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.

3 Up 3 Down: Sucking for Luck

     We've all heard the buzz.  Andrew Luck is the going to be the next Peyton Manning. He can throw a football a quarter-mile.  Mel Kiper probably has a picture of him hanging over his head when he sleeps.  It's totally unanimous that he is the best player coming out in next year's draft, and odds are he is going to go first overall.  There hasn't really been this much excitement around the league about any player coming out of college since Peyton Manning (we're going to pretend Tim Tebow doesn't exist right now).  Hype like this can get people to do some really crazy things, like making Dolphins fans think its totally fine for their team to play this awful.  I have to say though, it's a pretty unique thing that being the worst team in the league can pay off huge dividends in the long run.
     The simple idea that a bad team might decide to tank an entire season because it puts them in better position to draft a prospect just baffles me.  I understand if a team is not in a good position halfway through the season, and not having what it takes to make a playoff run, decides to take the franchise in a new direction.  This happens every year, the hot seats really heat up as the depth chart does it's annual shuffle, but it's not every year that all of the cellar-dweller has the same thing in their crosshairs.  Luck's group of potential suitors are an interesting couple of teams, each of them bringing their own sad little storylines.

     3. St. Louis Rams:
          All the fans who had hoped to see some sort of bright spots start to develop this year might have to hold tight for another year.  The tools are there: Steven Jackson is an absolute horse, Sam Bradford is a young quarterback that has large amounts of potential and a lot of room to grow, and Steve Spagnuolo is not nearly as bad of a coach as he looks like right now.  There is a pretty big possibility that these guys dont produce the way they should in the coming years and St. Louis has to start over (again), but I don't think that it's quite time to abandon ship, not yet at least.  It would be an interesting scenario if the Rams finish up the 2011-2012 season with the worst record and are faced with the daunting task of deciding what to do with the 1st overall pick.  If I were put in that situation, I would do everything in my power to trade down and get Bradford a weapon, maybe Justin Blackmon.  This would not only show Bradford that the team is 100% behind him, but it would also give him a receiver that could create mismatches in favor of the offense for once.  The Rams need to keep pushing and develop an identity behind Sam Bradford, and things will turn around soon enough.

     2.  Indianapolis Colts:
          Without Peyton Manning, this team looks lost and has no chance of winning.  The Indianapolis front office has already assured head coach Jim Caldwell that his job is not in jeopardy, because its totally irrational to think that the Colts have any chance to compete without the centerpiece of their team.  The bigger problem lies ahead of this season, as Manning's health is a concern that puts the teams future in danger.  Manning is 35 years old, and serious injuries that come at this time in a players career often spell doom.  As much of an iron man as Manning has been throughout his career, this neck injury has to inspire doubt about his level of play in the years to come.  If Manning returns to form next year like the Colts are hoping for, then the quarterback position isn't an emergency.  However, if this injury has a lasting effect and Peyton comes back as a shell of himself (if he returns at all), then it will be time for the organization to move on.  If the second situation is what ends up happening, and the first overall pick falls to the Colts, things will get really interesting.  Given the oppurtunity, I would take Luck and if Peyton cannot return to form, he can mentor the NFL-ready rookie from behind the scenes.  I think the last thing anybody wants to see (except maybe some sadistic AFC South fans) is Peyton Manning's Hall of Fame career come to a close due to injury, but if that were the case, I could find no better player to take the reigns from him than Andrew Luck.


     1. Miami Dolphins:
          The Miami Dolphins have been struggling as of late. And by "as of late", I mean since the Dave Wannstedt era.  One playoff appearance in ten years is nothing to be proud of.  The 'Fins need to turn things around and I think that without a doubt, Andrew Luck can do that for them.  There is no quarterback controversy in Miami, it's far less appealing than that.  More or less, it's somebody lining up under center like they're keeping the seat warm for whoever comes in next.  Theres not a doubt in my mind that if they have the oppurtunity to draft Luck, they will snatch him up like he's a beer in the Boston clubhouse.  This franchise needs to wipe the slate clean and start over, because they've gone stale.  The only bright spot on offense is Brandon Marshall, but it's pretty difficult to throw the ball downfield without a quarterback .  The defense is dreadful, and Tony Sparano already sold his house.  It's no longer a debate whether or not fans are hoping they "Suck For Luck", the only question is: Did they already start?