How did your wildcard picks hold up? In a week where Eli Manning became the man in New York and the Redskins went down with nary a whimper, I am 3-1. That has changed the matchups a bit because now the Giants, being the lowest remaining seed in the NFC, will face the Cowboys for the third time this year instead of the Packers.
Let me know how your picks did and register your picks for the next round. Remember, you can't say "I told you so", unless you told us to begin with. Two of my pre-season picks in the NFC are still in it, the Giants and the Cowboys. Three of my pre-season picks for the AFC are still in it. That's my best year ever so far.
The following 3 brackets are my pre-season picks and my picks just before Week 12 and my final picks. My week 12 picks were pretty close to the final match-ups. ;)
Week 1 Results and Week 2 Match-Ups:
Wildcard: My record in this round is 3-1. How did you do?
NFC: N.Y. Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Bucs have been surviving by the sheer will of their defense since Garcia's injury. The Giants played with a new intensity against the Patriots and they have lost only one road game all year. This will be a low scoring game and I think the Giants win a close one
GIANTS 24-14 - I picked this one.
NFC: Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins have a quarterback who has been on fire the last four weeks and the Seahawks have seemingly removed all of the running plays from their playbook. This one won't be a war of attrition, rather an air show. The Redskins win in a high scoring contest.
SEAHAWKS 35-14 - This one went nothing like I envisioned.
**Dwindy, fridayharborgal, DezzNutz, onesouthernlion, harebear, racer256 - It is duly noted that you got this pick right. I am having my crow with some fava beans and a nice chianti.**
AFC: Pittsburg Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars are the best team that has been flying under the radar all year. No one has wanted to meet this Jags team in the Playoffs. The Steelers have key injuries and don't look to get healthy before next week. Big Ben has a good game but succumbs to the Jacksonville defense by at least a touchdown.
JAGUARS 31-29 - Pittsburg put up more of I fight than I expected. Close game, but I got the outcome right.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans The Titans squeaked into the playoffs against the Colts in a game that Peyton Manning only played one quarter and Marvin Harrison stayed on the bench to heal a little more before coming back. With a healthy Albert Haynesworth they might be able to stuff the running game of the Chargers. With Haynesworth operating as he is now, at about half capacity; they are no match for LaDanian Tomlinson and the Chargers. Chargers, quite literally, run away with this one.
GIANTS 24-14 - I picked this one.
2nd Round:
NFC: New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys Eli is having his coming out party in the last two weeks. He is finally delivering what those in the Giants organization thought he could when they traded the farm to San Diego for him a few years ago. The Giants are playing inspired football in the last two weeks since their close loss to New England. After losing twice to Dallas this year, New York will key on the receivers that have been the source of their demise in the past two against Dallas. This will open up Barber for a huge rushing game. Romo has matured a lot as a football player since last years playoff goof-ups. Where he cracked under pressure last year, this year that is when he is at his best. Dallas by 10.
NFC: Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers Which Seahawk team will show up. In a year where they have been notoriously inconsistent, that will be the determining factor to how close this game gets at the end. Green bay will be be able to key on the passing game, because the Seahawks have no running game to speak of. They do, however, have a decent secondary. Green Bay will run the ball well in this game and that will make the linebackers have to cheat up a bit, opening up the middle for some big pass plays. Brett Favre is his best in the playoffs and I don't see this game as an exception. Packers by 7.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots Indianapolis, Philadelphia and New York showed that you can almost beat this Patriot team. Jacksonville will be the one to close the deal. When most teams come after Tom Brady, he has the quick outlets to Faulk and Moss coming back to bail him out. Jacksonville has the speed in their defensive ends and line-backing corp to take away these outlets and make Brady have to move out of the pocket. Jacksonville also has the power running game with Fred Taylor to keep the Patriots secondary honest and allow Garrard to throw the short routes he has been so successful with all year. In a shocker, Jacksonville by 3.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis' defense that was absent for most of last year until the playoffs is alive and well in 2007. The defensive line of the Colts will stuff the run and force Phillip Rivers to beat a secondary which features one of the best DB's in the league in Sanders. Peyton Manning will have a big game against the Chargers. Indianapolis by 14.
