NFL 2008

[CQI13]

If you're the Browns, how uninspired a pick is that? Besides, shouldn't you pick a GM and let HIM pick the coach? There goes getting Scott Pioli.

[gunnar hendershow]

This is why the state of Ohio will never, ever win a Super Bowl. As a Ravens fan it is great, there's only one real threat in our division!

[Red Devil-Taker316]

So last week I went 2-2, where Indy and Atlanta cost me. Oh well. Time for the Divisional Round

Arizona @ Carolina

Alright, well, the Cardinals win over the Falcons can be explained in a lot of ways. Cards were a good home team, Atlanta had a bad defense, Atlanta had a rookie QB. This is week is a lot different. I did say before Arizona had a chance against the Panthers, but it's not much more than a puncher's chance. Jake Delhomme isn't the greatest QB in the world, but no one on the Cardinals can stop the Delhomme to Smith connection, and no one is going to stop Deangelo Williams either.

The match-up seems lopsided until you look at the fact that the Cardinals did play the Panthers in a close game in Carolina back in week 8. Warner threw 381 yards there and had a couple of scores. Then again, did you see the actions of the Cards in the Falcons game? When they dumped the gatorade on Ken Whisenhunt, the Cards might have well said "WOOHOO, WE DID IT, WE WON A PLAYOFF GAME!!" I mean, were they not expecting to win or something?

Panthers 41, Cardinals 23

Philadelphia @ New York Giants

Exactly who the Giants did not want to play. Seriously. Eagles beat the Giants in the Meadowlands a few weeks ago, so confidence is in Philly's favor. This game also has some similar looks to the Cowboys-Giants Divisional game of last season, where the Eagles are the momentum team with a QB that regained confidence (remember how well Eli Manning played in the playoffs last season) and the Giants are the Cowboys in terms of the good but shaky QB (Romo's lack of clutch compared to Eli Manning falling off a bit at the end of the season, 18TD, 7 INT first 12 games this season, 3 TD, 3 INT since) and a team that really didn't carry any momentum in week 17. But I can't buy the Eagles. They looked pretty bad against the Vikings. Minnesota was able to hold them to three FGs (always better than a TD somewhere in there) and only Tavaris Jackson's pick-six gave Philly the lead. The Westbrook screen was broken defense on Minnesota's part, I do not see the Giants letting up something like that. I also fully expect Derrick Ward, Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to all have decent days.

Giants 24, Eagles 17

San Diego @ Pittsburgh

The Chargers are a tough team. Philip Rivers had nearly no protection whatsoever and was still able to make key plays near the end of the Indy game. Darren Sproles looked great and showed that having LT isn't required for the Chargers to win. And remember their week 11 game? It was so strange. It was in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers gained 410 yards to the Chargers 218. No turnovers for the Steelers, 2 for the Chargers. The final score was 11-10? How? Chargers did not allow a touchdown the entire game. Their offense is better now, and their defense proved they can stop people (Indy last week) and they showed they can win in the clutch. And how much can you really trust Big Ben or Willie Parker? Unless the Steelers defense makes plays (which it can and did again San Diego in that week 11 win, with a James Harrison safety) they won't win.

Crazy wildcard to this. Mike Scifres was the MVP of the Indy-SD game last week. His punting left Indy in no within their own 10 five times. His performance probably swung the game about 10 points. Mitch Berger for the Steelers is one of the worst punters in the game. Heck, he was even released earlier in the season! Does that not swing at least a TD or something?

Chargers 17, Steelers 13

Baltimore @ Tennessee

These teams are virtually mirror images of the other. This game can be summed up in a few ways.

QB vs. Defense match-up: Would you rather have Kerry Collins vs. Ravens D or Joe Flacco vs. Titans D. I'd much rather have Collins.

RB vs. Defense match-up: Would you rather have Chris Johnson and LenDale White vs. Ravens D or Willis McGahee, Leron McClain and Ray Rice vs. Titans D. I'd rather have Chris Johnson and LenDale White

Would you rather have the Titans D vs. Ravens O or Ravens D vs. Titans O overall. I'd rather have the Titans D.

Head Coach: Jeff Fisher or John Harbaugh? Fisher

It's close everywhere, and maybe Ed Reed makes a play. But the Titans are the better team.

Titans 13, Ravens 9

[TheArsenal]

I think Giants are gonna do well in the layoffs this year. Giants set a new record this season (or equalled an old one) with only 13 turnovers. When the Giants don't turn the ball over, they win. If Eli keeps his INTs under control then we could get back to the SuperBowl.

Philly beat us at home, but we beat them away. We also beat Carolina, who I fancy we'd have to play in the NFC Championship game.

[sahyder1]

Are you sure on that Giants turnover stat? I am pretty sure that I saw the Dolphins set the record at 13 this year beating the mark of the 1990 Giants.

[TheArsenal]

Are you sure on that Giants turnover stat? I am pretty sure that I saw the Dolphins set the record at 13 this year beating the mark of the 1990 Giants.

I got it from the NFL Rants and Raves podcast. They're usually pretty good on stuff like that. And it wouldn't surprise me because we haven't really had many turnovers this year.

