By Jay Benjamin Kitchen

Staff Writer

The phrase that has been mentioned this year when it comes to the NFL playoffs, “Are you ready for some football,” will be echoed, debated and, unfortunately, again the beer companies will be the beneficiaries.

That said, there seems to be a monkey wrench to the 2012 playoffs, and while the Mayan calendar predicts gloom and doom, the well-known teams will find a way for some new stars to shine.

The Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers are all out of the Super Bowl’s plans, some not making it out of the first round and some not even qualifying for the post season.

It’s 2012, welcome the Houston Texans, the son of the old Houston Oilers who had the great Earl Campbell who played in the old Astrodome, which sits right next to the new Reliant Stadium. The Cincinnati Bengals, also somewhat of a surprise team, had little to show against the Texas team.

Texas Schaub, not the usual starting QB, will go into Baltimore and see the once great RB Ricky Williams and, of course, Roy Nix, who anchors a solid and aggressive defense. GB Joe Flaco is solid, not entertaining, but the Ravens are all about defense.

But still, the Texans have a new face in the playoffs, and with the Dallas Cowboys out of the post season, they represent Texas, aka football haven. The win over the Bengals looks into the new school slighting the old.

With QB Drew going into the record books, surpassing the great Dan Moreno for the most passing yards in a season, 4,645, the once Aints and now proud Saints who won the Super Bowl just two seasons ago on the back of Hurricane Katrina will battle an up-and-coming San Francisco 49er team this weekend.,

Joe Montana and Steve Young are well gone, since the other Bay team has not returned to the Super Bowl.

Frisco, with players like QB Alex Smith and excitable Coach Jim Harbaugh, finished 13-3, will easily win a weak NFL Western Division. They average over 23 points a game. This game has the making of a shoot-out. The Saints want another title and San Fran some new history.

After beating a Dallas team twice late in the season, the New York Giants head to the Frozen Tundra that is Green Bay.

The G Men are about defense, the Packers with stud QB Eric Rodgers taking the snaps for a team that is completely over Brett Favre, it will again be another battle at the line. While the Giants will be tough without the ball, QB Rodgers and QB Giant Payton Manning will have big impact in the outcome.

While there will be big names missing, perhaps the biggest laid egg rests with the Philadelphia Eagles. The so-called Dream Team did not even have as much success as the ’80s rap group with the same name. Indeed, the Eagles are in the house--their own, watching the playoffs.

Dallas also has to be noted. If you eliminate the fourth quarter, the Boys are in the post season. Tony Romo and company shot themselves in the foot and other places--most of the time in the last ten minutes.

And at last, the man who is a talented athlete who happens to play GB for the Denver Broncos and has the blessing of one John Elway. Currently the most talked-about man on the sports scene, his historic overtime touchdown toss to beat the Steelers over the weekend, has placed him in playoff lore.

A bigger chore is at hand this week as the Broncos travel to Foxboro to meet Mr. America Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in an American League showdown battle. Captain America vs. the latest Superman, it is great for TV ratings and a true test for the Broncos. If Tebow passes this test, then he will be the real McCoy, not just an athlete posing as a quarterback.

One more football note. The Indianapolis Colts have the first overall draft pick. Payton Manning is recovering from a neck injury that has kept him out all year. The million dollar question is, will the Colts take Stanford’s QB Richard Luck and put him in the hot seat or sit him out for a year? Much like the playoffs so far this year, the surprises and decisions are many.