Divisional Playoff Round

So after another weekend of playoff football, we've learned once again that anything can happen in sports. The games started in Tennessee where the number one seed in the AFC lost to the Baltimore Ravens. The game was really more of a wrestling match that happened to have a football game going on during it, as predicted by one of the players early in the week. There was pushing and shoving after just about every play. So after the first game, we've already lost the number one seed in the AFC. Granted the Ravens have a very very good defense. Second overall in the league as a matter of fact. The difference maker may have been the loss of Chris Johnson who went down in the second half. The Ravens had no answer for Johnson but had no problem stopping his backup Lendale White. The short week for the Ravens seemed to affect them early on as they were getting pushed around by the Titans which didn't happen all year.

Now on to game two. In the game that was supposed to be the easiest to predict, the Cardinals headed to Carolina to take on the Panthers. The game started just like many predicted with the Panthers marching right down the field to take an early 7-0 lead. That's where all the predictions went out the window. The Cardinals answered right back and rolled for the rest of the game to a 33-13 win. Jake Delhomme played especially poor finishing the game with a very unimpressive line of 17-34 for 205 yards, 1 TD, 5 interceptions and a lost fumble.

Sunday held a highly anticipated matchup in the Meadowlands with the Eagles taking on the hometown Giants. It was the third time the teams met up this season with a 1-1 split where the road team pulled out the win both times. Foresight maybe? The Eagles looked to become the third team to pull the upset in as many games. Eli Manning looked to have problems throwing the ball through the swirling winds and coupled with two failed fourth and short conversions, the Eagles sent home the NFC's top seed. The loss made the Giants the first defending Super Bowl champs to lose their first game when being the number one seed. The final score of 23-11 was the first time in NFL history a game ended with that score.

The fourth and final game of the weekend was in Pittsburgh where the Steelers took on their improbable opponents, the San Deigo Chargers. The Chargers rode into Pittsburgh without LaDainian Tomlinson who was inactive for the first time in his career. They also had Pro Bowl snub, Phillip Rivers who was the league leader in touchdown passes and passer rating. But the Steelers had the league's top ranked defense. The Chargers looked to improve on their 2-0 record in postseason games in Pittsburgh, although they are 0-13 in the regular season. Strange yes, but what else do you expect from two teams who played in the NFL's first ever game to end with a final score of 11-10 just a few weeks earlier. The Chargers started with a 41 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson in their opening drive. The lead was short lived when Santonio Holmes tied the game on a 67 yard punt return on San Diego's next drive. The turning point in the game was the third quarter when the Chargers held the ball for just one snap which resulted in an interception. They also had a ball bounce off a player's helmet which Pitt recovered following the interception. Big Ben and company held down the speedy Sproles and Rivers on their way to a 35-24 win. The win assured them that the Ravens have to beat them in their own house in order to play in this year's Super Bowl. The win also made sure that all four home teams didn't lose which would have been a first for the NFL Division Series. And on a fun note, the Steelers are the only team remaining whose mascot is not a bird. Chew on that.

Jerry Jones wants Garrett..Dungy Gone?

According to the Dallas Morning News, Jerry Jones will match any offer Jason Garrett recieves. Garrett has reportedly turned down the Ravens head coaching job although they are still negotiating. Garrett is now headed to ATL to interview with Arthur Blank and the Falcons. To me, this should be an easy choice. If Garrett goes to either Baltimore or Atlanta, he will have to rebuild a program, especially in Atlanta. And since Jones has already said that he will match any offer, there are no monetary reason to leave Dallas. After coming off a 13-3 season, Dallas has the players in place and is already a playoff team so why leave? Whether Phillips gets fired this year or not, which it seems like he will, Garrett has to know that he is the heir appartant. What is there to even think about?

Some more NFL coaching news..according to profootballnow.com, Tony Dungy will step down as the Colts coach so that he can follow his kids as they attend school in Tampa Bay. Assistant Coach/QB Coach Jim Caldwell will take over. Congratulations to one of the classiest guys in sports. The NFL and its fans will miss you.

