The biggest sporting event of the year... The Super Bowl. It's finally upon us, and it looks to be quite a shoot out between to powerhouse offenses.
Super Bowl XLIV will match up the 14-2 Indianapolis Colts and the 13-3 New Orleans Saints.
The Colts, who have been dominant throughout the playoffs, are looking to bring home their second Lombardi Trophy in four years. With the help of quarterback Peyton Manning, the Colts have had little trouble scoring against opposing teams all year long. So far during the playoffs, they have put up 50 points, and with both teams today possessing high-flying passing attacks, that number could double before the game is over. Manning has plenty of options to throw to, from wide receivers Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, and Austin Collie, to tight end Dallas Clark. Running back Joseph Addai should also be a big factor today as the defense will be doing its best to keep Manning and the rest of his passing attack under wraps. If the Colts can get the running game going and keep the Saints defense honest, the Colts should have an easy time putting points on the board. The biggest question mark for either team is the Colts' defense, which has been questionable from time to time this season. Manning has had seven fourth quarter comebacks this season, which were a result of a defense that has had some trouble keeping its opposition out of the endzone consistently. Another huge factor today will be the questionable status of All-Pro defensive end Dwight Freeney. He tore a ligament in his ankle during the Conference Championship game against the New York Jets, and has had trouble getting back onto the practice field. Although it is a rather serious injury, it shouldn't keep Freeney from seeing the field today. The question is whether he will be effective or not. If he isn't, backup Raheem Brock could be a much more favorable matchup for the Saints. This game will come down to whether Manning can pick apart this Saints defense and if the offensive line can keep the heavy Saints pass rush off of his back.
The Saints, who barely edged out the Minnesota Vikings to find their way into the Super Bowl, are coming into this game with a chip on their shoulders. This is going to be their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, coming only a few years after a devastating hurricane riped apart New Orleans. The city has rallied behind its team, and this would be a huge moral boost for NO and all of Louisiana. Quarterback Drew Brees has been the spark behind this Saints offense that was ranked #1 during the regular season. They scored the most points during the season and are hoping that their high scoring offense can kick in this week as well as they go against another high scoring offense. Brees has plenty of options to go to on offense, which has helped him be so successful this season, earning the Fedex Air Player of the Year. With receivers such as Marques Colston and Devery Henderon, along with tight end Jeremy Shockey and running back Reggie Bush, the passing attack could be a huge problem for the Colts today. With a trio of outstanding running backs in Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and Bush, the Saints are hoping that their offense can be two-dimensional, which will give them an edge over a somewhat one-dimensional Colts offense. Getting Reggie Bush involved in the offense and putting the ball in his hands will be a huge factor in moving the ball against a quick Colts defense. Even with so many questions surrounding the offensive line and whether they can slow down the Colts' extremely quick defense, the Saints are confident that they can handle the pass rush and allow Brees plenty of time to throw. They kept two great pass rushing defenses, the Cardinals and the Vikings, to only one sack this post-season. The defense for the Saints has been solid all season, led by middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and safety Darren Sharper. The defensive line has done a great job of putting pressure on quarterbacks, especially two weeks ago against Brett Favre of the Vikings. Sharper will do everything in his power to lift his defense up and try to make plays against this outstanding passing attack of the Colts.
The Saints have done a good job of forcing turnovers this year, and whether they can force Manning into turnovers will be a key factor in today's game. With both teams possessing offenses capable of scoring early and often, this game should turn into a shoot out. The team that does the best job of not becoming one dimensional and forcing turnovers will win the Super Bowl and take home the Lombardi Trophy. Even though the Colts have the "been-there, done that" factor on their side, the Saints have the emotional side of this that could give them the edge.
My pick: New Orleans Saints
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
After Disappointing End to Season, Will Favre Finally Hang Up His Cleats for Good?
Brad Childress set out this past offseason on a mission to bring ex-Falcon/Packer/Jet quarterback Brett Favre to Minnesota to help guide his Vikings to the playoffs. For the last few years, the Vikings had all the pieces that were necessary to make a run at the playoffs, except for a quarterback.
In 2006, they drafted Alabama State quarterback Tavaris Jackson in hopes that he could take the reins as the Vikings new quarterback. 3 Seasons later, they decided that enough was enough with Jackson, who in his first 3 seasons threw for almost as many interceptions as he did touchdowns, leading him to a QB rating of 76.5. After multiple benchings of Jackson as well as additions of veteran quarterbacks such as Sage Rosenfels and Gus Frerotte, the Vikings knew that they didn't have much longer before their chance at the playoffs slipped out of their grasp. So Childress went after two-time retiree Favre who had just ended a disappointing season with the New York Jets.