Conference Finals:
NFC: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys If you saw the game between them earlier in the season, I think this game will be more of the same. The Packers can't rely on the home-field advantage of their frozen wasteland of a field and they have a horrendous record in Dallas; in fact, Favre has never won there. Look for T.O. to burn the Green Bay secondary yet again and Jason Witten to have a big second half when the Packers make adjustments to keep T.O. from beating them during halftime. Favre and his mini-me Romo will both have good games, but I think Dallas' receiving corp will prove to be better. Cowboys by a touchdown.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts This is going to be a tough game. The Jaguars will just be coming off of a week in which they ended the Patriot's hope for an undefeated season, but will have no trouble with a let down for this game since it decides who plays Dallas in the Super Bowl. Indianapolis will be trying to earn their second consecutive trip to the SB behind the arm of Peyton Manning. Jacksonville will apply pressure to Manning, but I think Manning will have prepared for it. Jacksonville WILL be able to run on Indianapolis and will methodically work the ball down the field. I think Indy will go up early, but Jacksonville will make it close in the second half as their offense wears down the Indianapolis defense. There won't be many punts in this game. I almost had to flip a coin on this one. Indianapolis wins this one by 7.
Super Bowl:
Dallas Cowboys vs. Indianapolis Colts These two teams are more evenly matched, I think, than people have previously thought. Manning, of course, is the better quarterback. He has all of the same intangibles as Romo, but with a better arm and better mind for the game. Dallas defense is stronger than Indianapolis, with the exception of the secondary. Dallas does have a receiver that can outrun the Colts DB Sanders in the cover two - Terrell Owens. I think this game will go down to the wire and, once again, Indianapolis will be beaten in a big game by a kicker. Dallas by a field goal.
Well, THERE ARE MY PICKS!
***I hate to have to add this, but considering the kind of stuff that has been showing up lately: Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. Remember that the season is not over, so everything at this point is simply yours or someone else's opinion. Respect the opinions of others and yours will also be respected. Incindiery, vulgar or crassly offensive comments have been and will be deleted.***
What a season so far. How have your picks held up? Who would have forseen the total implosions of Philadelphia and New Orleans in the NFC and the disappearance of the Jets and Ravens in the AFC. The rising of Green Bay into the winners bracket on the NFC side and the late resurgence of the Redskins to make the playoffs have also been quite unexpected. And, who would have guessed that Peyton Manning's touchdown pass and Jerry Rice's touchdown reception records would fall so soon?
The following 3 brackets are my pre-season picks and my picks just before Week 12 and my final picks. My week 12 picks were pretty close to the final match-ups. ;)
If you have your preseason picks, let me know what they were. It's fun to see just how much things change in one season.
2007 Official NFL Playoff Match-ups:
Wildcard:
NFC: N.Y. Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Bucs have been surviving by the sheer will of their defense since Garcia's injury. The Giants played with a new intensity against the Patriots and they have lost only one road game all year. This will be a low scoring game and I think the Giants win a close one
NFC: Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins have a quarterback who has been on fire the last four weeks and the Seahawks have seemingly removed all of the running plays from their playbook. This one won't be a war of attrition, rather an air show. The Redskins win in a high scoring contest.
AFC: Pittsburg Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars are the best team that has been flying under the radar all year. No one has wanted to meet this Jags team in the Playoffs. The Steelers have key injuries and don't look to get healthy before next week. Big Ben has a good game but succumbs to the Jacksonville defense by at least a touchdown.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans The Titans squeaked into the playoffs against the Colts in a game that Peyton Manning only played one quarter and Marvin Harrison stayed on the bench to heal a little more before coming back. With a healthy Albert Haynesworth they might be able to stuff the running game of the Chargers. With Haynesworth operating as he is now, at about half capacity; they are no match for LaDanian Tomlinson and the Chargers. Chargers, quite literally, run away with this one.
2nd Round:
NFC: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys The Redskins have been hot lately and are throwing the ball exceptionally well, but they beat a Dallas team on the last day of the regular season that was resting it's players for the playoffs. The story will be much different with a healthy and rested starting lineup in there. Romo has matured a lot as a football player since last years playoff goof-ups. Where he cracked under pressure last year, this year that is when he is at his best. Dallas will be sending everyone but the cheerleaders at the Washington QB and will try to force the Redskins to beat them on the ground. Washington will key on T.O., so Jason Witten will have a monster game. Dallas by 10.