[gunnar hendershow]

Are you sure on that Giants turnover stat? I am pretty sure that I saw the Dolphins set the record at 13 this year beating the mark of the 1990 Giants.

Fins and Giants both broke the record with 13.

[Red Devil-Taker316]

Interesting. For some reason, no one even talks about the Giants doing it compared to the Dolphins.

Just to further go into it.

Giants: Manning had 10 INT, and they lost 3 fumbles.

Dolphins: Pennington had 7 INT, and they lost 6 fumbles.

While there's nothing more at this point that I would enjoy rather than a Giants loss, the Eagles just seem a tad bit overrated.

[Whoo]

Eh, as much as I hate to say it, ESPN is right and the Eagles are very hot right now. I think the Giants are missing Plaxico Burress, too. So Sunday's game should be interesting.

Ray Lewis just may kill someone this evening.

[TheArsenal]

Eh, as much as I hate to say it, ESPN is right and the Eagles are very hot right now. I think the Giants are missing Plaxico Burress, too. So Sunday's game should be interesting.

Ray Lewis just may kill someone this evening.

Well he did shoot himself. That kinda limits his fitness....

[naiwf]

Remember when I said the Titans would lose their first playoff game about 10 weeks ago when people were dreaming about the undefeated season? They're sure determined to make me look good with that prediction. They should be up by AT LEAST 17, and are somehow trailing.

[Red Devil-Taker316]

With teams as close to even as the Titans and Ravens were, losing Chris Johnson was too much to handle.

But Joe Cool proving me wrong. No mistakes.

Tennessee: Way too many mistakes. Penalties, fumbles.

Good win for the Ravens.

[Smokey B]

FLACCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!

[tristy]

My fellow statesmen should just accept the fact that Tennessee and the Super Bowl is just a match that will never, ever happen again. No matter how good we do throughout the season, when it comes down to the important moments, we fall apart.

[Whoo]

Eh, as much as I hate to say it, ESPN is right and the Eagles are very hot right now. I think the Giants are missing Plaxico Burress, too. So Sunday's game should be interesting.

Ray Lewis just may kill someone this evening.

Well he did shoot himself. That kinda limits his fitness....

I meant that I think not having Plax affects the Giants more than it's talked about. He wasn't lighting up defenses all year before he shot himself, but he was always a threat. If you take that away, especially in the playoffs, it's gonna hurt.

[alldaws1]

I think Brandon Jacobs' absence was bigger to be honest. As long as they have the running game going with Earth, Wind & Fire, they have a couple of reliable receivers in Toomer and Smith and as long as Hixon decides to catch a ball once in a while they've got a decent offense even without Plax. Eagles are hot, but I think the Giants will pull out the win.

[gunnar hendershow]

Good win for the Ravens. Never pushed it, just did what we always do and let the Titans kill themselves with costly mistakes. I'm talking 21-7 at the half. You don't capitalize, you don't win.

[Raven52]

Joe Cool all the way. Another safe game from him, only this time he had a TD.

This run is simply amazing. As improbable as this game seemed, I was continually convincing myself that this was the end, congratulations to a good season, etc. But this incredible team just finds a way to win, no matter how detrimental the stats are. YoungB, damshow, congrats and lets enjoy the ride.

GO RAVENS!

Edited January 11, 2009 by Raven52

[naiwf]

The bloodbath has already begun. The Panthers should be thankful that they blew that game against the Giants since they got a bye and then the equivalent of another one tonight. They'll be fresh against whoever survives Eagles/Giants and have a pretty good chance to host that game if Philly pulls off the upset. Amazing.

[TheArsenal]

Eh, as much as I hate to say it, ESPN is right and the Eagles are very hot right now. I think the Giants are missing Plaxico Burress, too. So Sunday's game should be interesting.

Ray Lewis just may kill someone this evening.

Well he did shoot himself. That kinda limits his fitness....

I meant that I think not having Plax affects the Giants more than it's talked about. He wasn't lighting up defenses all year before he shot himself, but he was always a threat. If you take that away, especially in the playoffs, it's gonna hurt.

True. Pretty much every team was putting double coverage on him. Every single play he was facing a cornerback and a safety - so someone, somewhere, was free. Now we don't have that luxury, for a start. But Hixon was putting up amazing numbers in pre-season when we didn't have Plax. Toomer is back to the kind of form he had a few years ago - Mr Dependable. Boss has come into his own in the second half of the season and is twice the player he was in last years SuperBowl. Steve Smith is led the Giants in receptions this year. Plaxico was fifth.

And everyone knows the Giants are a running team. This year is only the fifth time in NFL history that a team has had two players rush for 1000 yards. Derrick Ward (1025) and Brandon Jacobs (1089) had great seasons, and Jacobs missed a number of games and still posted those yards with his 15TDs. Jacobs is back to full fitness and that is a more important fact than Plaxico's inactivity.

A lot of people are writing off the Giants. But they did last year, and hell they at the start of this season too. But the Giants have what it takes to beat Philly.

And I hope they do.