After much indecision and talks of Favre not wanting to come back, Favre eventually joined the Vikings, coming in late to training camp yet having the starting job from day 1. Facing an onslaught of criticism, Favre took to work with the Vikings, getting them ready for what was hoped would be their last ditch effort to reach the Super Bowl.
Even with all the scrutiny and controversy involving Favre and Childress' "heated arguments" during a couple of games, Favre took the field this past season with poise and confidence. The end result was probably his best season of his Hall-of-Fame career. He led the Vikings to a 12-4 regular season record, threw for over 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns, while only throwing a career-low 7 interceptions. It was an outstanding season that was full of promise going into the playoffs.
In the first playoff game, he played sensationally, throwing for 4 touchdowns and picking apart the Dallas Cowboy defense. The Conference game against the New Orleans Saints, however, was not so pretty. He has smashed and abused all day long, throwing two interceptions accompanied by only one touchdown. He limped off and onto the field numerous times and was simply harassed. The look on his face after every play could only be perceived as excruciating pain. The Vikings came away empty-handed, losing to the Saints in overtime off of a Garrett Hartley field goal.
Now that their season is over, Favre has a choice to make. Many believe he came back in hopes of winning another Super Bowl and ending his career with a bang. The only thing he came away with from this game was a massive headache and a injured ankle. Will this be the end of Favre, or will he come back for another season with the Vikings or another team in hopes of finding that elusive Super Bowl victory?
Just keep this little tid-bit in mind... Favre's last pass with the Packers and the Jets were both interceptions. That last pass Favre threw for the Vikings this season was picked with 12 seconds left in the game deep in the Saints territory. Only time will tell what he decides, but my guess is he's done.
In 2006, they drafted Alabama State quarterback Tavaris Jackson in hopes that he could take the reins as the Vikings new quarterback. 3 Seasons later, they decided that enough was enough with Jackson, who in his first 3 seasons threw for almost as many interceptions as he did touchdowns, leading him to a QB rating of 76.5. After multiple benchings of Jackson as well as additions of veteran quarterbacks such as Sage Rosenfels and Gus Frerotte, the Vikings knew that they didn't have much longer before their chance at the playoffs slipped out of their grasp. So Childress went after two-time retiree Favre who had just ended a disappointing season with the New York Jets.
After much indecision and talks of Favre not wanting to come back, Favre eventually joined the Vikings, coming in late to training camp yet having the starting job from day 1. Facing an onslaught of criticism, Favre took to work with the Vikings, getting them ready for what was hoped would be their last ditch effort to reach the Super Bowl.
Even with all the scrutiny and controversy involving Favre and Childress' "heated arguments" during a couple of games, Favre took the field this past season with poise and confidence. The end result was probably his best season of his Hall-of-Fame career. He led the Vikings to a 12-4 regular season record, threw for over 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns, while only throwing a career-low 7 interceptions. It was an outstanding season that was full of promise going into the playoffs.
In the first playoff game, he played sensationally, throwing for 4 touchdowns and picking apart the Dallas Cowboy defense. The Conference game against the New Orleans Saints, however, was not so pretty. He has smashed and abused all day long, throwing two interceptions accompanied by only one touchdown. He limped off and onto the field numerous times and was simply harassed. The look on his face after every play could only be perceived as excruciating pain. The Vikings came away empty-handed, losing to the Saints in overtime off of a Garrett Hartley field goal.
Now that their season is over, Favre has a choice to make. Many believe he came back in hopes of winning another Super Bowl and ending his career with a bang. The only thing he came away with from this game was a massive headache and a injured ankle. Will this be the end of Favre, or will he come back for another season with the Vikings or another team in hopes of finding that elusive Super Bowl victory?
Just keep this little tid-bit in mind... Favre's last pass with the Packers and the Jets were both interceptions. That last pass Favre threw for the Vikings this season was picked with 12 seconds left in the game deep in the Saints territory. Only time will tell what he decides, but my guess is he's done.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
NFL Conference Playoff Games 1/24
It's almost here. Two more games and we'll know who will be in Super Bowl XLIV. After a long season full of surprises and let downs, it all comes down to this weekend for four teams that have fought all season long in hopes of booking themselves a trip to Miami to play in the Super Bowl.
