John Madden

Each week John Madden answers readers questions. To ask Coach a question, e-mail him at:

Do you see the Panthers and Giants playing for the NFC Championship?
Jake in Charlotte

Madden: Jake, I think it is very possible. If the Panthers can win this week and win the division they will be the second seed, therefore they would both only have to win one more game to meet in the championship game. But I can see it happening. I saw them last Sunday and I really believe they are the two best teams in the NFC and they are very close. It was one of those games where they both played hard and they both played well and you hate to see anyone lose the game, but the separation between the two is really kind of nonexistent.

If San Diego gets in do they have enough talent to make the AFC Championship?
Bill from Santa Monica

Madden: To make the AFC Championship game, which they made last year, is a little tougher Bill because they have to win two games. They have to play a wild card game and that will be a little tougher and that will be against Indianapolis. They know how to play the Colts and Peyton Manning looks like Peyton Manning again. To me he is the MVP of the league, but the Chargers play them pretty well. Then they would have to go on to the next game and win that before they got to a championship game and I don't see that happening. There is a reason they go into the last game of the season 7-8 and I think the reason they are 7-8 is the reason they won't make the championship game.

Who would be your rookie of the year?
Dennis from Indy

Madden: Dennis, I would say it is between Matt Forte` and Matt Ryan and it would be hard to leave off Joe Flacco as well. Although the toughest position to play in the NFL is quarterback and with what they have to do and the easiest to adjust to is running back. So just taking that if it were between Matt Ryan and Matt Forte`, I'd have to take Matt Ryan.

Do the Cardinals have any hope of doing anything in the playoffs after they've struggled so much recently?
Rob from Phoenix

Madden: Rob, the fact that they are in the playoffs gives them hope. They do have hope because they are in the tournament, as Bill Parcells used to say. All you have to do is get in and anything can happen, but to me that is the only chance they have. That they are in the tournament and everyone who is in the tournament has a chance. 

The Giants proved that last year being a wild card, playing three road games and then they went all the way to win the Super Bowl. So to say it can't be done you know it can be because it happened last year. But, the way the Cardinals are playing right now I don't see them going very far in the playoffs.

What happened to the Jets?
Vince from the Bronx

Madden: It is easy to say Brett Favre and that he isn't what he used to be, Vince, but I think their defense has kind of let them down. They started out pretty strong on defense and then struggled at the end of the year and they just had trouble playing on the road and particularly on the West Coast.  They lost to some pretty below average teams. They lost to the 49ers, went to Oakland and lost to them and then last week in Seattle. Those three teams aren't good teams so if you can't beat those teams then gosh, you really aren't very good.

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