Yes, I sat through nearly 16 hours of the NFL's wild card round.  I enjoyed the games, but definitely not all 240 minutes of action, or lack there of.  Similar to Shawn Michael's theme song, I will it break it down for you.  Not the highlights of course.  I do not, cannot and will not, for that matter, compete with ESPN, the No. 1 leader in sports non-professional sports, such as World Series of Poker.  Pack your bags, enjoy the show.

Firstly, credit Eli Manning and the New York Giants, who overcame adversity and injuries to CB Sam Madison, C Shaun O'Hara and LB Kawika Mitchell, to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning Buccaneers and extend their road winning streak to eight (8-1).  Head coach Tom Coughlin did not receive the traditional Gatorade downpour as the clocked ticked down.  The Giants are saving that for the Super Bowl

They were not the first team this past weekend who enjoyed the road well traveled.

After blowing an 18-point lead, the Jacksonville Jaguars summed up enough firepower in their arsenal to win with a last-minute field goal.  Pittsburgh put up a strong fight without their lead halfback Willie Parker, who suffered a broken fibula against St. Louis on Dec. 20, which ended his season.  That and some questionable coaching decisions did them in on Sunday.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for winning the division, Tennessee and Washington could not handle the "12th man" and suffered double-digit losses to San Diego and Seattle respectively.  They combined for five scoreless quarters, merely two touchdowns, and two field goals.  Not a good way to win on the road in the playoffs.  Unlike baseball, basketball, and hockey, there are no second chances in this league.  Drive home safely.  Get ready for next season.

In the meanwhile, for as long as I can remember, Seattle received an incredibly loud fan support.  I give them credit for taking advantage of the noise difference.  Those fans definitely care about their football team and were even given the game ball by head coach Mike Holmgren after a win in 2005.  Unfortunately, Green Bay is hosting next week’s divisional matchup.  No soup for you Seahawk fans.

More interesting notes.  Score first does not equal victory.

The team that scored first only won one of the four games this past weekend and the so-called “home field advantage” saved two teams that should have won their games regardless of the location, in my opinion.  No, I did not preview the games or make any bold predictions.  I merely listened to the radio this past week as fans called in to discuss Eli Manning and the NY Giants.  I whole-heartedly believed that, after last week’s regular season finale, Eli was ready for the Bucs.  Apparently, I was right for a change and the G-Men are moving on to Dallas. 

Just like the Syracuse Orange basketball program found a way to win the Big East tournament in 2005, the managed to squeeze by Minnesota and New Orleans for the sixth and final seed in the postseason.  However, Seattle is a far superior team, even with an oft-injured Shawn Alexander running the ball.  They have a better and more experienced quarterback, Matt Hasselback, and most importantly, a physical defense.  After starting for USC and winning back-to-back national Championships there, Lofa Tatupu has been a premier linebacker in the NFL since Seattle drafted him in 2005.  Joining Tatupu’s five picks was CB Marcus Trufant, who finished with a team-high seven interceptions.  Julian Peterson and Patrick Kerney ensured that Redskins QB Todd Collins would have a miserable day.  They had 10 and 14 sacks apiece in the regular season.  The Seattle’s defense allowed 18.2 points per game going into the playoffs, seventh best in the league, and right behind the six teams that qualified for the postseason (defense is key). 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that the Seahawks rarely lose at home.  Since the start of the 2005 season, the Seahawks have the second-best regular-season home record.

Colts 21-3.875

Seahawks 20-4.833*

Chargers 19-5.792

Jaguars 18-6.750

Patriots 18-6.750

* -- 4-0 home playoff mark since '05

The Seahawks owned the first three quarters, going up 13 to zilch, before the Red Skins looked up the sky for a sign from Sean Taylor, who died in late November 2007 from critical injuries suffered in a gun shooting at his Miami area home.  The Skins definitely fought with courage and heart, and even took the lead, 14-13, after an interception, one of four Seahawks’ blunders on the day.  However, the Redskins place kicker Shaun Suisham missed a chip shot from 30 yards out on the ensuing possession.  On Seattle’s next possession, safety LaRon Landry intercepted Hasselbeck, which led to a 3-and-out for Washington.

Seattle finally capitalized.  Hasselbeck passed to D.J. Hackett down the middle for a 20-yard score.  This gave them a 21-14 edge.  My boy Marcus Trufant took Todd Collins’ next throw to the house for a comfortable 28-14 lead.  From there, J. Babineaux mimicked Trufant in his 57-yard return for a final score of 35-14.  I really liked the Skins’ battle to never surrender until the end of the fourth quarter.  But, as they rode an emotional four-game winning streak to sneak into the playoffs, they could not succeed against a playoff-ridden, experienced Seattle team.  I honestly think that Seattle will have many problems with Green Bay next Saturday, as Brett Favre leads the second-rated offense.  The key for the Seahawks is to somehow contain Favre and force him to mobilize outside the pocket, not an easy task for any opponent.  The Packers allowed 19 sacks in 16 games.

The first AFC game, which took place Saturday night, had a little zing to it.  But, it ended with questionable coaching decisions that spectators and the media did not focus on (at least from what I read).

