Wild Card Week Wrap-Up, and a Look Ahead

Houston Texans 31     Cincinnati Bengals 10

            I honestly did not think that Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals were going to absolutely fall apart like they did, but I guess that’s what I get for putting my faith in a team that hasn’t shown up for big games all season.  In a game where I thought T.J. Yates was going to cost his team the game with rookie mistakes, it turned out being Andy Dalton who assumed that role.  Dalton finished with 259 yards and 3 picks, which is the kind of performance that should be expected from a young quarterback when he is forced to play from behind in a high-stakes game.   Yates completed 11 of his 20 passes for 159 yards and 1 Touchdown, yet again posting pedestrian numbers that didn’t hurt his team, but that’s all that his team needs him to do when Foster can carry the offensive workload.

A Look Ahead:  The Texans are going to have their hands full next week when they travel to Baltimore for the biggest game in the young franchise’s history.  They come face to face with one of the NFL’s best defenses and an elite running back in Ray Rice, but the Texans have an eerily similar team. This game has potential to be a classic smash-mouth showdown.

New Orleans Saints 45     Detroit Lions 28

            Going in to this game everyone expected an offensive outburst on both sides, and it definitely didn’t disappoint.  Brees one-upped Stafford (as expected), and the rushing attack of the Saints helped control the tempo of the game as it ate away at Detroit’s defense (also as expected).  As flashy as this game was with the long touchdown passes, it was nothing that the knowledgeable football public didn’t see coming.  Drew Brees and the best offense in the league were not going to be stopped this week, especially playing against a shoddy defense like this.

A Look Ahead:  New Orleans draws arguably the toughest defense they have faced all year when they head to Candlestick Park to play the ‘Niners.  The unstoppable force that is the Saints offense is put up against Patrick Willis and his immovable defense.  Matchups on both sides of the ball seem to be somewhat equal and should provide the crowd with an entertaining game, if not a suspenseful one.

New York Giants 24     Atlanta Falcons 2

            The Giants won big. Osi Umenyiora and the rest of the New York defense simply manhandled the Falcons in every way.  Matt Ryan and his squad failed to score when they had the ball and couldn’t get anything started offensively, even  in garbage time.  Eli Manning threw for over 300 yards and a career postseason high 3 TDs while the running game that has been absent all year made its presence felt.  Kevin Gilbride called an uncharacteristically aggressive game, which contributed to the feeling of dominance that the Giants exuded all game.  This one was never in question.

A Look Ahead:  In a rematch of a week 13 game where the Packers defeated the Giants on a last-second field goal, Coach Coughlin leads his white-hot team back into Lambeau Field.  The last time New York played on the historic frozen tundra, Lawrence Tynes kicked the Giants into the Super Bowl after a late Favre interception.  The Packers are coming off of a bye week, and look to keep their incredible season rolling behind likely-MVP Aaron Rodgers.  This game interests me the most out of any this week, and not only because I’m a Giants fan.  I have an odd feeling that an instant classic may be coming our way.

Denver Broncos 29     Pittsburgh Steelers 23

            I had predicted the Broncos winning this game – and wholeheartedly believed they would – but even as a Tim Tebow supporter, I had no idea that he would come through like he did on Sunday.  All game, the Steelers defense (or what was left of it) played close to the line to defend the option offense that Denver has been running.  They were pretty much daring Tim to throw on them, and he did.  If you told someone before the game that Tebow would throw for 316 yards against the league’s best defense, they would either walk away after making some sort of explicit comment about Tebow or respond with violence.  Big Ben played well considering his injury, but eventually the pass rush of the Broncos got to him and set up the offense for a “Mile High Miracle”.

A Look Ahead:  No doubt that the Broncos and all of their fans are ecstatic after their signature win Sunday, but one could argue that New England and their fans could be even happier.  With offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels returning to his roots, the Patriots offense is a force to be reckoned with.  The Denver defense that didn’t have too much trouble containing a hobbled Roethlisberger may have met their match here.  The group that Tebow has to face is nothing stellar, but I expect Belichick to give him some defensive looks that will put him in a difficult position.  Who knows though, Tebow may just be baiting us in like he did with the Steelers’ secondary.

Wild Card Playoff Predictions

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans Saturday 4:30 PM:

 This game really interests me because of each team’s improbable success. The Bengals somehow scratched and clawed their way to a playoff berth despite the fact that they play in the AFC North, which is arguably the best division in football. Andy Dalton has surprised everyone with his performance this year, and is one of the few major reasons the team is still in it. It should be noted that Cincinnati has beaten only one team with a winning record this entire season (Tennessee Titans, 9-7). This could be a problem for the Bengals, because the teams that usually make the playoffs tend to win more games than they lose. If Matt Schaub was still playing, I think this game could get ugly fast. The fact that T.J. Yates is taking the snaps makes this game a whole lot more difficult for the Texans. If Yates can keep playing well enough that he doesnt lose the game, then Foster and the Houston defense should be able to carry the team one more week. I just have a gut feeling that Yates falls back down to earth this week and the Texans come up short.

