” with the Dodgers and Lakers, they will turn on you like an Eagles fan. The fact that I even typed “Dodgers” and “Lakers” makes me want to chop my hands off.

Being a fan of So Cal teams is pretty much blasphemy to those fans of Bay Area teams and vice versa in So Cal. It also looks (due to the lack of posts about the 49ers—other than the NFC west breakdowns) that you would be fighting yourself if you were to choose the 49ers. So why be a fan of a team that, internally, you secretly despise? Plus, the 49ers have something good going now. They look like they have turned the corner and are not a bottom barrel team anymore. The one thing they do not need is someone brining that negative Dodger / Laker loyalty to the team.

You are still welcome to visit the city, eat the cuisines, and cheer for your teams against the Giants, 49ers, Warriors, Kings, etc. But please, please, please don’t ever don the red and gold. Do us all a favor and eliminate them from your list ASAP.

Thanks for your time,

Andrew

Andrew, you're absolutely right. It'd never work. See ya San Fran...

Next up:  The playoff bracket itself....

At the End of the Day... - Intangibles

So we're almost done. I've ranked the teams on a number of categories, attempting to be as unbiased and objective as possible. Still, I needed to leave myself a little wiggle-room for the gut feelings and the "just because". That's what this category is. The intangibles. I don't have to justify, defend, or give a reason for any of these. They are what they are. This wraps up the scoring, which means the next step is to set the playoff brackets, which means a couple of teams are getting the boot. Check back later for the next steps.

AFC

Baltimore Ravens - I've never liked the Ravens. Don't ask why, I just didn't. But they're a team I've found myself liking more and more as I've "gotten to know them" throughout this process. Plus, how can an Alabama grad not love Ozzie Newsome at GM? I still think the 30 for 30 documentary was the best thing that happened to the Ravens chances in this.

11/15

Buffalo Bills - They were the first team to respond, and so far the most vocal of the fanbases. They appear to be the winner of the poll as well. They're not the easiest team to follow afar, but they've done their part to pitch their case.

14/15

Denver Broncos - They're the only cold-weather team that might be able to use the snow as an advantage. A great excuse to get to the mountains of Colorado in the wintertime, but I may need a loan.

12/15

Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers seem so logical that they're almost too logical. That might be the biggest problem with them is that they've been the easy pick for lots of casual NFL fans. Still, there's a lot to like with this franchise.

10/15

Indianapolis Colts - They're a fairly safe pick here. Not a polarizing city, consistent over the last decade, nice new stadium, and sharp colors. Still, what happens post-Peyton? And he's still a Tennessee grad isn't he?

8/15

Miami Dolphins - I know they're the only residents of Perfectville, but they're a little obnoxious about it aren't they. Hard to align with Mercury Morris at this point. The current team is exciting and fun to watch, however.

7/15

Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs have been in the Bottom 10 basically every week, but I can't pull the trigger on them. They've got a small town, close-knit feel and a great fan-base. I just can't quit them (yet).

13/15

San Diego Chargers - There's no L.A. team to choose, but there is a So-Cal one, and I was reminded this weekend how great So-Cal is. The Bolts would be an excuse to get to an In-N-Out Burger.

11/15

Tennessee Titans - I'm getting a lot of sentiment locally to go with the nearby Titans. I must admit, it'd be nice to finally root for a pro team that's only a short drive away, and the future looks bright with Young and Johnson. But, like the Falcons, shouldn't they have hooked me a long time ago?

9/15


NFC

Green Bay Packers - Love everything about the team, except the cold. Don't get me wrong, Lambeau is on the bucket list, but can I in good conscience cheer for a team from the comfort of a mild Alabama winter while the rest of the fans sit in single-digit temps?

9/15

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The Bucs haven't been much to write home about outside of the Dungy/Gruden eras, so taking them on is a risk. Still, great uniforms in a great city to visit that isn't too far is appealing.

8/15

Washington Redskins - So some things have changed since the last rankings, with the future slightly more certain with Shanahan. Still, it's the same owner...

7/15

San Francisco 49ers - Love the coach, love the tradition, but as I was reminded in an email from a lovely 49ers fans, once the other 49er fans find out I am a Dodgers/Lakers fan, they're gonna hate me.

6/15

Arizona Cardinals - Honestly, at this point, what more can these guys do?

15/15

Head West Young Man

About to head to Pasadena for the next few days for the BCS Championship and hopefully an Alabama National Title. When I return, we'll set up the brackets for the "Single White Fan Playoffs" and move forward towards choosing my NFL team.

Roll Tide

The Rest of the Story - Current Teak Make-Up of the NFC

I've gotten some good suggestions on how to fill the 6th playoff spot in the NFC but I'm still trying to determine the best method. In the meantime, I have to get the remaining teams ranked and seeded, so how do I feel about their current team makeup?

Current Team Makeup - NFC

Arizona Cardinals - Larry Fitzgerald is in the Top 5 most likable, genuinely good guys in the NFL, not to mention possibly being the best receiver in the league. They've got some big personalities on D, and you have to respect Warner, even though you also can't expect him to be around too much longer. But is it really going to be the Matt Leinart era after that?

