Merkel highlights economy in German election year

German chancellor Angela Merkel pauses during her speech at a party leaders' meeting in Wilhelmshaven, northern Germany Saturday Jan. 5, 2013. Chancellor Angela Merkel is highlighting Germany's economic strength and dismissing worries that her party could be dragged down by its struggling coalition partner as she kicks off campaigning for an important state election. Merkel's center-right coalition faces a tough battle to extend its 10-year hold on Lower Saxony state in the Jan. 20 election. Polls suggest the center-left opposition has a good chance of winning - giving it a significant boost ahead of September national elections in which Merkel will seek a third term. (AP Photo/dapd/ David Hecker)

German chancellor Angela Merkel pauses during her speech at a party leaders' meeting in Wilhelmshaven, northern Germany Saturday Jan. 5, 2013. Chancellor Angela Merkel is highlighting Germany's economic strength and dismissing worries that her party could be dragged down by its struggling coalition partner as she kicks off campaigning for an important state election. Merkel's center-right coalition faces a tough battle to extend its 10-year hold on Lower Saxony state in the Jan. 20 election. Polls suggest the center-left opposition has a good chance of winning - giving it a significant boost ahead of September national elections in which Merkel will seek a third term. (AP Photo/dapd/ David Hecker)

German chancellor Angela Merkel delivers her speech at a party leaders' meeting in Wilhelmshaven, northern Germany Saturday Jan. 5, 2013. Chancellor Angela Merkel is highlighting Germany's economic strength and dismissing worries that her party could be dragged down by its struggling coalition partner as she kicks off campaigning for an important state election. Merkel's center-right coalition faces a tough battle to extend its 10-year hold on Lower Saxony state in the Jan. 20 election. Polls suggest the center-left opposition has a good chance of winning - giving it a significant boost ahead of September national elections in which Merkel will seek a third term. (AP Photo/dapd/ David Hecker)

BERLIN (AP) ? Chancellor Angela Merkel highlighted Germany's economic strength as she kicked off campaigning Saturday for an important state vote that comes months before national elections, and she brushed aside worries about the weakness of her party's coalition partner.

Merkel's center-right party faces a tough battle to extend its 10-year hold on Lower Saxony state, a northwestern region of 8 million people, in the Jan. 20 election there. Polls suggest the center-left opposition has a good chance of winning, which would give it a significant boost ahead of September national elections in which Merkel will seek a third term.

Merkel made clear that her Christian Democrats will make "economic competence, together with jobs ? and jobs that are well-qualified and fairly paid," along with economic strength, a keystone of this year's campaigns. She identified opposition plans for tax increases as one battleground.

"We believe that we do, of course, need income for the state, so we are not talking about tax cuts at this point," Merkel said at a televised news conference after her party's leadership met in Wilhelmshaven, a port city in Lower Saxony.

"But we believe that tax increases ... are not good for current economic developments, for medium-sized companies in particular but also for big companies," she added.

The number of Germans out of work averaged just under 2.9 million last year, the lowest since 1991. Germany's jobless rate of less than 7 percent contrasts with figures well over 20 percent in troubled eurozone partners Greece and Spain.

The strong German economy, and Merkel's hard-nosed management of Europe's debt crisis, have helped keep her popularity high and her party ahead in polls.

But the weakness of the pro-market Free Democratic Party, her junior coalition partner, means that her center-right alliance lacks a majority in surveys. The party, which campaigned at Germany's last election for tax cuts that it failed to obtain, has taken much of the blame for frequent coalition squabbling.

In Lower Saxony, polls show the FDP short of the 5 percent support needed to stay in the state legislature, which endangers popular conservative governor David McAllister's chances of keeping his job.

However, Merkel said she is "very optimistic that the (Free Democrats) will, on their own strength, with their ideas and their share in the success of the work of both the Lower Saxony state government and the federal government, be able to convince people."

The Lower Saxony election follows a rough start for Merkel's center-left challenger in the national elections, former Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck.

He drew criticism this week for saying the chancellor earns too little and that Merkel has an advantage because she's a woman ? adding to earlier controversy over his high earnings from public speaking. Merkel coolly dismissed a question about her challenger's performance.

"To be honest, I take care of my own performance and I'm very satisfied with that," she said. "The rest is for others to comment on."

