Excluding the Ravens/Dolphins game (poor Miami was SO overmatched) and the second half of the Eagles/Vikings game (Minnesota's "offense" was like a dark vacuum of nothingness"), I thought we had a pretty exciting wild card weekend (3-1 week, 3-1 playoffs).Up next is the divisional round, where the home teams historically have a great advantage because they've been sitting at home resting and game planning for a week, while their opponents were busy killing themselves to even get to this point.
Do I dare take all four home teams for the win? I don't know about that yet, but here's an early (semi)bold prediction: After going 0 for 4 last week, one of my (semi)bold predictions will finally come true! Read on to see all the other ways I'll probably be wrong this weekend.
BALTIMORE @ TENNESSEE
Baltimore is (justifiably) a team everyone loves after their demolition of Miami last weekend. Their defense is on fire and safety Ed Reed is apparently a psychic (did you see that second interception?) and probably their second or third most productive player on offense (never mind that he plays defense).
On the other hand, the Titans still seem to be that team that people quite don't believe are as good as its record. Both of these teams want to run the ball, play great defense and try to keep the game out of their quarterback's hands if possible. If the game DOES fall to the quarterbacks, I like Kerry Collins more than I like rookie Joe Flacco. That being said, I don't think it's going to come to that, and I think the Titans will be able to run the ball. (Semi)bold prediction: Titans RB Chris Johnson will run for 125 yards and 2 TDs.
ARIZONA @ CAROLINA
Ok, so the Cardinals actually winning a playoff game automatically disqualifies them from the "worst playoff team ever" discussion, but I'm not taking back anything I said. This team embarrassingly packed it in the last couple of weeks of the regular season. I also don't think they can succeed unless they're in a dome/warm weather and at home.
The problem for them is that they have to travel to Carolina where the Panthers have one of the best rushing attacks in the league. I know that the Cardinals totally shut down Michael Turner last week, but I'll doubt they'll have the same success on the road (without the benefit of crowd noise) and with TWO solid runners to deal with.
The Cardinals had a nice season and it was nice to see that the rumors about Edgerrin James being alive were true. Yes, I can speak in the past tense about the Cards because whenever a team gives their coach a Gatorade shower after a first-round win at home, they're announcing to the rest of the world, "We're done. We did what we came for." (Semi)bold prediction: DeAngelo Williams will run for four TDs. (I know he's run for four TDs before, but predicting that sort of output for a playoff game is bold, right? Right?!)
PHILADELPHIA @ N.Y. GIANTS
The Eagles have been the hot team everyone wants to pick to have a Super Bowl run even longer than the Ravens. In fact, people want to make them out to be — last year's Giants.
The problem is that last year's Giants never had to face a team as well rounded and as motivated as this year's Giants. Everyone wants to pick the Eagles (who really should send Tarvaris Jackson a thank you note for being so terrible), and people want to believe the Giants can't win because they don't have Plaxico Burress, because they're just not talented enough to repeat as Super Bowl champions, etc. I honestly think people are still stunned this team beat the Patriots last year. The Giants are GOOD. Step back and look at this game objectively, and it really shouldn't be that close (especially with the perpetually banged up Brian Westbrook for the Eagles). (Semi)bold prediction(s): Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward will each run for over 100 yards and the Giants will win by three touchdowns.
SAN DIEGO @ PITTSBURGH
I think this is where the ride ends for San Diego.
It's not just because they'll be without starting running back Ladainian Tomlinson, I just don't think their offense is good enough to score on the Steelers. I don't think the Chargers newest superstar RB Darren Sproles will be nearly as effective on the Steelers sloppy field as he was last week in San Diego.
Ben Roethlisberger is coming off of suffering a concussion in the last game of the season and, if he's ok, I like this team to go all the way to the Super Bowl. (Semi)bold prediction: Hines Ward (pictured, left) will catch two TDs and go over 100 yards receiving.
3 comments:
Maybe the Eagles should also send Eli Manning a thank you note for being so terrible. Your pick for that game was the worst I've seen! Giants by 3 TDs? Ward and Jacobs over 100yds/ea? Have you not watched a game this year? Have you not watched the Eagles shut down the run all year (with the exception of Clinton Portis the first time, and the Giants the first time)? Did you not notice that the Eagles entered the postseason with the #1 ranked defense in yards allowed? Maybe you just didn't "look at the game objectively"!
Obviously you haven't been reading my picks if you think this is the worst I've ever done. This isn't even in my top 10!
Any way, you said yourself the Giants were one of two teams to run the ball successfully agains the Eagles all year, so what exactly was so crazy about thinking they'd be able to do it...at home...with a week's rest. Sorry, but AT THE TIME I don't really think it's that bad of a pick. At THIS time it's a terrible pick, but still not close to being one of my worst.
Of course, none of that matters since Eli WAS awful! I'm guessing you're an Eagles fan, so congrats on your team advancing. Maybe the Eagles and I can get together with Eli and write that thank you note together. I personally want to thank him for helping to make me look like an idiot (not that I need much help!)
Finally, I'd LOVE for one of you guys (not just Eagles fans, but fans of any teams) to come out and say that one of my predictions is ridiculous or terrible BEFORE the game happens. Of course, it's easy to brag now that we KNOW what happened, but where was all this wonderful smack before? Just sayin'
Either way, thanks for reading!
I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that Eagles fan jalarsen1 is not going to poke his head outside after that vaunted Eagles defense screwed the pooch on yesterday.
Again, it's a LOT easier to talk smack AFTER the game when your team's already won.
(P.S. I'm almost as mad at the Eagles D myself since I had them winning against the Cardinals...seriously, put TWO guys on Fitzgerald!)
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