Prediction – CIN:24 HOU:20

Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints Saturday 8:00 PM:

            This rematch of a week 13 game where New Orleans handled Detroit 31-17 is sure to be a barnburner.  Drew Brees just put together one of the best seasons a quarterback has ever had, while Matthew Stafford went somewhat under the radar while throwing for over 5,000 yards and 41 TDs.  The defensive units for both teams are less than dazzling, which only furthers the case that this game will probably break some scoreboards. The Saints have the best passing offense in the NFL, while also leading the league's 6^th best rushing attack, and I believe the key for the Lions is slowing down this ground game.  Detroit is among the worst in the NFL in both running the ball and stopping the run, and this matchup certainly doesn’t favor them.  However, if the Lions can stop the Saints on the ground, they might be able to get more of a pass rush on Brees, change the outcome of this game, and maybe keep this dream season alive for another week.  I don’t see this New Orleans offense being stopped this week, with or without Mark Ingram.

                        Prediction – NO: 38 DET: 27



Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants Sunday 1:00 PM:

            “Matty Ice” faces “Elite” Eli as the Falcons travel up to Metlife Stadium to face the Giants.  The Giants have found their groove, sacking the Jets and Cowboys a combined 11 times in the last 2 weeks, leaving both Ryan brothers battered and beaten in their tracks.  The Falcons are on a hot streak as well, winning 3 out of their last 4 games.  The only loss during that span coming from the juggernaut Saints.  That loss is not a bad one, but what really stands out about this Atlanta team is how they haven’t shown up for big games this whole year.  They seem to roll over in front of good teams, letting capable quarterbacks ravage their defense.  Almost every high-powered offense they have faced have put up big numbers, and Victor Cruz’s Giants are another one of those great offenses.  I think the key to this game lies in New York’s defense, and its ability to contain Matt Ryan’s aerial assault while keeping Michael Turner grounded.  Keeping a tab on Julio Jones and Roddy White is no easy task, but the way Fewell’s squad has been playing recently, anything is possible.  If this recent defensive success is just a fluke, then this game will be a classic playoff shootout.  I honestly believe that this is the real Giants defense; it just took some time for the pass rush to get healthy and Fewell’s system to work out the kinks.  Giants win big.

                        Prediction – NYG:31 ATL:17



Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos Sunday 4:30 PM:

            The Steelers have the best pass defense in the league, the 6^th best against the run, and they’re playing against Tim Tebow.  Game, set, match, right?  It would be if there weren’t so many other factors going into it.  First off, Pittsburgh is going all the way to Mile High Stadium to play in what is sure to be a crazy atmosphere (Just imagine a Tebow playoff game).  Speaking of atmosphere, Safety Ryan Clark is inactive due to a blood illness which doesn’t mix well with high altitude and might put another chink in the mighty Steelers armor to go with the hole at running back.  The thing that concerns me most about the Steelers is the health of Big Ben’s ankle.  He wasn’t healthy going into last week’s game against the Browns, and it showed.  Even though his team came away with the victory, Roethlisberger didn’t look very sharp or comfortable throwing the ball.  After the game, news broke that Ben suffered a “setback”, but is expected to play. Roethlisberger is probably the toughest QB in the league, but toughness only goes so far when it comes to serious injury.  There’s no doubt in my mind that Ben is not going to be playing at one-hundred percent, and that could prove to be the game changer, especially with Denver’s ferocious pass-rushing combo of Dumerville and Miller.  I don’t see either team putting up many points, with Tebow facing the best defense he has seen, and an injured Steelers offense going up against a very worthy opponent.  It should be fun to see what happens with Tebow after Elway urged him to “pull the trigger” this week.  Either it backfires and Tim loses another game for his squad, or Tebow Time finds a place in the post-season.  Don’t shoot your eye out, kid.

                        Prediction – DEN:14 PIT:10

Norv Turner Still Has a Job...

     Im not too sure how I feel about San Diego keeping their Head Coach and General Manager after yet another disappointing season. I mean, I could care less if the only time I hear the Chargers mentioned on ESPN is when analysts and experts debate how many more games they should have won, or the tremendous hot streak they go on once the playoffs are out of reach. Actually, I'm more torn on whether or not I agree with the front office's decision to try and right the ship with stability rather than a total makeover.    
     Dean Spanos, the president and CEO for the Chargers made the decision this week that the team would stick with Head Coach Norv Turner and General Manager A.J. Smith, as he believes the duo gives the team the best chance to win.  It seems like he made the decision that made the players happy, and disregarded the fans.  After hearing the news, running back Mike Tolbert had this to say: "I’m a big fan. I love playing for Coach Turner. ... I can’t get enough of this news.”
     This is where I start to get confused. The only conclusion I keep coming to is that Spanos must have absolute confidence that this combination will turn the ship around. Its clear what Spanos wants: success in the playoffs.  This was made evident after Marty Shottenheimer was fired after a season in which his team went 14-2. Given, he had developed a record of playoff struggles during his stint in San Diego, but since he left in '07, has anything gotten better?
     Sometimes, the best adjustment a team can make during the offseason is not making a change at all.  This tends to be the case with young teams that are finding their identity, not teams like the Chargers who have a veteran quarterback and no real reason not to be dominating the weak AFC West.  If you look at how the team has changed in the past few years, the decay is obvious.  Losing an aging, expensive LaDanian Tomlinson to free agency is understandable.  Letting Darren Sproles slip away is not all right.
     Bottom line is, I don't fully understand what Spanos thinks will change by keeping Turner and Smith, but he better be damn sure that he is making the right move because it would be a terrible waste to let this Chargers team that once had so much promise miss their window of opportunity because management doesn't really know what to do.  But hey, if Phillip Rivers has actually stopped his whining, then something must be going right.