That’s right, Jaguars at Steelers.  Well, barely.  The Jags, who held a monster 28-10 lead entering the fourth, allowed the Steelers to climb back and eventually capture their first lead of the game with 6:21 left in the fourth quarter.  But, in my opinion, Pittsburgh's head coach Mike Timlin cost his team the victory.  After the Steelers scored a touchdown to trim the Jags’ lead to five at 28-23, they went for the two-point conversion, to make it a three-point game.

Fine.  No complaints.  I agreed with this choice initially.  But, hold on to your seats.  The Steelers committed a 10-yard penalty that pushed them back to the Jaguars’ 12-yard line.  At this point, Tomlin should have dispatched his extra-point team on the field.  There was no chance the Steelers could convert the two-point play and there was plenty of time remaining in the fourth quarter, 10:25 on the clock, for the Steelers to hold Jacksonville, and then score again, especially at home in the playoffs, with the 12th man on their side.  Furthermore, proving my point, Pitt’s defense intercepted QB David Garrard’s pass on the Jaguars’ next possession.  What a surprise.

Ben Roethlisberger, who has the worst sir names among NFL quarterbacks (other than Favre and maybe Rosenfels), took advantage of the turnover with a few completions, before backup RB Najeh Davenport scampered into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown.  Now, Pitt is on top 29-28, instead of 30-28.  With the extra point, they would have led by three points, or, a potential game-tying field goal.  Whaddu ya know.  Roethlisberger’s throw is batted down and the Steelers lose by two points, when Josh Scobee kicked a 25-yard field goal with 0:37 remaining.

I am not a big fan of second-guessing and “I told you sos,” but, in this case, the odds were different.  They were more significant.

Before my Titans-Chargers analysis, let’s celebrate a bigger, more important win.

In the Giants win, they relied on Eli Manning’s arm over the tired (and possibly injured) legs of Brandon Jacobs.  Maybe, he should have rested last week against New England (second guessing?).  They could have signed a running back, considering every halfback and tailback have been injured this past season at some point.

As expected, Tampa bay put eight men in the box and dared Manning to throw the rock.  Not only did he toss the pigskin like a champion, he engineered a 15-play 92-yard drive spanning the third and fourth quarters that sealed the victory for the Giants.  He finished 20 of 27 for 185 yards, 2 TDS, and zero interceptions, fumbles, mistakes, errors, and typical Eli mental or physical blunders.  He was nearly perfect throughout the day, as the Giants rolled to an 8-1 road record this season, after losing the season opener against Dallas.

“After a slow start, Manning was sharp, completing high-percentage throws, moving the chains and, most importantly, not making any game-changing mistakes or poor decisions,” Ken Moll, of Scouts Inc said afterwards.

Dallas also won the other meeting, 31-20, in the meadowlands.

And you know what they say.  Fail once, fail twice, third time is a charm.  The Giants enter the next game with momentum, a motivated younger-Peyton, and hopefully a healthy center and corner back.

“When the Giants left Texas Stadium after their opening-night loss in September, they probably never dreamed they would be back for a postseason rematch with the Cowboys.  After Sunday’s 24-14 wild-card win over Tampa Bay, however, they will be heading back to Dallas this weekend in hopes of prolonging a season which few thought would last even this long,” Bergen Record’s NY Giants’ Beat Writer Vinny Ditrani  wrote in his game story.

I was nervous at first.  The Bucs scored in the first quarter and that stupid cannon went off, which drove the fans crazy.  They were not nearly as vocal as Seahawk creatures in 2005, which caused the Giants’ 11 false state penalties, although Jay Feely missed three field goals to win the game for the G-Men in regulation and in overtime.  This time around, Eli was on target, after losing his last two playoff starts.

He hit Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, and finally Brandon Jacobs in a screen pass, to tie the game at seven.  He looked confident, like a veteran with poise, almost like his older brother Peyton.  Then the Giants defense welcomed Jeff Garcia to their village.  Michael Strahan and his defensive units pressured Garcia, who finished at 59 percent with 23 of 39 for 207, into poor throws and terrible inaccuracy.  Corey Webster, who played fabulously in place of an injured Sam Madison, and R.W. McQuarters made two outstanding INTs for the Giants, who also recovered a fumble on the second half’s opening kickoff, which led to three points.  They won 24-14 over the Buckeyes.

New York finished the day plus three in the turnover column and will need to hold onto the ball against the high-flying, dangerous Dallas Cowboys, who have the third-best offense in the NFL, fourth in passing.  The Boys have scored 455 points, fourth best in the league and have a very balanced all-around team.  The Giants and Cowboys’ third meeting this season, and first ever in the playoffs, should be a battle from the beginning to end.  Of course, if Terrell Owens and Sean O’Hara cannot play next Sunday, things will be much different.  Without O’Hara at center, I think the Giants have no chance of winning next Sunday.  He is a veteran from Rutgers University and critical for the Giants’ run game, which stumbled on Sunday, before Ahmad Bradshaw’s solid second half, 17 touches for 66 on the ground.  Jacobs had problems running the ball and finished with a 2.6 average on 13 carries.  The Giants held the ball for 33:31 and only allowed one sack, giving Eli time in the pocket.