Associated Press

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South Africa mine stays shut because of unrest

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? A South African gold mining company says one of its mines will stay closed for now because of labor unrest.

Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. said Monday that it would seek an agreement with labor that would allow the Kusasalethu mine to operate without threats to the safety of employees.

But the company is considering whether to shut the mine altogether and proceed with layoffs if negotiations fail. The mine was closed last month.

In November, the company said two of its workers were killed and another injured in violence at the mine southwest of Johannesburg, amid labor unrest at mines across South Africa.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/south-africa-mine-stays-shut-because-unrest-131334186--finance.html

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Constantly Test Your Ideas to Make Sure You're Not Settling

You've probably had a bad idea at some point. We all have. David Hansson, creator of Ruby on Rails, notes that the problem is holding on to that bad idea for too long.

If you spend any time talking ideas or approaches with someone else, chances are you've heard the phrase "your mileage may vary." It's a way to say that something that works for me may not work for you, or at least as well as it was advertised to. Sometimes, that's valid. Your personal note taking system is tailored for your use, not mine. But that doesn't mean I can't find it useful.

However, if you rely on the YMMV mentality too much, it can become a crutch that makes us reluctant to toss out our latest idea and search for a better one. Hansson writes:

Ideas are meant to be attacked, torn apart, and put back together again. You may well want to shield your idea from the harsh sunlight at first, but by the time it's ready to meet the world, it should also be ready for rain or shine. Bad ideas are supposed to wither under the stress of criticism.

Hell, even good ideas are supposed to wither in the winter of their life. Precious few ideas are immortal, and even those should be constantly tested to ensure their hearts still beat vibrantly.

So tinker. If an idea works for you, ask yourself if it's just a personal preference or if there's a way you could make it work for anyone. Don't be afraid to follow Faulkner's advice and kill your darlings.

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Photo: Corey Templeton (Flickr)

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Venezuela's Chavez fighting severe lung infection

FILE - In this Oct 9, 2012 file photo, Venezuela?s President Hugo Chavez holds a miniature copy of his country's constitution during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela. The ailing president's health crisis has raised contentious questions ahead of the swearing-in set for Jan. 10, including whether the inauguration could legally be postponed. Officials have raised the possibility that Chavez might not be well enough to take the oath of office, without saying what will happen if he can't. The constitution says that if a president or president-elect dies or is declared unable to continue in office, presidential powers should be held temporarily by the president of the National Assembly and that a new presidential vote should be held within 30 days. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)

FILE - In this Oct 9, 2012 file photo, Venezuela?s President Hugo Chavez holds a miniature copy of his country's constitution during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela. The ailing president's health crisis has raised contentious questions ahead of the swearing-in set for Jan. 10, including whether the inauguration could legally be postponed. Officials have raised the possibility that Chavez might not be well enough to take the oath of office, without saying what will happen if he can't. The constitution says that if a president or president-elect dies or is declared unable to continue in office, presidential powers should be held temporarily by the president of the National Assembly and that a new presidential vote should be held within 30 days. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)

In this photo provided by Miraflores Presidential Press Office, Venezuela's Vice-President Nicolas Maduro, center, delivers a speech during a visit to "Fama de America" government-run coffee plant in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Maduro said Thursday that reports of recent contacts between U.S. and Venezuelan diplomats have been distorted and that Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez authorized the conversations. (AP Photo/Miraflores Presidential Press Office)

In this photo provided by Miraflores Presidential Press Office, Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro, center, delivers a speech during a visit to "Fama de America" government-run coffee plant in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Maduro said Thursday that reports of recent contacts between U.S. and Venezuelan diplomats have been distorted and that Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez authorized the conversations. At right, Venezuela's National Assembly's President Diosdado Cabello. (AP Photo/Miraflores Presidential Press Office)

A boy plays behind a poster with an image depicting Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. The ailing president's health crisis has raised contentious questions ahead of the swearing-in set for Jan. 10, including whether the inauguration could legally be postponed. The ailing president's health crisis has raised contentious questions ahead of the swearing-in set for Jan. 10, including whether the inauguration could legally be postponed. Officials have raised the possibility that Chavez might not be well enough to take the oath of office, without saying what will happen if he can't. The constitution says that if a president or president-elect dies or is declared unable to continue in office, presidential powers should be held temporarily by the president of the National Assembly and that a new presidential vote should be held within 30 days. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

People walk a mural depicting Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez past in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. The ailing president's health crisis has raised contentious questions ahead of the swearing-in set for Jan. 10, including whether the inauguration could legally be postponed. Officials have raised the possibility that Chavez might not be well enough to take the oath of office, without saying what will happen if he can't. The constitution says that if a president or president-elect dies or is declared unable to continue in office, presidential powers should be held temporarily by the president of the National Assembly and that a new presidential vote should be held within 30 days. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is being treated for "respiratory deficiency" after complications from a severe lung infection, his government said, pointing to a deepening crisis for the ailing 58-year-old president.