The first game this Sunday will be between the New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts, at Lucas Oil Stadium at 3 EST. These two teams met in week 16 of the regular season, with the Jets coming away with a 29-15 victory. This can be a deceiving result though, as the Colts pulled their starters in the second half, which is believed to have led to the loss.
The New York Jets, who ended the season with a 9-7 record, have taken the playoffs by storm. Coming in as the #5 seed in the AFC, they witheld against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round. Riding their momentum, they took on the favorites to the win the Super Bowl, the San Diego Chargers, and came out of Qualcomm Stadium with a 17-14 win. Now they head into Indy this weekend with hopes of coming out on top for a third week in a row and proving that the first win against the Colts was no fluke. With an outstanding running game that has seen rookie Shonn Greene run for 263 yards in two playoff games, whether the Jets can run the ball against a somewhat inconsistent Colts' rush defense may make the difference in this game. Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has proven that he can handle the pressure of the playoffs, coming out of the last 2 games with a passer rating of 92.2. Along with a terrific defense led by outstanding middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and shutdown cornerback Darelle Revis, the Jets are looking unstoppable after holding a powerful Charger offense to only 14 points. The Jets must depend on their throw-back style offense as well as their solid running game with Greene and veteran running back Thomas Jones if they hope to pave their way to the Super Bowl.
The Colts, who ended the season with a 14-2 record, are looking to fend off a promising Jets team that seems determined to fulfill their head coaches predictions of a Super Bowl appearance. After a dominating performance against the Baltimore Ravens last week, the Colts are hoping to silence any critics and continue their success against the red-hot Jets. The Jets biggest threat towards the Colts is their running game, which the Colts proved they could stop, holding the electric Ravens running back Ray Rice to only 67 yards. The Colts kept the Ravens' offense out of the endzone all day, holding them to only 3 points. They will have to have the same type of game against the Jets, as well as force Sanchez to make mistakes. Quarterback Peyton Manning will have his hands full with trying to pass against a Jets defense that has harrassed offenses all year long. Look for Manning to try to get the passing game going early and strike quick so that they don't have to test their luck against Revis and fellow cornerback Lito Sheppard all day. The running game has been inconsistent at best all season for the Colts, so the Jets will be coming with pressure to force Manning into making tough throws and turning the ball over.
This game will come down to whether the Colts defense of last week can show up and whether Revis and the Jets D can keep Manning contained. However, the experience and leadership of a veteran like Peyton Manning along with the speedy Indy defense, the Colts should be able to step up and send the Jets packing.
My pick: Indianapolis Colts
The second game this Sunday will see the Minnesota Vikings playing the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome, at 6:40 EST. The last time these two teams met was in 2008, in a game in which the Vikings edged out the Saints in a 30-27 victory on a Monday night.
The Minnesota Vikings, who ended the season with a 12-4 record, are coming off a phenomenal game in which they trounced the favored Dallas Cowboys, holding them to a single field goal while putting up 34 of their own points. The Vikings who have faced criticism for resurrecting the career of two time retiree quarterback Brett Favre. Although he was thought to have been done after a disappointing season with the Jets last season, he came back and has led the Vikings into the playoffs with the #2 seed in the NFC as well as the #2 passing attack in the league. The main factor in this game should, however, be the Vikings defense that kept the Cowboys high-powered offense to 248 yards. They kept the pressure on Tony Romo all game, sacking him 6 times and forcing 3 turnovers. Ray Edwards, who had 3 of those 6 sacks, is questionable for Sunday's game, but defensive end Jared Allen and the Williams Wall can easily pick up the slack if Edwards isn't available. The defensive backfield will be the biggest concern, as the Saints have a plethora of offensive weapons that they can utilize against a vulnerable secondary. The deciding factor of the game will be the production of running back Adrian Peterson, who has been inconsistent all year. If he came come out and play like the AP from years-past, it will take pressure off Favre and keep the Vikings from being one-dimensional.
The Saints, who ended the season with a 13-3 record, proved that they deserved the #1 seed last week against the Arizona Cardinals with an offensive onslaught, putting up 45 points and 418 yards. After ending the season with a 3-game losing streak, the Saints silenced critics with last weekends game and are hoping to fend off the Vikings and make their way to Miami. Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who helped make the Saints the #1 passing team in the NFL, has had a sensational year and hopes to continue his success against a dominant Minnesota defense. With the help of receivers Marques Colston and Devery Henderson, and possibly tight end Jeremy Shockey who is questionable with an injury, Brees is looking to take advantage of an inconsistent Vikings secondary. He will need the help of his offensive line to keep the likes of Allen, Edwards, and the Williams Wall off his back. The defense must also do its part by containing Favre and his bunch of talented receivers. They gave up a large amount of yards to the Cardinals offense last week, and if they do the same this week, they have a hard time keeping the Vikings from racking up the points. Running back/returner Reggie Bush will have to have another sensational game if the Saints have any hope of holding off Minnesota.
