No Pats? Great. Wild Card Weekend? Odd.

A Sunday unlike too many others for me transpired and I was thankful. December 28, 2008: the day that my hometown Ravens qualified for the postseason while the Patriots did not. To make it sweeter, New England wasted an 11-5 season, becoming the first team in 23 years to win 11 games and miss the postseason. The playoffs can now be enjoyed without the Patriots being able to cheat and terrorize as they have six of the past seven seasons.
But how about this for an oddity? For the first time in recent memory (and probably ever), all four road teams are favored in the Wild Card round. So much for home field advantage in the postseason, right? While it can't be expected for that to happen in the division round, it is a resounding statement that this year is a free-for-all. No Patriots, no problem. Now other teams don't have to worry about succumbing to divine intervention, just old-school, smash-mouth football.
The oddity of four road teams being favored is due in large part to the fact that two of the games feature road teams with three and four more wins than their home counterpart. The Ravens and Dolphins have identical 11-5 records, while the Eagles and Vikings are separated by just a half game.
The feeling here is that at least one home team will prevail, considering two of the visiting teams are starting rookie quarterbacks and the Chargers have always had the Colts' number. The Vikings, meanwhile, are the largest of the four underdogs at a full three points (same as Baltimore-Miami), but are 6-2 at home this season.
But alas, this is a weekend to truly rejoice. January is here, and New England is not. Junior Seau once again will go ringless, as will Randy Moss and how-many-4-yard-out-patterns-can-you-run-and-call-yourself-great Wes Welker. Bill Belichick will not stalk the sidelines in his hoodie, nor will he have any hidden cameras at any games (that we know of).
Truly odd, but great nonetheless.