NFC: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers Brett Favre is his best in the playoffs and I don't see this game as an exception. Eli has a great arm and Green Bay has a suspect backfield, so this one promises to be a high scoring contest. Eli, however, seems to make his worst decisions when the pressure is on and costs his team with his mistakes. The Giants as a team also have a tendancy to lose their composure when the game is on the line and get silly, costly penalties. Packers take this one by 14.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots Indianapolis, Philadelphia and New York showed that you can almost beat this Patriot team. Jacksonville will be the one to close the deal. When most teams come after Tom Brady, he has the quick outlets to Faulk and Moss coming back to bail him out. Jacksonville has the speed in their defensive ends and line-backing corp to take away these outlets and make Brady have to move out of the pocket. Jacksonville also has the power running game with Fred Taylor to keep the Patriots secondary honest and allow Garrard to throw the short routes he has been so successful with all year. In a shocker, Jacksonville by 3.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis' defense that was absent for most of last year until the playoffs is alive and well in 2007. The defensive line of the Colts will stuff the run and force Phillip Rivers to beat a secondary which features one of the best DB's in the league in Sanders. Peyton Manning will have a big game against the Chargers. Indianapolis by 14.
Conference Finals:
NFC: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys If you saw the game between them earlier in the season, I think this game will be more of the same. The Packers can't rely on the home-field advantage of their frozen wasteland of a field and they have a horrendous record in Dallas; in fact, Favre has never won there. Look for T.O. to burn the Green Bay secondary yet again and Jason Witten to have a big second half when the Packers make adjustments to keep T.O. from beating them during halftime. Favre and his mini-me Romo will both have good games, but I think Dallas' receiving corp will prove to be better. Cowboys by a touchdown.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts This is going to be a tough game. The Jaguars will just be coming off of a week in which they ended the Patriot's hope for an undefeated season, but will have no trouble with a let down for this game since it decides who plays Dallas in the Super Bowl. Indianapolis will be trying to earn their second consecutive trip to the SB behind the arm of Peyton Manning. Jacksonville will apply pressure to Manning, but I think Manning will have prepared for it. Jacksonville WILL be able to run on Indianapolis and will methodically work the ball down the field. I think Indy will go up early, but Jacksonville will make it close in the second half as their offense wears down the Indianapolis defense. There won't be many punts in this game. I almost had to flip a coin on this one. Indianapolis wins this one by 7.
Super Bowl:
Dallas Cowboys vs. Indianapolis Colts These two teams are more evenly matched, I think, than people have previously thought. Manning, of course, is the better quarterback. He has all of the same intangibles as Romo, but with a better arm and better mind for the game. Dallas defense is stronger than Indianapolis, with the exception of the secondary. Dallas does have a receiver that can outrun the Colts DB Sanders in the cover two - Terrell Owens. I think this game will go down to the wire and, once again, Indianapolis will be beaten in a big game by a kicker. Dallas by a field goal.
Well, THERE ARE MY PICKS!
If you are gonna come on this site and gloat after the playoffs, then you'd better register your opinions now as to who you think will win each game. I don't want to hear from you afterwards if you don't have the onions to put your picks out there now.
***I hate to have to add this, but considering the kind of stuff that has been showing up lately: Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. Remember that the season is not over, so everything at this point is simply yours or someone else's opinion. Respect the opinions of others and yours will also be respected. Incindiery, vulgar or crassly offensive comments have been and will be deleted.***
Here are my prospective NFL Playoff matchups as picked from the beginning of Week 12. I still stand by my picks, only now I have different reasons for believing some of them.
NFC:
Bucs vs. Giants Cowboys vs. Giants I think the Bucs will be upset by the Giants. Now that I have seen the Giants play New England, I believe it even more. One and they're done though as I believe Dallas will throw over the top to Terrell Owens and keep them honest in their coverage with Jason Witten. Seahawks vs. Vikings** Vikings** vs. Packers The Vikings shock the Seahawks with their streaky running game (pronounced Adrian Peterson) and the Packers, normally porous run defense, step and stuff that same running game the following week to meet Dallas in the NFC Final. Packers vs. Cowboys It's off to the races and this proves to be anything but a defensive battle. Dallas beats the Packers in a high scoring game to advance to the Superbowl. AFC:
Jaguars vs. Titans** Patriots vs. Jaguars The Patriots have a perfect record because they played a Marvin Harrison-less Colts team and because they didn't have to play Jacksonville in the regular season. Jacksonville beats them by a touchdown. Steelers vs. Chargers Chargers vs. Colts Big Ben eats up the Chargers secondary only to meet the Colts and have Sanders return the favor. Colts advance to play the Jaguars in the AFC Final.
Colts vs. Jaguars Colts beat Jaguars in a very physical and low-scoring game in which Jacksonville manhandles the Colts receivers at the line forcing Addai to be the man to beat them.
