By Dave Goldberg
The Associated Press

For the NFL, it's been half a season of high scoring, plenty of overtime, and weekly surprises.

Look closely, though, and a playoff pattern begins to emerge. Especially in the NFC, where the six teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended this week might just make the postseason: Philadelphia, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, New Orleans and Atlanta.

That's barring a miraculous finish by St. Louis, which started 0-5 but has won three straight games with Marshall Faulk carrying the burden many thought he should have even before Kurt Warner was hurt.

Even with Marc Bulger at quarterback until Warner returns, the Rams might be capable of pulling off an 11-game winning streak - after all, they were almost everyone's preseason pick as the dominant team in the NFL.

"These guys," coach Mike Martz said after Sunday's 27-14 victory at the Cardinals, "have gotten their pizzazz back."

But the Rams (3-5) won't win the West - that will be San Francisco (6-2). Philadelphia (6-2) is by far the class of the East; Tampa Bay (7-2), New Orleans (6-2) and Atlanta (5-3) all are playing like playoff teams in the South. Green Bay (7-1) could clinch the North, where 3-5 Detroit is second best, by the end of the month.

The Falcons seem like outsiders.

But they've won four games in a row and are being carried by Michael Vick and one of the NFL's quickest defenses. Even with Vick throwing for just 136 yards and rushing for minus-5, they squeezed by Baltimore 20-17 Sunday.

"It was ugly," wide receiver Brian Finneran said. "But different guys are stepping up. That's the sign of a good team."

The rest?

During the Jaguars-Giants game Sunday night, ESPN's announcers talked about how winnable New York's next four games are: at Minnesota, vs. Washington, at Houston, vs. Tennessee.

Prediction: The Giants will go 2-2 in those games and end the season 8-8. They've got some very good players (Michael Strahan and Jeremy Shockey), and quite a few good youngsters.

But they're the prototype for the NFL pack: not enough depth. It's no coincidence that they've had their two worst games defending the run since tackle Keith Hamilton was lost for the season with a leg injury.

The NFC's other 4-4 teams also have problems: Washington's offense is worse than mediocre, and Arizona is too young and thin.

AFC: Deeper, more confusing.

The best team right now is probably Pittsburgh (5-3). The Steelers came to life on offense when former insurance salesman and XFL MVP Tommy Maddox took over at quarterback, and on defense when Kendrell Bell came back from injury. They were the conference favorite entering the season and there's no reason they shouldn't be the favorite halfway through.

In the South, Tennessee and Indianapolis are tied at 4-4, and either probably would lose in the first round of the playoffs. Even Jacksonville (3-5) could win that division.

New England is also 4-4, but re-established the magic it had last season by going into Buffalo and beating the Bills and Drew Bledsoe 38-7. If the Patriots continue to play that way, they could pull out the East, where Miami is banged up, the Bills are awful on defense, and the Jets are too inconsistent.

The Jets put a damper on San Diego's 6-1 start by winning 44-13 at the site of this season's Super Bowl. Denver (6-2) is the strength of the West and could take a major step toward the title by handing Oakland (4-4) its fifth straight loss next Monday night.

Picking the AFC's playoff teams is tough. Make it Pittsburgh, Denver and probably the Chargers. Plus the Dolphins, Patriots and ... Titans?

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