15/20

Green Bay Packers - A solid QB in Rodgers, great receivers in Jennings and Driver, and a tough defense.  It may take a few years or a new superstar for the green and yellow not to spur thoughts of Favre, but the current roster has its share of talented guys.

12/20

San Francisco 49ers - How can anyone not love Mike Singletary? I don't think it's possible. This is a young, hard-nosed team built around physicality and running the ball.  They've got Glen Coffee as well, but I can't really over-reward them for a back up running back. Still, I like where this team is heading.

14/20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I'll give them this, they're young. Other than that, well, it's not exactly a roster that stirs any kind of emotion in my soul. Therefore, somewhere around the middle of the pack for these guys.

9/20


Washington Redskins - Let's see here, an Auburn grad at QB, a Tennessee grad anchoring the defense, no head coach, and a meddling owner...what's not to love?

4/20

O.K., Now What? (and Current Make-Up Rankings of the AFC)

So time is of the essence here at SWF as I have less than a month to pick my NFL team and 14 remain in the hunt. The plan all along has been to get to a head-to-head style playoff here at the end of the season, and that's still the goal. To do that, however, we've got to a) cut some teams and b) establish some seeding.

With that in mind, here's the plan. We're going to follow the big-boys style of playoffs, with teams going head to head this week in a loser-goes-home elimination. Here's the problem - the NFL uses a 12 team playoff with 6 teams in each conference. We've got 14 teams remaining, and only 5 of those are in the NFC. So, with that in mind, I've got a decision to make. I can either a) eliminate 3 AFC teams and then pick a "wildcard" from the NFC or b) eliminate 2 AFC teams and send the lowest scoring NFC team to the AFC bracket or c) eliminate 3 AFC teams and then bring back from the dead the eliminated team with the highest voting total in the poll to the right, which as it stands now would be the *gulp* Detroit Lions...What do you think? I'll leave this open for discussion as of now...

Regardless, the teams also need to be seeded and I've still got 2 unscored categories. So, since time is short, I'm only scoring the 14 remaining teams in those categories for now (who knows, maybe I'll score the others just for fun later on). So with that in mind, onto the "Current Team Makeup"...

Current Team Make-Up AFC

Time's getting short here and the seedings need to be determined, so my words may be few here. Basically, this category ranks the teams on a 20 point scale based on how much I like the current team, from the coach to the players to the direction management has it heading, it's all fair game. See, I can pick a team based on every other category, but if I can't stand the current team, how is this supposed to stick? So onward we go...

Baltimore Ravens - 2 or 3 years ago, the Ravens bomb this category. Now? They're immensely more likable. Ray Rice is a stud, Ray Lewis is almost out the door, and Michael Oher almost made me cry during The Blindside. Not to mention their numerous Alabama ties between GM Ozzie Newsome, Leron McClain, and Jarrett Johnson.

16/20

Buffalo Bills - It's not Buffalo's fault that they're basically in television purgatory, but that's a tough team to follow from miles away. Without a coach or much of a QB, the team is in a little disarray. Of course, there's T.O., but does anyone really think he's a fixture here. Just not a roster I get overly excited about, but if they hire Bill Cowher I reserve the right to adjust this score.

5/20

Denver Broncos - Coach McDaniels has made himself the face of the team for better or worse. Who knows if Brandon Marshall sticks around and Kyle Orten isn't the flashiest QB in the league. It's tough to make a call on these guys this early considering the roller coaster year 1 was.

10/20

Indianapolis Colts - Honestly, the Colts makeup is dominated by one former Tennessee quarterback. He's the face of the franchise and that's not changing any time soon. Can an Alabama fan/alum hang his hat on a former Vol? Even if his commercials are pretty funny and at times the guy is pretty likable? Tough call.

8/20

Kansas City Chiefs - Another team in Year 1 of a new coach, new QB, as well as a new GM, so it's tough to draw too clear of a picture. They showed some life toward the end of the year, but they're definitely a team that's going to lose it's share of games over the next couple of years.

10/20

Miami Dolphins - I know they didn't make the playoffs and maybe their Wildcat attack was a flash in the pan, but I like these guys. How can you not love Tony Sporano and his sunglasses? If everyone is back healthy next year, they're going to be fun to watch, and how can you not love a team that has a partnership with Jimmy Buffet?

13/20

Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers have the coolest coach in the NFL and one of my favorite players in Troy Polamalu. You have to feel pretty good about the stability of everything with the Rooneys in charge.

15/20

San Diego Chargers - I don't tell many people this, but I like Phillip Rivers. Sure, he grew up about 30 minutes from me, but that's not the only reason. I like him for the very reason most people can't stand him. He's a little cocky and he runs his mouth a little much, but isn't it a little more fun when it's a QB doing that than a WR? On the other hand, I dislike few players more than Shawne Merriman (for a variety of reasons). I'd say LT is the tie-breaker, but I think we've just about seen the last of him.

11/20

Tennessee Titans - How can you not love Chris Johnson? Assuming that the Vince Young of the last half of the season is the one we get next year, that's a promising backfield. Jeff Fisher is likable and a true professional, even if he is a little too conservative from time to time.

12/20