Championship Sunday

This is what you play for all year long. It's the chance to play in the big game for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The Giants are on an incredible run of road victories and will obviosly look to continue that when they head to Green Bay. Ultimately I think the Packers have too many weapons in their offensive arsenal, especially in the passing game for the Giants depleted secondary. In order for the Giants to have a chance they will need their defensesive line to come up big again. Romo will be having nightmares of the Giants D line (and a certain Mexican vacation) for weeks. The Giants sacked him only twice but hit him ten more times in 36 total dropbacks. That means he was hit 1 every 3 times he dropped back. Thats an awful lot of punishment. Eli Manning has finally showed that he can win football games but if Green Bay stops the New York rushing game, Eli will have to throw the ball alot more than the Giants would like. Now for the AFC...I honestly didn't think the Patriots weren't going to go 19-0 this year, but with the way they are playing they might never lose again. The Chargers may be too banged up to be much of a test. L.T. is probable but who knows how much he will play, and Rivers is questionable. Tom Brady on the otherhand is playing better than usual and that is saying ALOT. It will be interesting to see what happens with Randy Moss. If they don't win the title this year, he will probably return since New England is his best chance at winning a Super Bowl before he retires but if they do, he might just follow the money.

NFL Divsional Playoffs (Saturday)

The divisional playoffs showed alot of things we already know. Tom Brady played like, well and MVP. (26-28, 262 yards, 3 TDs) Brett Favre played exactly how you would expect one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time to play. (18-23, 173 yards, 3 TDs) Ryan Garnett played like...Ryan Grant? The Giants traded Grant to the Packers because they didn't see a place for him and boy are the Packers glad. The last eight weeks of the season Grant rushed for over 900 yards, second to only some guy in San Diego. All he did to follow that up agains the Seahawks was rush for 201 yards (Packers record for rushing yards in a postseason game) on 27 carries and 3 touchdowns. The second game on Saturday was just as entertaining. The Jags hung around for awhile. Garrard looked more like the Garrard from the regular season instead of the guy that showed up against the Steelers in the Wild Card round throwing for 278 yards on 22 of 33 passing with 2 touchdowns and an interception. But the Patriots turned out to be too much. The Pats got ahead which forced the Jags to move away from their bread and butter rushing game. Tom Brady played almost perfect football. His only two incompletions came off dropped passes by Welker and Watson! Moss was almost nonexistant. His only catch was a 4th down conversion on their first drive. Lawrence Maroney picked the right time to have his biggest game of the year (22 carries 122 yards and a touchdown) helping to lead a balanced, that's right a balanced Patriots attack.


Congratulations to the Patriots and Packers. Good Luck next week.

Football Notes

-Rutgers running back Ray Rice has announced that he will leave Rutgers a year early to enter the NFL draft. This seems like a smart choice to me. There is no better time to leave school then when your stock is at its highest, and after his performance in the International Bowl (35 carriers for 280 yards and 4 TD's and 2 catches for 15 yards) I don't see his stock getting any higher. Say what you want about the fact that they were playing Ball State but he proved time and time again throughout the year that he could carry the load which he was forced to do, especially last year due to their anemic passing game.

-According to Joe Schad on ESPN.com, Pete Carroll has showed interest in the vacant Atlanta Falcons head coaching job and is scheduled to meet with Arthur Blank. Blank is supposedly offering to give Carroll complete control of all personnel which is what makes this offer so enticing. Personally, I'm surprised that Blank is even talking to a college coach after the Petrino situation, although Carroll is a different person and also has past NFL head coaching experience as well as 12 years in the league as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator.

-On a less serious note, Seahawks kicker, Josh Brown has announced that he will be wearing heated pants for their upcoming playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. Because kickers are less active than the rest of the players, it is harder for them to stay loose, especially in colder weather so he will try to help the situation by wearing pants set at 75 degrees.