Chavez hasn't spoken publicly or been seen since his Dec. 11 operation in Cuba, and the latest report from his government Thursday night increased speculation that he is unlikely to be able to be sworn in for another term as scheduled in less than a week.

"Chavez has faced complications as a result of a severe respiratory infection. This infection has led to respiratory deficiency that requires Commander Chavez to remain in strict compliance with his medical treatment," Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said Thursday night, reading the statement on television.

The government's characterization raised the possibility that Chavez might be breathing with the assistance of a machine. But the government did not address that question and didn't give details of the president's treatment.

"It appears he has a very severe pneumonia that he suffered after a respiratory failure. It is not very specific," said Dr. Alejandro Rios-Ramirez, a pulmonary specialist in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, who is not involved in Chavez's treatment. "It does imply the gravity of his pulmonary infection that led to a respiratory failure. It doesn't mean yet that he is breathing with a machine."

Dr. Michael Pishvaian, an oncologist at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, said such respiratory infections can run the gamut from "a mild infection requiring antibiotics and supplemental oxygen to life threatening respiratory complications."

"It could be a very ominous sign," Pishvaian said.

The government expressed confidence in Chavez's medical team and condemned what it called a "campaign of psychological warfare" in the international media regarding the president's condition. Officials have urged Venezuelans not to heed rumors about Chavez's condition.

The statement didn't point to any particular rumors but said "this campaign aims ultimately to destabilize the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ... and end the Bolivarian Revolution led by Chavez."

Venezuela's opposition has demanded that the government provide more specific information about Chavez's condition.

Chavez has undergone four cancer-related surgeries since June 2011 for an undisclosed type of pelvic cancer. He also has undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

He was re-elected in October to another six-year term, and two months later announced that the cancer had come back. Chavez said before the operation that if his illness prevented him from remaining president, Vice President Nicolas Maduro should be his party's candidate to replace him in a new election.

This week, the president's elder brother Adan and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello joined a parade of visitors who saw Chavez in Havana, and then returned to Caracas on Thursday along with Maduro.

"In the past hours, we've been accompanying President Hugo Chavez and taking him the courage and strength of the Venezuelan people," Maduro said on television. Appearing next to Cabello visiting a government-run coffee plant in Caracas, he said they had been with Chavez together with the president's brother, his son-in-law Jorge Arreaza, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez and Attorney General Cilia Flores.

Chavez's health crisis has raised contentious questions ahead of the swearing-in set for Jan. 10, including whether the inauguration could legally be postponed and what will happen if Chavez can't begin his new term. The plans of Chavez's allies remain a mystery.

The Venezuelan Constitution says the presidential oath should be taken Jan. 10 before the National Assembly, and officials have raised the possibility that Chavez might not be well enough to do that, without saying what will happen if he can't.

The constitution says that if a president or president-elect dies or is declared unable to continue in office, presidential powers should be held temporarily by the president of the National Assembly, who is now Cabello. It says a new presidential vote should be held within 30 days.

Opposition leaders have argued that Chavez, who was re-elected to a six-year term in October, seems no longer fit to continue as president and have demanded that a new election be held within 30 days if he isn't in Caracas on inauguration day.

But some of Chavez's close confidants dismiss the view that the inauguration date is a hard deadline, saying Chavez could be given more time to recover from his surgery if necessary.

Aristobulo Isturiz, a state governor and leader of Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela, said Thursday that if Chavez's swearing-in isn't held Jan. 10, it will be up to the Supreme Court to determine the place and date of the ceremony.

"The president has a right to recover," Isturiz said in remarks published by the state-run Venezuelan News Agency.

Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma, an opposition politician, proposed on Thursday that a commission travel to Cuba to determine the state of Chavez's health. He said the delegation should be made up of doctors, lawmakers and other officials such as state governors, including opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

"I'm not asking for permission to go to Cuba. I think it's our right to go there and see what's going on," Ledezma said in comments reported by the television channel Globovision. "Enough mysteries. Venezuela isn't a colony of Cuba."

Some of the brewing disagreements could begin to be aired Saturday, when the National Assembly, which is controlled by a pro-Chavez majority, convenes to select legislative leaders. That session will be held just five days before the scheduled inauguration day.

___

Associated Press writers Jorge Rueda and Christopher Toothaker in Caracas and Adriana Gomez Licon in Mexico City contributed to this report.

___

Ian James on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ianjamesap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-04-Venezuela-Chavez/id-78a22d27222b441ca08582a4c5781a63

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Internet Marketing Search Engine Optimization SEM SEO service ...

An online marketing strategy is a valuable tool that can be used independently, or in conjunction with, more traditional marketing methods (print, television or direct). If you would like to utilize Website marketing with your business, implement these tips.

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Performance and appearance can be very important to your Internet promotion success. Make sure you always test your links and ads to ensure that they work for your visitors. If your website is too hard to navigate, it will turn away customers and they may never come back.

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Don?t let failures or frustrations get you down or convince you to quit. Just think about the success that you could be missing by mere days if you give up. Make sure you have everything ready to go when you are ready to get started in your venture. Endeavors such as this may take a great deal of effort. Keep your focus on your end result and realize that your hard work will pay off.

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Determine whether your marketing campaign is a success or a failure by checking how many sales you get per 1000 affiliate clicks. There are a variety of online tools that you can use to analyze your success.

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You may find that Website marketing is an essential tool for your business. Website marketing can be done instead of television, print and radio ads. Follow the tips from this article, and you?ll soon have Website marketing working for you!

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Will rookie QBs make playoff history?

Luck, Griffin, Wilson aim to become first rookie QB to reach Super Bowl

/ Getty Images

Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III (L-R) may have the best collective shot of any rookie QB class ever to play in a Super Bowl.

ANALYSIS

By Scott Kacsmar

NBCSports.com contributor

updated 9:59 a.m. ET Jan. 3, 2013

We live in a golden age of quarterbacks where six active players have won a Super Bowl ring, which is rare in NFL history. However, three of them -- Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees and Eli Manning -- will be watching the playoffs from home this season.

Taking their places are second-year players Christian Ponder (Minnesota), Colin Kaepernick (San Francisco) and Andy Dalton (Cincinnati). This is actually not surprising since the 49ers and Bengals were both in the playoffs last year, albeit with Alex Smith in 2011.

Normally that would be the story right there, but we last saw that happen in 2000 (Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper and Shaun King). Instead the big story this postseason is about the three rookie quarterbacks continuing to make history.

For the first time ever, three rookie quarterbacks have led their team to the playoffs. Now we wait to see if any of them can earn the first Super Bowl trip ever for a rookie quarterback. It would be appropriate for this record-setting class.

Rewriting the rookie record books

Andrew Luck (11-5), Russell Wilson (11-5) and Robert Griffin III (9-6) have combined for 31 wins as starters this season. That total by these three alone shatters the previous record for any rookie quarterback class since 1950. All rookies combined for 23 wins in 2011.

This instant success comes a year after Seattle (7-9), Washington (5-11) and Indianapolis (2-14) all failed to have a winning record, let alone make the playoffs.

Only eight rookie quarterbacks have ever thrown at least 20 touchdown passes, and all three of 2012?s star-studded rookie group made the cut.

Most Touchdown Passes, NFL Rookie Quarterback Rank Quarterback Team Year Touchdown Passes T1 Peyton Manning Colts 1998 26 T1 Russell Wilson Seahawks 2012 26 3 Andrew Luck Colts 2012 23 4 Charlie Connerly Giants 1948 22 5 Cam Newton Panthers 2011 21 T6 Dan Marino Dolphins 1983 20 T6 Andy Dalton Bengals 2011 20 T6 Robert Griffin III Redskins 2012 20

Beyond the traditional stats, we have seen excellence from these rookies in critical situations such as third down and leading their team back in the fourth quarter. The following is a comparison of third-down conversion rates for several of the big-name rookie quarterbacks in recent years. The ?%Cmp1D? represents the percentage of third-down completions that resulted in a first down. Sacks and runs are included, while spikes and kneel downs are excluded.