With the #1 and #2 offenses going head-to-head, this game looks to be a shoot out with lots of points and lots of yards. Favre is hoping to finish off his next attempt at a Super Bowl run by taking the Vikings to Miami through New Orleans. If AP can have a good game and the Minnesota defensive line can keep the pressure on Brees and Co., they shouldn't have too much trouble finding themselves in the Super Bowl.
My pick: Minnesota Vikings
The first game this Sunday will be between the New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts, at Lucas Oil Stadium at 3 EST. These two teams met in week 16 of the regular season, with the Jets coming away with a 29-15 victory. This can be a deceiving result though, as the Colts pulled their starters in the second half, which is believed to have led to the loss.
The New York Jets, who ended the season with a 9-7 record, have taken the playoffs by storm. Coming in as the #5 seed in the AFC, they witheld against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round. Riding their momentum, they took on the favorites to the win the Super Bowl, the San Diego Chargers, and came out of Qualcomm Stadium with a 17-14 win. Now they head into Indy this weekend with hopes of coming out on top for a third week in a row and proving that the first win against the Colts was no fluke. With an outstanding running game that has seen rookie Shonn Greene run for 263 yards in two playoff games, whether the Jets can run the ball against a somewhat inconsistent Colts' rush defense may make the difference in this game. Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has proven that he can handle the pressure of the playoffs, coming out of the last 2 games with a passer rating of 92.2. Along with a terrific defense led by outstanding middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and shutdown cornerback Darelle Revis, the Jets are looking unstoppable after holding a powerful Charger offense to only 14 points. The Jets must depend on their throw-back style offense as well as their solid running game with Greene and veteran running back Thomas Jones if they hope to pave their way to the Super Bowl.
The Colts, who ended the season with a 14-2 record, are looking to fend off a promising Jets team that seems determined to fulfill their head coaches predictions of a Super Bowl appearance. After a dominating performance against the Baltimore Ravens last week, the Colts are hoping to silence any critics and continue their success against the red-hot Jets. The Jets biggest threat towards the Colts is their running game, which the Colts proved they could stop, holding the electric Ravens running back Ray Rice to only 67 yards. The Colts kept the Ravens' offense out of the endzone all day, holding them to only 3 points. They will have to have the same type of game against the Jets, as well as force Sanchez to make mistakes. Quarterback Peyton Manning will have his hands full with trying to pass against a Jets defense that has harrassed offenses all year long. Look for Manning to try to get the passing game going early and strike quick so that they don't have to test their luck against Revis and fellow cornerback Lito Sheppard all day. The running game has been inconsistent at best all season for the Colts, so the Jets will be coming with pressure to force Manning into making tough throws and turning the ball over.
This game will come down to whether the Colts defense of last week can show up and whether Revis and the Jets D can keep Manning contained. However, the experience and leadership of a veteran like Peyton Manning along with the speedy Indy defense, the Colts should be able to step up and send the Jets packing.
My pick: Indianapolis Colts
The second game this Sunday will see the Minnesota Vikings playing the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome, at 6:40 EST. The last time these two teams met was in 2008, in a game in which the Vikings edged out the Saints in a 30-27 victory on a Monday night.
The Minnesota Vikings, who ended the season with a 12-4 record, are coming off a phenomenal game in which they trounced the favored Dallas Cowboys, holding them to a single field goal while putting up 34 of their own points. The Vikings who have faced criticism for resurrecting the career of two time retiree quarterback Brett Favre. Although he was thought to have been done after a disappointing season with the Jets last season, he came back and has led the Vikings into the playoffs with the #2 seed in the NFC as well as the #2 passing attack in the league. The main factor in this game should, however, be the Vikings defense that kept the Cowboys high-powered offense to 248 yards. They kept the pressure on Tony Romo all game, sacking him 6 times and forcing 3 turnovers. Ray Edwards, who had 3 of those 6 sacks, is questionable for Sunday's game, but defensive end Jared Allen and the Williams Wall can easily pick up the slack if Edwards isn't available. The defensive backfield will be the biggest concern, as the Saints have a plethora of offensive weapons that they can utilize against a vulnerable secondary. The deciding factor of the game will be the production of running back Adrian Peterson, who has been inconsistent all year. If he came come out and play like the AP from years-past, it will take pressure off Favre and keep the Vikings from being one-dimensional.
