There are no stats left to sift through. There are few meaningful arguments left to be presented. The four NFL teams left standing this week have proven themselves worthy of our respect and adulation.

All four teams, even my hated Vikings, have positive stories and characters that demand attention. For me to further lament the Vikings’ success would come off as little more than post-Christmas-Minnesota-winter malaise. I’ve covered that ground extensively in this medium already. Here’s some “Minnesota Nice” for you to chew on: I like Percy Harvin. I like Brett Favre. I like Adrian Peterson (even though he kinda sucks right now). I like Sydney Rice. I like(d) EJ Henderson. I like his little brother, Aaron Henderson. I like Antoine Winfield. I like Leslie Frazier.

So, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right? Not so fast.

There is no way that this Minnesota Vikings team goes marching in to New Orleans and comes away with a win. There just isn’t. Not gonna happen. They are simply not very good on the road. Their offensive line isn’t very good on the road. Jared Allen is no good unless he’s one-on-one with a tight end, or against a backup tackle with no help. That means Vikes lose. Here’s the score: Saints 36, Vikings 23.

On to my plucky Jets team. There’s so many things I like about New York, and what I like most is that the goodness that exists there will be in place for some time. They have positive leadership in Thomas Jones, Mark Sanchez, Kerry Rhoades, Darrelle Revis, Bart Scott, and pretty much the whole offensive line. This team will be around for a while, and I can’t wait to be a full-fledged Jets fan next season. But this ain’t their year.

I think that the Jets matchup well with the Colts. If there is any team capable of really making Peyton Manning uncomfortable and breaking his rhythm, it’s the Jets. But I can’t see it happening. Colts 27, Jets 20.

I’m not the only one who follows the philosophy that this weekend is really the premiere weekend of the NFL. I was raised on 90’s football, when almost every NFC Championship game was 49ers-Cowboys, and it was always the best game of the year. The winner of that game got to go cream the Bills in the Super Bowl, and that’s just how it was.

Here’s to hoping that both games are worthy of sitting through the commercials. Cheers, football fans.

contact email: nick.thomas@flyingpigskin.com