NFL Rookie Quarterbacks - 3rd Down Conversions Quarterback Year Att. 1st Downs %Cmp1D Conversion Rate Andrew Luck 2012 202 86 83.9% 42.57% Matt Ryan 2008 179 76 70.7% 42.46% Russell Wilson 2012 158 66 72.0% 41.77% Ben Roethlisberger 2004 130 54 70.1% 41.54% Cam Newton 2011 167 65 63.1% 38.92% Mark Sanchez 2009 156 58 70.0% 37.18% Joe Flacco 2008 178 65 66.7% 36.52% Sam Bradford 2010 193 66 69.9% 34.20% Andy Dalton 2011 173 58 70.5% 33.53% Robert Griffin III 2012 144 47 56.5% 32.64% Vince Young 2006 152 48 64.6% 31.58%

Wilson?s hot finish caught him up to Luck by season?s end, while Griffin is still lacking relative to his peers. All three possess an impressive ability to scramble, as each had at least 12 first downs rushing (Luck had 13) on third down.

Good luck voting for the Offensive Rookie of the Year out of this group. In most years any of them would be the runaway winner.

Can a rookie quarterback win a Super Bowl?

It used to be that quarterbacks had to sit and learn for a few years before being groomed to take over one day. That philosophy is dead, and things have been trending away from it in recent years.

Not only are rookies more NFL-ready from the start, but they are taking on more responsibility from their team, and some have been delivering with huge dividends. It may be only a matter of time before we see a rookie in the Super Bowl, and when has there ever been a better chance than this season?

NFL Playoffs - Rookie Starters (Since 1960) Quarterback Team Year Reg. Season Starts Result Andrew Luck Colts 2012 16 TBD Russell Wilson Seahawks 2012 16 TBD Robert Griffin III Redskins 2012 15 TBD T.J. Yates Texans 2011 5 Lost AFC-Div Andy Dalton Bengals 2011 16 Lost AFC-WC Mark Sanchez Jets 2009 15 Lost AFC-C Joe Flacco Ravens 2008 16 Lost AFC-C Matt Ryan Falcons 2008 16 Lost NFC-WC Ben Roethlisberger Steelers 2004 13 Lost AFC-C Shaun King Buccaneers 1999 5 Lost NFC-C Todd Marinovich Raiders 1991 1 Lost AFC-WC Jim Everett Rams 1986 5 Lost NFC-WC Bernie Kosar Browns 1985 10 Lost AFC-DIV Dan Marino Dophins 1983 9 Lost AFC-DIV

This year?s trio will become the 12th, 13th and 14th rookie quarterbacks to start in the playoffs since 1950. The first ever playoff meeting between rookie quarterbacks took place last year between Houston?s T.J. Yates and Cincinnati?s Andy Dalton.

It will happen again on Sunday when Wilson?s Seahawks travel to play Griffin?s Redskins, ensuring us of another rookie playoff win this season.

The past has not fared too kindly to this group, as evident by their 7-11 record in the playoffs. However, we have seen four rookies reach an AFC or NFC Championship Game since 1999 (three since 2004), and they each came up just short of that Super Bowl appearance.

Let?s look at the chances each rookie has this season of playoff success.

Indianapolis Colts: Need a lot of Luck

It is no secret the Colts put more responsibility on Luck than perhaps any rookie quarterback -- or veteran for that matter -- in NFL history.

Luck?s 730 drop backs this season are the third most in NFL history. He runs the most vertical, wide receiver-centric passing game in the league, and the Colts offer little in the form of a running game or strong offensive line play.

But Luck broke the rookie passing records for a season (4,374 yards) and a game (433 yards vs. Miami). His seven game-winning drives not only smashed the rookie record, but tied the NFL?s regular season record, which was last done by Peyton Manning (2009).

Despite allowing 387 points, the most ever for a team with 11 wins, the Colts reached the playoffs with an 11-5 record, and Luck led the way with his veteran-like poise in clutch situations.

It was a fitting end to the regular season on Sunday when Luck completed a 70-yard touchdown, his longest pass of the season, on a 3rd-and-23 bullet in the fourth quarter to put away the Houston Texans.