The Saints, who ended the season with a 13-3 record, proved that they deserved the #1 seed last week against the Arizona Cardinals with an offensive onslaught, putting up 45 points and 418 yards. After ending the season with a 3-game losing streak, the Saints silenced critics with last weekends game and are hoping to fend off the Vikings and make their way to Miami. Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who helped make the Saints the #1 passing team in the NFL, has had a sensational year and hopes to continue his success against a dominant Minnesota defense. With the help of receivers Marques Colston and Devery Henderson, and possibly tight end Jeremy Shockey who is questionable with an injury, Brees is looking to take advantage of an inconsistent Vikings secondary. He will need the help of his offensive line to keep the likes of Allen, Edwards, and the Williams Wall off his back. The defense must also do its part by containing Favre and his bunch of talented receivers. They gave up a large amount of yards to the Cardinals offense last week, and if they do the same this week, they have a hard time keeping the Vikings from racking up the points. Running back/returner Reggie Bush will have to have another sensational game if the Saints have any hope of holding off Minnesota.
With the #1 and #2 offenses going head-to-head, this game looks to be a shoot out with lots of points and lots of yards. Favre is hoping to finish off his next attempt at a Super Bowl run by taking the Vikings to Miami through New Orleans. If AP can have a good game and the Minnesota defensive line can keep the pressure on Brees and Co., they shouldn't have too much trouble finding themselves in the Super Bowl.
My pick: Minnesota Vikings
Friday, January 15, 2010
Saturday 1/16 Divisional Playoff Games
As the playoffs head into their second week, there are a lot of question marks about what will happen in this week's games. With both of the lower seeds winning in the AFC, while both higher seeds took the victory in the NFC, seeding seems to be a small factor in deciding who will win this weekend's bouts.
The first game on Saturday will be between the New Orleans Saints and the Arizona Cardinals at the Louisiana Superdome, at 4:15 EST. These two teams did not meet during the 2009 regular season.
The Saints, who ended the season with a 13-3 record, have come under heavy scrutiny after starting the season 13-0 yet losing the last 3 games. Almost losing their chance at securing home-field advantage, the Saints sputtered into the playoffs. Led by Pro-Bowl quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints ended the season with the most points scored, leading them to have the #1 ranked offense in the league. Also aiding their offense is a bevy of talented runningbacks including Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, Reggie Bush, as well as Deuce McAllister, who was just acquired after being released from the Saints last February. As for the defense, which is led by Pro-Bowl safety Darren Sharper and underappreciated linebacker Jonathan Vilma, they are faced with the tremendous task of slowing down a Cardinal offense that put up 531 yards against an outstanding Packer defense last week. And with the abscence of defensive end Charles Grant, the Saints D will have an even larger problem with putting pressure on Card's quarterback Kurt Warner, who is unstoppable when he is allowed time to throw in the pocket. The Saints offense has the firepower to overcome the Arizona defense, but whether they move onto the conference finals will come down to whether the defense can step up can step up and shut down Warner and the Cardinal offense.
The Cardinals, who ended the season with a 11-5 record, surprised the major of the football nation last week by coming away with an exciting overtime victory over the favored Green Bay Packers. Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald have led this team all season long, helping them garner the NFC West and a spot in the playoffs. Warner had an outstanding game last week against the Packers in which he only missed 4 of 33 passes, throwing for 379 yards and 5 touchdowns. Receivers Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and Early Doucet all had at least 6 receptions and a touchdown, which helped lead the Cards to a 51-45 victory. Rookie runningback Beanie Wells also had a solid game, running for 91 yards and keeping the pass rush at bay. The defense, however, were X-factor in the victory, as they forced 3 turnovers, including two in the first two Packer offensive possessions. They forced 5 sacks against Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers, which will be a huge factor in stopping Brees and the Saints offense. If defensive end Darnell Dockett and the rest of the line can keep pressure on the Saints and they can force turnovers, the Saints will be in for a battle.
This game will come down to whether the 13-0 Saints or the 0-3 Saints show up. Either way, this should be a close game that will come down to the fourth quarter to decide the winner. The offensive talent and secondary talent of the Saints should give them the edge over the Cardinals.