Finally, the finale.

After the Giants defeated the Buccaneers 24-14, CBS broadcasted the wild card weekend’s finale between San Diego and Tennessee.  If only the Titans could manufacture some points inside the Chargers’ red zone, they might not have lost 17-6.  For gosh sakes, they held LT (LaDainian Tomlinson, who has the most last-name vowels for a running back) to 42 yards on 21 carries, yet managed just two field goals.

Okay, fine.  You win.

San Diego was at home, entered the game with a better overall team, and Tennessee was injured, to say the least.  QB Vince Young completed 16/29 for 138 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.  There have been quarters this season, in which some QBs have thrown for 100+ yards.  Let’s be honest.  Young has been hobbling and battling a sore quad since October.  I promise I am not kidding.  The league did not know if he were even starting on Sunday.

“Tennessee quarterback Vince Young took part in most of practice Friday but will be a game-time decision for the Titans' playoff game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.  Coach Jeff Fisher said Young was better but did not go full speed with his sore right quadriceps.  Young originally hurt his quadriceps muscle in October” (Chicago Tribune).

I know that Young is a warrior and would not quit on his team.  However, his running back, Lendale White, is certainly no Tomlinson, and managed 69 yards.  Wow, that’s like one less than 70.  Young was pressured all day, sacked thrice, and threw an INT to Drayton Florence.

Let’s quickly look back at the Titans’ possessions inside the Chargers’ red zone area.  Then again, what do you expect from a team rated last in the NFL in touchdown scoring “Inside the Red Zone” (via Profootballweekly).  You cannot defeat a Chargers team with field goals, and locks of love.  In addition, San Diego ranked in the top 10 in RED ZONE DEFENSIVE STATS.

You had the worst against the best.  Guess who won? Wow, you’re a genius.

Tennessee

First Possession of Game:

1st-10, SD15… rush, pass, incompletion, 30-yard field goal by Rob Bironasà Score TT 3-0

1st-10, SD13… rush by White, Brown fumbled a rush right, Chargers recoverà 3-0

1st-10, SD29… not red zone, but close enough… Young leads Titans down the field, Bironas ends first half with FG… à TT 6-0, going into locker rooms

Second Half:

1st-10, SD17… rush, incompletion, incompletion by Young again… Bironas missed a 38-yarderà Chargers lead 10-6 (could have been 10-9 or even 13-6 in favor of the Titans, if they could score)

The Chargers harassed Young into 46 yards passing (excluding sacks and interceptions) after halftime.  That included the game-sealing interception with 3:33 left in regulation.  Personally, again, second-guessing aside, Young did not amaze me with his arm or ability on Sunday.  Why not give Kerry Collins, who has been around a long time and knows the postseason well, a shot at bringing this team back, after collapsing in the third quarter?  I loved the Chargers passion on defense, but Collins has a better arm and Young was definitely around 75 percent and I am being generous.

I hope you enjoyed the weekend in sports.

There you have it.

Seattle at Green Bay à Saturday, 4:30 p.m. on FOX

Jacksonville at New Englandà Saturday night 8:00 p.m. on CBS

San Diego at Indianapolisà Sunday midday 12:00 p.m. on CBS

New York Giants at Dallasà Sunday 4:30 p.m. on FOX

I will not make predictions for next week’s games until I know the full extent of injuries.  I do believe that, with O’Hara and Madison, the Giants will cover the 7½ spread.  In New England, I don’t see the Jags sticking with the Patriots for 60 minutes.  Pats by 11½…

If Antonio Gates cannot compete next week due to his toe injury suffered against Tennessee, the Chargers are in deep trouble.  The Colts are getting nine points.  I am taking the points.

Finally, Packers and Seahawks.  Packers -8½.  Take the points.

The return of Mike Holmgren to Lambeau Field, where he commanded the Packers to Super Bowl XXXI’s win over New England.

“Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren admits he is looking forward to facing his former team Green Bay Packers following his side's 35-14 victory over Washington Redskins in Saturday's wild card contest.

“Green Bay is a special place," said Holmgren, who led the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI. "We're very excited about the opportunity. We know the challenges better than most." (National Post)

The odd makers have not respected any of the underdogs in the NFL Divisional Playoffs.  Why should they, really?  The Giants made the playoffs even though they were 3-5 at home and lost to playoff-bound teams (Dallas 2x, Washington, New England, Green Bay).  They barely beat Detroit and Chicago, who combined for fewer wins (14) than the Patriots (16-0).

The Seahawks went 7-1 at Qwest Field but 3-5 on the road, including losses at Atlanta (4-12), Carolina (7-9), Cleveland (10-6), Pittsburgh (10-6), and Arizona (8-8).  Wow, that’s pathetic.  I am taking the points.  I like Favre and I do not see the Seahawks pulling that miraculous 12th man bullshit stunt in the historic Lambeau field.  Nice try guys.  Although, the Seahawks lost by three points on the road four times.  Could be interesting day… I am still taking the Packers.

• ‹ previous
• 297 of 430
• next ›