By Brian T. Smith
Assistant Sports Editor / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: January 12, 2008

This weekend is as good as it gets if you’re an NFL nerd.
Four NFL divisional playoff games. Each one tough to pick.
Thick storylines.
Old rivalries (Giants-Cowboys).
New heavyweights (Jacksonville).
And one brilliant old man who just won’t go away (Mr. Cheesehead himself, Brett “Don’t call me old” Favre).
The sports media has done its best to turn this season into a 24/7 essay on the wonders of the Patriots. And, perhaps, rightfully so. Pulling off a 16-0 regular season record is nothing to ignore, and definitely something to celebrate (no matter how sad the Pats’ divisional opponents may have been).
But this weekend, the Pats are 0-0.
Peyton Manning and the steady-is-as-steady-does Colts deserve as much attention, analysis and appreciation as Brady, Moss, Belichick and the Patriots.
Will Romo wilt?
Will the Chargers remember that it’s the playoffs and fall asleep?
Is Jacksonville really for real or just for real?
How did Seattle make it to the Divisional Playoffs again?
And just how much NFL can one person watch in two days and still call themselves a functioning human being?
Game on!
The Super Bowl is overdone.
The Conference Championships are usually remarkable or instantly forgettable.
This weekend is where it’s at.