My pick: New Orleans Saints
The second game on Saturday will see the Baltimore Ravens playing the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, at 8:15 EST. The two teams met in Baltimore earlier on in the season, in a game which the Colts outlasted the Ravens by way of a red zone interception within the last few minutes of the game.
The Ravens, who ended the season with a 9-7 record, come into this game pumped up and ready to run all over the Colts after a 33-14 trouncing of the New England Patriots. Ravens running back Ray Rice, who has really come on as one of the premier running backs in the league in his second season, has been the spark plug for the Ravens offense. With the help of fellow running back Willis McGahee, the Ravens pilled up 234 rushing yards. However, quarterback Joe Flacco had a subpar performance, including only 4 completions out of 10 passes and an interception. The defense did an outstanding job of keeping NFL Comeback Player of the Year Tom Brady contained, holding him and the offense under 200 total yards. Ray Lewis and the pass rush did a sensational job of keeping the pressure on and forcing mistakes, including 3 interceptions and a fumble recovery. Forcing turnovers will be a key to success against the dominate Colts offense. The game will come down to whether they can keep pressure on Peyton Manning, who has the potential to tear the defense apart. The Ravens team as a whole did an outstanding job of dashing the hopes of a tough team that has played its best football during the playoffs in the past. With an outstanding defense and a scary running game, the Ravens will be a handful for the Colts come Saturday.
The Colts, who ended the season with a 14-2 record, are coming into the game as a team that has nothing to gain and everything to lose. They blew their chance at history when they decided to pull their starters and ruin their chances of ending the season undefeated. They ended the season on a 30-7 stomping by the Buffalo Bills. Their quarterback, NFL MVP Peyton Manning, is a handfull for any defense, but with a young, emotional group of receivers and an average running game, the offense is going to have a tough time against a tough, hard-hitting Ravens defense. If running back Joseph Addai can get into a rhythm and Manning can connect consistently with receiver Reggie Wayne, the Colts should have no problem putting points on the board. The Colts' main issue will be on the defensive side of the ball. They have had plenty of games during the season in which they won by the skin of their teeth, mostly by the talent of the offense. The defense has struggled all year to stop the run, ending the season as the #24 rush defense. If they are unable to slow up Rice and McGahee, it could be a long day for the Colts. The defense will need to get pressure on Flacco and keep them from throwing the ball with the help of defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, which will allow the defense to focus on stopping the Ravens running game.
With two high power offenses, the Colts and their passing game and the Ravens and their running game, the game will come down to which defense can handle the other team's offense. The Ravens have played well against the passing game, while the Colts have struggled against the run this year. With this in mind, the Ravens should be able to pull off a huge upset against the team with the best record in the league.
My pick: Baltimore Ravens
The first game on Saturday will be between the New Orleans Saints and the Arizona Cardinals at the Louisiana Superdome, at 4:15 EST. These two teams did not meet during the 2009 regular season.
The Saints, who ended the season with a 13-3 record, have come under heavy scrutiny after starting the season 13-0 yet losing the last 3 games. Almost losing their chance at securing home-field advantage, the Saints sputtered into the playoffs. Led by Pro-Bowl quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints ended the season with the most points scored, leading them to have the #1 ranked offense in the league. Also aiding their offense is a bevy of talented runningbacks including Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, Reggie Bush, as well as Deuce McAllister, who was just acquired after being released from the Saints last February. As for the defense, which is led by Pro-Bowl safety Darren Sharper and underappreciated linebacker Jonathan Vilma, they are faced with the tremendous task of slowing down a Cardinal offense that put up 531 yards against an outstanding Packer defense last week. And with the abscence of defensive end Charles Grant, the Saints D will have an even larger problem with putting pressure on Card's quarterback Kurt Warner, who is unstoppable when he is allowed time to throw in the pocket. The Saints offense has the firepower to overcome the Arizona defense, but whether they move onto the conference finals will come down to whether the defense can step up can step up and shut down Warner and the Cardinal offense.
The Cardinals, who ended the season with a 11-5 record, surprised the major of the football nation last week by coming away with an exciting overtime victory over the favored Green Bay Packers. Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald have led this team all season long, helping them garner the NFC West and a spot in the playoffs. Warner had an outstanding game last week against the Packers in which he only missed 4 of 33 passes, throwing for 379 yards and 5 touchdowns. Receivers Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and Early Doucet all had at least 6 receptions and a touchdown, which helped lead the Cards to a 51-45 victory. Rookie runningback Beanie Wells also had a solid game, running for 91 yards and keeping the pass rush at bay. The defense, however, were X-factor in the victory, as they forced 3 turnovers, including two in the first two Packer offensive possessions. They forced 5 sacks against Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers, which will be a huge factor in stopping Brees and the Saints offense. If defensive end Darnell Dockett and the rest of the line can keep pressure on the Saints and they can force turnovers, the Saints will be in for a battle.
