The NFL playoffs get underway on Saturday afternoon with the defending Super Bowl Champion Saints visiting the champions (read survivors) of the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks. On paper, this one shouldn’t really be close. The Saints went 11-5 this season and seem to be hitting their stride late in the season. Despite a Week 17 loss to the Bucs, the Saints have all of their weapons healthy and primed for another run to the Super Bowl.
The Seahawks on the other hand, were the last team to clinch a birth into the playoffs. They beat the St. Louis Rams on Sunday night to win the west, and the right to host a playoff game, despite their 7-9 record. That is right; they had a losing record on the season.
Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and Sean Payton has the experience of leading the Saints to the promise land one year ago. The Seahawks don’t even know who their quarterback will be, and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wouldn’t exactly be my first choice to lead anything.
Saints 30 Seahawks 13
Saturday Night features one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, and one of the biggest talkers in the history of the NFL. Peyton Manning leads his Colts into the playoffs for a record tying 9th consecutive year. Rex Ryan took the Jets to the AFC Championship Game last year, only to fall to these same Colts. Ryan said earlier in the week that it was “personal” for the Jets, and for Ryan, who has only managed to beat Peyton Manning once in the six times the two have faced each other.
Manning is without many of the weapons that he is accustomed to having come playoff time. However, Manning has confirmed his greatness by leading backups into the NFL’s second season. The Colts defense will have to contend with second year quarterback Mark Sanchez. In the playoffs, you look to the quarterback to lead you to victory. I think this will be a close game, and in a close game, give me the League’s Most Valuable Player rather than the League’s Most Inconsistent Star Who Isn’t Really a Star.
Jets 20 Colts 26
On Sunday, the Ravens visit the Chiefs in a game that I wouldn’t even watch if you paid me. I don’t think there is a more team as good and boring as the Ravens. Their only interesting player, Ray Lewis, is about 50 years old, and seems to have a lot more bark these days than bite. CBS really got the shaft having only this game to televise this weekend. I’ll make a pick, but I don’t care in the least.
Ravens 17 Chiefs 13 (The real losers are people who watch this game)
Wild Card weekend ends with what I believe will be the best game of the weekend. Mike Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles take on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Although the Eagles will be playing at home, the cold won’t have any effect on the Packers, which will take away some of the home field advantage.
Everyone in the world knows about Mike Vick’s story. His comeback this season has been remarkable. However, Vick has never been to a Super Bowl, and has been injured on more than one occasion this season. Vick sat out last week’s game because of injury, and there has been no word about whether he will be 100% for the Packers game on Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers has to be the cockiest quarterback in the league, who has no reason to be cocky. Rodgers always seems to play with a chip on his shoulder, and argues with the officials about as well as he throws. He is a good quarterback, but it makes you wonder if he has the mental toughness to go on the road to win a playoff game.
The Packers have not had a running game all season, and I wouldn’t expect them to find one on Sunday. The Eagles have had big problems in their secondary, but without having to respect the running game of the Packers, they should be able to at least limit Rodgers ability to throw the ball. Vick is the difference in the game, because of his ability to improvise and stay out of the clutches of the Packer’s Clay Matthews.
Packers 26 Eagles 30
If the Wild Card games work out as I predict, the matchups for the Divisional Playoffs would be as follows:
AFC:
Ravens @ Patriots
Colts @ Steelers
NFC:
Saints @ Falcons
Eagles @ Bears
Who Dat guy who don’t want to play them Saints again? That would be me.
GO SEAHAWKS!
I'm so glad that Vick got beat! I'm gonna disagree with you on Aaron Rodgers--He's a really great guy who gives back to the community. He's had a tough time coming on after Brett Favre. He's had to prove himself to a state who Adored Farve (and whom many still love). Can't wait to see what happens this weekend!
ReplyDelete