SUPERBOWL:
Cowboys vs. Colts Once again Indianapolis gets beaten by a kicker in a big game with Dallas winning in the final minute with a long field goal.
**CAVEATS: It looks like two of my picks might not make it into the playoffs, so I'll make these adjustments.
If the Redskins beat the Cowboys tomorrow and make it into the playoffs. I believe that Seattle will beat them and lose to the Packers in the next round.
The Browns could make the playoffs instead of the Titans. In that instance, it doesn't change much. Either one of them is going to lose to Jacksonville in that game.
There's my picks. I'm pretty close so far. How are yours holding up?
***I hate to have to add this, but considering the kind of stuff that has been showing up lately: Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. Remember that the season is not over, so everything at this point is simply yours or someone else's opinion. Respect the opinions of others and yours will also be respected. Incindiery, vulgar or crassly offensive comments have been and will be deleted.***
Forget all of the wrangling and foolishness that happened with Atlanta in the last few days. Forget all of the bickering between he and Terrell Owens. And, forget about his apparent dislike for the media and his abrupt answering of questions in press conferences. Bill Parcells is the right man in Miami and Dolphins owner, H. Wayne Huizenga, for once in his tenure as the Dolphins owner, got this hire right!
From an article written by Michael Lewis for the New York Times, “Bill Parcells is the only coach in N.F.L. history to take four different teams to the playoffs, but that only begins to set him apart. In 1983, in his first N.F.L. head coaching job, he took over a New York Giants team that had one winning season over the previous decade, turned it around on a dime and led it to Super Bowl titles in the 1986 and 1990 seasons. In 1993, he became head coach of the New England Patriots a year after they finished 2-14. Two seasons later they were 10-6 and in the playoffs for the first time in eight years; another two seasons later, they were in the Super Bowl. From there Parcells went to the Jets, who were coming off a 1-15 season, and coached them to a 9-7 record in his first year and a 12-4 record in his second. The Cowboys had finished 5-11 three seasons in a row before Parcells arrived in 2003. His first year they were 10-6 and reached the playoffs."
"No N.F.L. coach has ever proven himself so clearly to be a device for turning a losing team into a winning one. “
Parcells is a perfect fit for Miami. He is one who tolerates few equals and likes to do things his own way without interference. For all of his hiring and firing during the off-seasons, Huizenga is usually a hands-off guy during the season. That may have played into his hands for taking the hiring of Parcells away from Atlanta; Arthur Blanks, with no athletic background, still likes to meddle in the on-field stuff during the year.
Parcells is one of the best evaluators of NFL talent in the league; a skill that has been sorely missing in Miami. For a team who, since Huizenga took full ownership in 1993, has traded away 6 first round picks and drafted Jason Allen, Ronnie Brown, Ted Ginn, Vernon Carey OL, Jamar Fletcher, John Avery, Yatil Green, Daryl Gardener, Billy Milner and Tim Bowens with the rest (A list in which only Carey and Bowen have even gone on to be consistent starters); Parcells is a “God send.”
Concerning Parcells recent stint in Dallas, many will point out that Dallas is doing much better with Wade Phillips. Don’t forget, though, that Bill Parcells built the ship in which Phillips is sailing. The criticism that his coaching style and draconian manners are outdated in the era of today’s multi-million dollar players may hold merit. But Parcells will not be on the field and in the locker room in Miami, he will be manning a desk and pulling the strings above the stage.
For a person that has shown that he gains very little joy from the everyday rigors of dealing with locker-room personalities and constantly facing the media that being an NFL coach today requires; moving into the upper office may just be the best move to finally make Parcells happy also.
The very mentioning of Bill Parcells name in a group of people seems to spark a controversy with members of the group polarized on one side or the other. Still - love him or hate him, the simple fact is Parcells has always left an organization in much better shape that when he arrived – Miami is lucky to have him!
Let us know in the comments what you think of our blogs and whose blog you think is the winner of this week's head-to-head matchups should be
Click on a competitor's avatar in order to go to his/her Blog (Some of them are not ready yet). An asterisk (*) is posted on the ones that have their blog for the competition already posted.
I will update the links to those not ready as soon as they are posted
During the game between Baltimore and New England a flag was thrown and Rolle compained to official Phil McKinnely. "What the h-ll are you doing. You just throw a flag like its nothing at a time like this? Do you know what's at stake here? Who am I kidding, of course you don't, you've never played the game". To which the referee replied "Ma-a-a-a-an...you'd better shut up, boy, and go back to playing."