This game will come down to whether the 13-0 Saints or the 0-3 Saints show up. Either way, this should be a close game that will come down to the fourth quarter to decide the winner. The offensive talent and secondary talent of the Saints should give them the edge over the Cardinals.
My pick: New Orleans Saints
The second game on Saturday will see the Baltimore Ravens playing the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, at 8:15 EST. The two teams met in Baltimore earlier on in the season, in a game which the Colts outlasted the Ravens by way of a red zone interception within the last few minutes of the game.
The Ravens, who ended the season with a 9-7 record, come into this game pumped up and ready to run all over the Colts after a 33-14 trouncing of the New England Patriots. Ravens running back Ray Rice, who has really come on as one of the premier running backs in the league in his second season, has been the spark plug for the Ravens offense. With the help of fellow running back Willis McGahee, the Ravens pilled up 234 rushing yards. However, quarterback Joe Flacco had a subpar performance, including only 4 completions out of 10 passes and an interception. The defense did an outstanding job of keeping NFL Comeback Player of the Year Tom Brady contained, holding him and the offense under 200 total yards. Ray Lewis and the pass rush did a sensational job of keeping the pressure on and forcing mistakes, including 3 interceptions and a fumble recovery. Forcing turnovers will be a key to success against the dominate Colts offense. The game will come down to whether they can keep pressure on Peyton Manning, who has the potential to tear the defense apart. The Ravens team as a whole did an outstanding job of dashing the hopes of a tough team that has played its best football during the playoffs in the past. With an outstanding defense and a scary running game, the Ravens will be a handful for the Colts come Saturday.
The Colts, who ended the season with a 14-2 record, are coming into the game as a team that has nothing to gain and everything to lose. They blew their chance at history when they decided to pull their starters and ruin their chances of ending the season undefeated. They ended the season on a 30-7 stomping by the Buffalo Bills. Their quarterback, NFL MVP Peyton Manning, is a handfull for any defense, but with a young, emotional group of receivers and an average running game, the offense is going to have a tough time against a tough, hard-hitting Ravens defense. If running back Joseph Addai can get into a rhythm and Manning can connect consistently with receiver Reggie Wayne, the Colts should have no problem putting points on the board. The Colts' main issue will be on the defensive side of the ball. They have had plenty of games during the season in which they won by the skin of their teeth, mostly by the talent of the offense. The defense has struggled all year to stop the run, ending the season as the #24 rush defense. If they are unable to slow up Rice and McGahee, it could be a long day for the Colts. The defense will need to get pressure on Flacco and keep them from throwing the ball with the help of defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, which will allow the defense to focus on stopping the Ravens running game.
With two high power offenses, the Colts and their passing game and the Ravens and their running game, the game will come down to which defense can handle the other team's offense. The Ravens have played well against the passing game, while the Colts have struggled against the run this year. With this in mind, the Ravens should be able to pull off a huge upset against the team with the best record in the league.
My pick: Baltimore Ravens
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Carroll bails to Seattle as USC sinks
According to NFL insiders, USC head coach Pete Carroll has agreed in principle to a contract to become the head coach and team president of the Seattle Seahawks one day after the Seahawks fired their head coach Jim Mora.
Although the Seahawks are unable to officially sign a contract with Carroll until they satisfy the Rooney Rule, which they should do by today when they interview Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, they are expected to announce their new head coach in a couple days.
This comes after the first season in 8 years in which Carroll's USC football team did not receive a bid to a BCS bowl game. After being on top of the national football world for years, the 2009 season marked the downfall of the USC dynasty in which they fell to 9-4 and #24 in the nation after ending in the top #10 for years. This was the first time in years in which they fell out of the Pac-10 race with a couple weeks left in the season.
This season also marked the first time in years that Carroll didn't go against his USC junior players opting to head to the NFL. It seems like quite a coincidence now that he himself is headed for the NFL to a team that possesses two 1st round picks in the 2010 NFL Draft.
And with the current controversy surrounding USC running back Joe McKnight and past USC basketball player O.J. Mayo, which also brought back questions about the controversy when Reggie Bush was still a Trojan, it seems even more questionable as to Carroll's motivation for leaving LA and heading to Seattle.
