Well after a horrendous weekend for my Panthers, I still managed to 3-1 in last weekends games. I am 5-3 in this years playoffs. Again the same as last weekend, we have rematch weekend. Pittsburgh and Baltimore will meet for the 3rd time this year and like the last 2 games these teams played; it will be a competitive and intriguing game. Philadelphia and Arizona will meet for the second time this year.

 

(6)Philadelphia @ (4)Arizona

 

---Arizona certainly surprised many last weekend against Carolina. They did a GREAT job shutting down Williams and Stewart and the running game. The key part of that game though was forcing Delhomme to turn the ball over 5x. Philadelphia played certain well last week in New York. If Philadelphia wants to win this week, they will need to try and get their run game going. It has been atrocious in the playoffs this year. Their defense has been tremendous this year and been a big part of their success this postseason. Brain Dawkins has been the leader of this team the whole year and showing especially since he's a free agent this year. As for Arizona, they will need to focus on their pass with Fitzgerald to stabilize a dominant force. If they do that along with trying to run the ball they will be successful at home, where they are 7-2 on the year. Arizona has given me 2 of my 3 losses in the postseason this year. But I think with McNabb leading the offense and Dawkins leading the defense I will take Philly in a damn good game.

 

Stat Projections: McNabb-256 yds 2TD's 1 INT, Westbrook 98 totyds 1 TD, Warner 243yds 1TD 1INT Fitzgerald 109yds 1TD.

 

Prediction: 27-20 Eagles

 

 

(6)Baltimore @ (2)Pittsburgh

 

---This game will be the better of the two games this weekend. Pittsburgh played very very well against San Diego, showing good offensive schemes and obviously great defensive schemes. I think the biggest weakness for the Steelers D is their pass defense. They allowed over 300 yds to San Diego, but yet on the other hand most of that was in the 4th quarter when they had the game somewhat in hand. If Pittsburgh wants to win this game, they will have to give Willie Parker the ball and have him run like he did last weekend. If Pittsburgh runs the ball effectively they win be successful. The Steelers will also have to stop the pass game of Flacco and the Ravens. Baltimore can run the ball effectively, but the Steelers will stop them cold in their tracks. Now if Baltimore wants to win this game, they will have to try and run the ball with McGahee, McClain, and maybe a bit of Rice. The defense has been playing very well with Reed and Lewis. If they get the ground game going they will have much success against the stingy Steelers D. The Ravens will try and fly over that Steel Curtain D, but the curtain will be too high for the Ravens to overcome.

 

Stat Predictions: Roethlisberger- 178yds 1TD 1 INT Parker 78yds 1TD  Flacco 231yds 1TD 1 INT McGahee/McClain 78totyds

Prediction: 23-13 Pittsburgh

A response to NFL All-Pro team includes 15 first-timers

 

QB- Philip Rivers, San Diego
RB- Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
RB- DeAngelo Williams, Carolina
FB- LaRon McClain, Baltimore
WR- Andre Johnson, Houston
WR- Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
TE- Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City
OT- Jordan Gross, Carolina
OT- Michael Roos, Tennessee
OG- Chris Snee, NY Giants
OG- Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota
K- John Carney, NY Giants
KR- Darren Sproles, San Diego Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo (tie)


DE- Julius Peppers, Carolina
DE- John Abraham, Atlants
DT- Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee
DT- Kevin Williams, Minnesota
OLB- DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
MLB- Jon Beason, Carolina
MLB- Patrick Willis, San Francisco
OLB- James Harrison, Pittsburgh
CB- Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee
CB- Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland
S- Ed Reed, Baltimore
S- Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh
P- Mike Scifres, San Diego


I chose to do my own. Leave comments plz!!

Well a wild card was interesting, lets see if we can make for rematch weekend even better.

