Watching football used to be a very different experience. You'd cheer for your team, root against the opponent and not care too much about the other games. If you watched one, you just hoped for a good contest and some amazing plays. And you didn't care who made them.
How times have changed.
With fantasy football, their game is now seen through the prism of ours. A "boring" game might be the most important one of the week. When you see a special play develop, you check the numbers on the jerseys before cheering or groaning. You still root for your favorite team, but your mood on Sunday might be determined by a totally different group of players, competing across a dozen different games.
That isn't necessarily good or bad. It's just reality, and it makes every game matter in a way they never did before. Sure, your fandom might have been more pure back in the day, but it isn't worth giving up our great hobby to capture that spirit again.
Fortunately, you don't have to give up anything to enjoy football the old-fashioned way. Just sit back and watch the playoffs without regard to fantasy implications.
Are you playing in a playoff fantasy game? Probably. I know I am. But I also know that my league's season is over. Playoff fantasy football is fun, but it doesn't have to overshadow the games themselves. The stakes aren't as high, the bragging rights aren't as valuable and it doesn't require quite as much attention.
That means you can play, but still enjoy the games the way you used to watch football: With a fan's desire for good matchups, great plays and thrilling finishes. Fantasy football is a secondary concern, and this weekend actually gives you a microcosm of a real NFL season to enjoy. You can ease in to the contests while they save the best for last, just like it goes from August until December.
Preseason Game: Oakland at Houston. Preseason games don't mean much when the real games start, and this game won't mean much when we're talking about the Super Bowl. Consider this contest your preseason game, and use it to prepare for better matchups down the road.
Early-Season Game: Detroit at Seattle. It counts, but it's not expected to be a great game. Personally, I think Detroit has a chance here and I think it could be close. But even if it's a blowout, this is the game where the "real" playoffs start. Like a game early in the season, we're just happy it's on!
Late-Season Game: Miami at Pittsburgh. At last, we begin to see genuine contenders emerge. Pittsburgh is becoming a popular candidate to represent the AFC for those betting against the Patriots. This is like one of those games you watch late in the season to see if a team is for real. We'll find out if the Steelers are for real.
Playoff Game: New York at Green Bay. Yes, this is the playoffs of the playoffs. The best game of the weekend (on paper, anyway). It's the game everyone will be watching, and the winner will be the new NFC sleeper pick. Like the playoffs themselves, the league saved the best for last.
So please, enjoy playoff fantasy football. I hope you win it all, and either add to your championship earnings, or redeem yourself after a frustrating season. But watch the games without focusing on your players. Focus on their players, and the memorable plays that will determine who keeps playing next week, and who heads for the golf course. Let's hope the games live up to the hype, and good luck this week.
Do you watch the playoffs differently than regular season games? How consumed are you by playoff fantasy games? Expect any upsets this weekend? Share your thoughts below.