After the game Rolle said of the official. "You don't call a grown man with a wife and three kids 'boy.' ... If he put on a helmet, he wouldn't say that to me."
First, if Rolle isn't whining to the ref then the exchange never takes place.
Second, he slighted a referee who was an NFL player for 7 years and USFL for 2.
Third, Phil McKinnely is a fit 6'4" 250 lb black man who played OT & routinely ate people Samari's size for lunch when he played in the league. Now Samari insults him by insinuating that he doesn't understand what's at stake because he was never good enough to play professionally? Then this little 6'0" 175 lb man calls him out after the game and says he wouldn't be so mouthy if he had to face him on the field? Samari, if he put on a helmet today, at 53, I'd bet he would still knock your block off. (When writing this, I can picture a certain lady at my church bobbing her head in agreement saying "Little man - you'd better re-cog-nize!")
After the horrible calls I have seen this season, I can't believe I find myself defending the officials, but, I think the ref showed great restraint in how he reponded to Rolle.
Haven't you heard this a thousand times in the last few weeks; "Tony Romo reminds me so much of Brett Favre, yada, yada, yada?" Sick of it yet? Bloggers, sportscasters and some fans have gone as far as crowning Romo the next Ironman of the gridiron and NFL ambassador. In the words of Lee Corso; "Not so fast, my friend!"
What happened to the last next Brett Favre? What was his name...Rex Grossman? ...J. P. Losman? ...Jay Cutler? Actually, Jay has been compared to both Favre and Marino. What does that make him - the football Messiah with a rocket arm who will never win a ring? Now I'm getting off point.
Let me preface this next statement by saying, "I like Tony Romo!" I am a life-long Dallas Cowboy fan and have cheered and/or revered the players they have put on the field since Roger Staubach (my childhood sports hero) and the "Doomsday Defense" in the early 70's. I was there to jeer the treatment of Coach Landry by Jerry Jones and also to cheer when his friend Jimmy "Hairdo" Johnson finally molded the triplets into a winning combo.
However, Tony Romo is no Brett Lorenzo Favre!!!
...yet. I'm not counting out his potential to be as good as Favre. Consider though, the names of the quarterbacks listed above. They also had to have had a flash of brilliance somewhere along the line to draw those comparisons. Where are those comparisons now?
The only things Romo has accomplished is half of one good season which ended in him botching a snap which would have sent Dallas to the playoffs with a game-winning chip-shot field goal, and one above average season which isn't over yet. So far all he has won is the hearts of Dallas fans with his recent performance, demeanor and smile and dates with Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson.
I'm yet to see him play through injury time and time again. I'm yet to see him lead his team to the Super Bowl and then win it in dramatic fashion. I'm yet to see the Dallas community revere him as they would a founding father. I'm yet to see him come back as a winner year after year after year.
He is a talented player that I enjoy watching. I like the ease that he has in getting along with teammates, like his glib way of dealing with the press and really like that fact that behind him my Cowboys are winning again. But seriously folks, give it time.
You see, as is always the case, there are a few potential next Brett Favre's waiting in the wings. College players like Matt Grothe from South Florida and LSU's Matt Flynn, Stephen McGee and Aaron Rodgers have also been compared to the great Favre. What of their prospects if Romo automatically assumes the mantel?
It isn't just Favre comparison's that irk me. It's all of them. Vince Young is supposed to be a more mobile John Elway. Peyton Manning is supposed to be the next Fran Tarkington. Philip Rivers is supposed to be the next Dan Marino. Tom Brady is supposed to be the next Joe Montana (that one might stick). Joe Montana looks more and more like Barry Manilow(sorry about that one...couldn't resist).
The point is, outside of Manning and Brady; none of these people have proven anything on the field for any longer than a year or maybe two. The comparisons are made way too early. Fans hear them and want to believe it. Then undue pressure is then put on young players to play like a HOF quarterback from their rookie year and many of them crack under that pressure. Had they been allowed to develop, they very well might have become a great player in time.
So...who's the next Brett Favre, ####le Sayers, Deacon Jones, Paul Warfield, Kellen Winslow, Gene Upshaw, Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Mel Blount or Jan Stenerud (had to put a kicker in there)? Let's just wait and see shall we.
You don't wanna wait? I need to lighten up?
O.K. then - fire away with the comments. Who do you think is the next Brett Favre? ...or ####le Sayers? ...or Deacon Jones? ... ... ...
