Congrats, Patriots, you clinched more than just homefield advantage today. You also clinched the 33rd overall pick now that the Panthers have solidified themselves as the worst team of 2010. Combine that with the fact that they also have the Raiders' first rounder, and they're as close to having three first round picks as you can get without actually having them. Let's also not forget the third rounder that they stole from the Vikings for Randy Moss, as well. The rich get richer.

So does the winner of the NFC West get the 21st pick as the worst playoff team, or do they get the 12th-17th ish pick that their record would likely get them?

Assuming they lose their first playoff game, they get the 21st pick.

It will be fun to watch what Belichick does with all of those picks. They are locked and loaded.

if there is a lock out, does the draft still happen?

i dont think either side is dumb enough to have that happen, but just currious what would hapen with the draft?

yes.

the draft would be the last scheduled & official NFL order of business.

i hope they figure things out soon.

im pretty sure they will, they would have to be real stupid to pass up the money they bring in each year with how popular the sport is, or to possibly piss off us fans and risk losing a lot of us

i hope you're right.

Im not really sure how i feel about this.

about the pats having about half the picks in this years draft?

The draft the past 2 seasons has not been nearly as stressful for me.. Ive known who they were drafting a month ahead of time.

matt millen feels the same way.

I didn't know that the draft was going on...thanks for that info, Ellis.

The lockout...man, that story is going to be huge if they actually miss an entire season of play. Another year taken away in Brady's prime - that sucks. A year taken away from Manning in his prime? Ouch.

Let's hope they figure things out....from what I've read, I am siding with the players on this thang.

I still say no way there's actually a lockout. There is WAY too much money sitting on the table for either side to let it go by the wayside.

I'm hoping there's noone as stupid as Donald Fehr and Bud Selig within 5,000 miles of their negotiations.

OMG, THIS!

Oh! I was sitting here in my living room, kinda working psychology lesson plans, kinda RMing, enjoying my time off. Suddenly, out of nowhere in a flash of brilliance I dreamt up the NFL draft drinking game for me this year. It'll have to be based around shots of beer, and I'm thinking even that could get sloppy pretty quickly, but here goes. Everybody will draw a name or two out of a hat, IE Andrew Luck or Cam Newton, etc. Whichever names we draw we have to take a shot of beer anytime those names are said on tv. And just to add to the bonanza we'll have a few stock cliche words, like "intangibles", "work ethic", etc that everybody drinks to. Good times will surely follow.

Man, I can't wait for the draft.

don't forget "quick twitch"

and if gruden is involved in some way, "that guy" or "this guy" would be enough to put you under the table.

If we watch ESPN "big board" would be enough to put everybody six feet under.

true.

so we'll all agree to watch NFLN.

I wonder what Mel Kiper thinks of Jimmy Clausen these days.