This week feels like its time to keep the dream going or give the fans a little End of the Season Affective Disorder. While this week has a couple of great marquee games, the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Bucs versus the Carolina Panthers, there is that wonderful sense of urgency for a number of teams.

The Washington Redskins have to win if they want to have any chance to catch the Dallas Cowboys and the Atlanta Falcons for the final wild card spot. They play the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens may not be in such a desperate position, but with the Patriots and the Dolphins playing well the team could use a win to move a step closer to the post season.

Both teams have been a surprise so far. The Redskins were not counted out of the NFC East in the season previews, but were not really taken seriously. The Ravens, on the other hand, were supposed to struggle through a tough year by Joe Flacco. Instead, the rookie quarterback has made the Ravens one of the top offenses in the league. Ironically, this was supposed to be the breakout year for Jason Campbell, but he has remained a non-factor in Washington’s struggling offense.

Elsewhere on the NFC East front, the Philadelphia Eagles are in need of a win, but they have to go to New York to get it against the division rival Giants. McNabb may have had a field day against the Cards on Thanksgiving, but the Giants secondary is going to be much less generous and the Giants D-Line is going to force McNabb into more throws than he likes.

The Bears have to win against a very tough 4-8 Jacksonville Jaguar team to avoid the locker room collapsing on their early season postseason hopes. Similarly, the Packers need a win, but they get to face Matt Schaub in his comeback, whether this is good or bad is unknown to even the omnipotent.

In the AFC it is a similar story with the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. Both need a win to stay in the hunt for the wild card, and now they stand in each other’s way. I like the Dolphins. I think Trent Edwards needs a few CAT scans after his performance in the last five or six weeks.

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