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This week

A few things.

• If I had to pick a Super Bowl matchup now, before the playoffs start, I’d go with San Diego over New Orleans. The Saints are a total default pick-it’s more that I just don’t trust Chicago or anyone else in the NFC. (Yes, I put the Bears at No. 1 in the NFC a week or two ago. That was before I realized how badly the fans wanted Brian Griese to take the field. I do think, though, that Lovie Smith is doing a better job this year than he did last year, when he won Coach of the Year.)

• It was smart for Alabama to guarantee Nick Saban all that money, because it might motivate him to stick around in the future. That guy’s about as loyal to his employers as Rick Majerus is to the Food Guide Pyramid. Yes, I more or less supported T.O.’s holdout, but I think it’s different for coaches, since being a coach is a lot more like having a regular job than being an athlete is. And I think most people would leave their job for more money, so it’s not like Saban’s a bad human being. But I wouldn’t really want to hire him, either.

• Speaking of coaches, Bill Cowher is supposed to retire today. It’s funny how much his legacy has changed. Before last year, I’d always thought of the Steelers as underachieving, though that probably had a lot to do with their inability to find a steady quarterback. Now Cowher’s considered one of the absolute best coaches in the game. And considering how well he did with guys like Neil O’Donnell and Kordell Stewart behind center, I almost have to agree at this point. Weird.

• Game-by-game playoff previews for this weekend will be coming later today.

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