By Kim J. Harmon

Blame it on Y2K.

Well, why else would I forget to write up the regular installment of Kim’s Korner? All I do know for sure is, right before kickoff of the New York Giants’ game on Sunday it struck me like a blindside hit by Lawrence Taylor.

“Holy @#%&!,” I exclaimed. “I forgot to write up the picks column.”

And my son, who was right there listening to be curse and no doubt filing it away for the moment when he could tell mom, “But Daddy says that word!” looked at me as if he didn’t know what I was talking about OR as if he was ready to remind me that I was wrong most of the time but didn’t know how to say it without getting sent upstairs without supper.

Well, I’m back – much to the chagrin of some of you, I am sure.

Now that it’s playoff time (and now that the Giants begin another long off-season of painstakingly assembling a vastly mediocre team), things start to get a little tense. The little competition I have with fellow writer Steve Bigham has long been lost so, like Jim Fassel, I’m left to pick up the pieces and wonder if, like Bill Parcells, I should retire or if, like Pete Carroll, I’ll get fired.

Might as well plug away, huh?

SATURDAY

BUFFALO (+3) at TENNESSEE: The Titans gave Jacksonville a nice run in the AFC Central Division despite having only a so-so offense and so-so defense. Neither one of these teams will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl (if there is a God), but I like the upset here. (KH – Bills; SB – Bills)

 

DETROIT (+5.5) at WASHINGTON: Despite a big collapse in the second half of the season, the Lions still managed to hold on to a wild card bid in the weak NFC. Washington is not a good team, but at least it’s the best team in this game. (KH – Redskins; SB – Redskins)

 

SUNDAY

DALLAS (+7) at MINNESOTA: This will certainly not be the type of game one would expect when you mention Dallas and Minnesota in the same breath. But, offensively, the Vikings are a much better team and have, at least, the home field advantage to work with. (KH – Vikings, SB – Vikings)

 

MIAMI (+3.5) at SEATTLE: Call this one, the BACK-IN BOWL. Seattle disintegrated at the end of the season, losing five of its last six games, and still wound up with the AFC Western Divisional title. Miami folded up like a two-dollar suitcase and still latched on to a wild card. One of these teams is going to win and it will only be because the other one pretty much handed it over. (KH – Dolphins; SB – Dolphins)

 

SEASON RECORD

 

KIM HARMON     5-9-1 115-110-9

STEVE BIGHAM      11-3-1          129-96-9