Don't worry though USC fans... Mike Garrett, athletic director for USC, has stated that he has a list of prospective head coaches for every sport including football, so USC will not be without a head coach for long.
Although the Seahawks are unable to officially sign a contract with Carroll until they satisfy the Rooney Rule, which they should do by today when they interview Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, they are expected to announce their new head coach in a couple days.
This comes after the first season in 8 years in which Carroll's USC football team did not receive a bid to a BCS bowl game. After being on top of the national football world for years, the 2009 season marked the downfall of the USC dynasty in which they fell to 9-4 and #24 in the nation after ending in the top #10 for years. This was the first time in years in which they fell out of the Pac-10 race with a couple weeks left in the season.
This season also marked the first time in years that Carroll didn't go against his USC junior players opting to head to the NFL. It seems like quite a coincidence now that he himself is headed for the NFL to a team that possesses two 1st round picks in the 2010 NFL Draft.
And with the current controversy surrounding USC running back Joe McKnight and past USC basketball player O.J. Mayo, which also brought back questions about the controversy when Reggie Bush was still a Trojan, it seems even more questionable as to Carroll's motivation for leaving LA and heading to Seattle.
Don't worry though USC fans... Mike Garrett, athletic director for USC, has stated that he has a list of prospective head coaches for every sport including football, so USC will not be without a head coach for long.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Jim Mora fired as Seahawk head coach
According to sources close to the Seattle Seahawks organization, head coach Jim Mora, who just finished his first year as head coach, was fired this morning. This just two days after he stated that he considered it his civic duty to bring the Seattle Seahawks their first Super Bowl win.
After being groomed for two years while the Seahawks awaited the eventual departure of Mike Holmgren, Mora took over last season as the head coach. After a disappointing season that ended in a 5-11 record with a team that had the talent to make the playoffs, Mora's philosophies and strategies started to come into question. Although it seemed a little skeptical to let him go after a rough first season that fell apart largely due to the numerous injuries that plagued the Seahawks.
The organization must now take to finding a GM, which should happen in the next day or two before they will begin to search for a head coach to take Mora's place. This new GM coming in may be a significant reason for him being fired. First reports indicate that Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier or University of Southern California head coach Pete Carroll may be tagets for the head coaching spot.
Although it seemed like a valid response to a lack luster season, with the years Mora spent waiting for the opening, he deserved another shot before receiving the boot.
After being groomed for two years while the Seahawks awaited the eventual departure of Mike Holmgren, Mora took over last season as the head coach. After a disappointing season that ended in a 5-11 record with a team that had the talent to make the playoffs, Mora's philosophies and strategies started to come into question. Although it seemed a little skeptical to let him go after a rough first season that fell apart largely due to the numerous injuries that plagued the Seahawks.
The organization must now take to finding a GM, which should happen in the next day or two before they will begin to search for a head coach to take Mora's place. This new GM coming in may be a significant reason for him being fired. First reports indicate that Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier or University of Southern California head coach Pete Carroll may be tagets for the head coaching spot.
Although it seemed like a valid response to a lack luster season, with the years Mora spent waiting for the opening, he deserved another shot before receiving the boot.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Mangini will still be a Brown
After two days of meetings with new team president Mike Holmgren, it was decided that Eric Mangini would stay on as the Browns' head coach for another year. It was also decided that he will be allowed to keep all of his staff.
After starting the season 1-11, he pulled together to bring his team to a 5-11 record with a four game winning streak to end the season. Coming to the Browns for the 2009 season after three years with the New York Jets, Mangini struggled all year to bring success to Cleveland. His four game winning streak, which was the longest since 1994 for the Browns, helped resirrect his chances of continuing his coaching stint.
It was expected that with a new president, Mangini would be fired and a new coach that had similar philosophies to those of Holmgren would be brought in to replace him.
Now if only they could lock up the player that helped Mangini pull off that four game win streak... Joshua Cribbs
After starting the season 1-11, he pulled together to bring his team to a 5-11 record with a four game winning streak to end the season. Coming to the Browns for the 2009 season after three years with the New York Jets, Mangini struggled all year to bring success to Cleveland. His four game winning streak, which was the longest since 1994 for the Browns, helped resirrect his chances of continuing his coaching stint.
It was expected that with a new president, Mangini would be fired and a new coach that had similar philosophies to those of Holmgren would be brought in to replace him.
Now if only they could lock up the player that helped Mangini pull off that four game win streak... Joshua Cribbs
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