The Colts have been overachieving all season for their cancer-stricken coach Chuck Pagano, and that kind of scrappy underdog role is going to have to carry them through the playoffs. They will need Luck?s ability to make crucial plays every step of the way, but the AFC is too top-heavy for the young Colts to make any serious noise this year.

But they have a lot to be proud of in Indianapolis again, and it starts with Luck.

Washington Redskins: Ride the wave

The 2011 Redskins? claim to fame was sweeping the New York Giants during their Super Bowl season. But with a blockbuster trade to land Robert Griffin III in the draft, Mike Shanahan?s team changed the expectations right away in Washington.

Griffin?s Week 1 debut in New Orleans was record-breaking. He threw for 320 yards, two touchdowns, no turnovers and a 139.9 passer rating. Griffin would maintain the most consistent level of high play among the rookie quarterbacks this season, even if his team did not always cooperate.

After a 3-6 start, the Redskins appeared buried, and ready for next season to come. But a winning streak started with Griffin throwing four touchdowns in back-to-back games, including a big performance on the Thanksgiving stage in Dallas.

Griffin has had plenty of help with stud rookie running back Alfred Morris (1,613 yards and 13 TDs) setting him up for the league?s most deadly play-action passing game. When Griffin injured his knee, rookie backup Kirk Cousins saved the day against Baltimore with a comeback win, then a win as a starter in Cleveland.

When Griffin returned, the Redskins had to win their final two games to clinch the NFC East, which they did in spite of their not fully healthy quarterback, who set the rookie quarterback record with 815 rushing yards.

But here the Redskins are, on a seven-game winning streak, with the highest-rated rookie passer in NFL history (102.4 passer rating). Despite rookies leading the offense in passing and rushing, the Redskins committed a league-low 14 giveaways. Griffin?s 1.3 interception percentage is another rookie record.

How far the Redskins go will largely depend on the health of Griffin, but they are home to start the playoffs for the first time since 1999, and the future finally looks bright again in Washington.

Seattle Seahawks: The best team gives Wilson the best chance

While the latest formula for rookie success has been a strong defense and a strong running game, the highly-publicized picks of Luck and Griffin reached the playoffs without that complete model.

But Russell Wilson, the third-round pick because he was barely tall enough for Space Mountain, is thriving on a team loaded with a great running game led by Marshawn Lynch, and the league?s No. 1 scoring defense and arguably best secondary.

Wilson also finished the season with a 100.0 passer rating, and he could thank the Redskins and Griffin for his second-half success. Clearly, the training wheels were on early in the season when Wilson was better known for throwing the "Fail Mary" to Golden Tate that sparked a ton of controversy.

But since the halfway point of the season, the Seahawks are 7-1, and Wilson has a passer rating of 120.3, which would start to challenge the single-season record. He completed an 8-0 season at home where Seattle had the best home scoring differential (+148) in the league.

Like Griffin, Wilson uses the play-action pass as much as any quarterback in the league. But by implementing read-option plays to take advantage of Wilson?s full physical abilities, his passing efficiency has soared, and he has started to use his legs to Griffin-level impact.

In just the last eight games Wilson rushed for 361 yards and four touchdowns, while throwing 16 touchdowns and two interceptions. His 26 touchdown passes tied Peyton Manning?s rookie record.

Seattle received a lot of buzz for the 150 points they scored in the three games played in Weeks 14-16. On a roll heading into the playoffs, the only problem is they likely will have to win three straight road games to reach the Super Bowl, missing out on the best home-field advantage in the league.

But if you had to pick one of these three teams to reach the Super Bowl, the smart pick is Wilson?s Seahawks. We will get to see him duel it out with Griffin this weekend in Washington.

No matter if they fail to get past the first or second round this season, the fact is three franchises that saw little on the horizon a year ago are now reenergized with the dream of a Super Bowl in their future.

For they have a quarterback once again, and each has plenty of room for growth.

Scott Kacsmar (@CaptainComeback) writes for Cold, Hard Football Facts, Bleacher Report, Colts Authority, and contributes data to Pro-Football-Reference.com and NFL Network.

? 2012 NBC Sports.com? Reprints

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Will rookie QBs make playoff history?

Kacsmar: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson -- otherwise known as the best rookie QB class ever -- have their eyes on being the first rookie QB to play in a Super Bowl.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/50352912/ns/sports-nfl/

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