(6)Philadelphia @ (1)New York Giants

--The Eagles are looking a lot like the 2007 Giants, and isn't coincidence that they end of playing those Giants a year later in a very up and down season for the McNabb and the Eagles. The Giants struggled a bit at the end of the season but let's hope that won't carry into season # 2. These two teams split the season series that the Eagles won in NY (6 pts) and the G-men won in Philly (3 pts). I do have the feeling that Manning is going to end up like his brother, losing. The reeling Eagles have a lot more momentum going into this game than the Giants have right now, especially after their wild game against the Vikings. If the Eagles want to win this game, they have to get Westbrook more involved into the game after what happened last week. Westbrook's TD in the 4th quarter broke the game open for the Eagles and happily advanced to face division rivals.

Stat Projections: McNabb-234yds 1td 1int Westbrook- 123 totyds 1td Manning- 187yds 1td 2ints Jacobs- 78totyds

Prediction: Eagles 20-13

(6)Baltimore @ (1)Tennessee

--This game is probably going to be the best of the four games this weekend. Baltimore will try and avenge their loss earlier in the year to these Titans (13-10) back in Tennessee. The Titans will try and avenge their 2001 loss in the playoffs to these Ravens. The Ravens defense is probably the best , well besides Pittsburgh, with the play of Ed Reed and Ray Lewis manning that ferocious defense they will swarm Kerry Collins and overwhelm them this time. Meanwhile, the Titans D will also play very well and overwhelm Joe Flacco. The key to this game is the run game, Baltimore averages a little more than 10ypg more than the Titans. If Baltimore can score early and the run the ball with McClain, McGahee, and maybe even a little of Ray Rice they win will this very defensive run game.

Stat Projections: Flacco-189 yds 1int McGahee/McClain/Rice-165totyds 2tds Collins-167yds 1int White/Johnson-145totyds 1td

Prediction: 23-20 Ravens


(4)San Diego @ (2)Pittsburgh

--Pittsburgh was smiling this week for two reasons: 1) LT is very doubtful with a torn tendon in his groin (ouch!!!) 2) Big Ben practiced this week and is a go for the Steelers this weekend in Pittsburgh. But there happens to be one reason why the Chargers are smiling, and that reason has been the play of Darren Sproles. He accumulated over 350 yds last week in a crucial win against the Colts. It will be very tough for Sproles to run on the vaunted Steel Curtain defense. But if he happens to run on this D the Chargers will win this game and avenging their 11-10 loss to the Steelers earlier in the year, however, that will not happen. The Steelers will be ready after a much needed bye week to help get healthy. Big Ben will be a little limber, but he will pull his team to victory.

Stat Projections: Roethlisberger- 213yds 1td 1int Parker-110totyds 1td Rivers-200yds 1td 2int Sproles-120totyds (65 KR)

Prediction: 17-10 Pittsburgh


(4)Arizona @ (2) Carolina

-Arizona squandered a 17-3 halftime lead in their first meeting earlier this year in a 27-23 Carolina win. D-Will had 108yds and a TD in their first meeting, if he continues to run like he has been the last 8 games of the year, he and Stewart will have a great day at home in the Carolina sun. Arizona is coming off a huge win against Atlanta at home. The Cardinals closed out the regular season with questionable losses and how they would do in the playoffs. They showed up. But unfortunately for the Cards I don't think that will be able to stop the duo as they did against the Falcons. The run game of Arizona showed some promising steps the last two games, and also with Boldin being a game-time decision it will be key for the Cardinals to establish a run game to have a chance. The key in this game will be the play of Steve Smith and the running of "Double Trouble". Smith ended up with 2tds in their last meeting and will hopefully carry the Panthers into the NFC Championship game. Arizona is 0-5 on the East Coast this season and Carolina is 8-0 at home, so this matchup will definitely be a tremendous one.

Stat Projections: Delhomme- 210yds 2td 1int Williams/Stewart-176combyds 2tds Smith 123yds 1td Warner-298yds 2tds 2int Fitzgerald-131yds 1td

Prediction: 31-20 Carolina

Wild card weekend certainly stood up to its name "wild". I ended going 2-2 in the weekend. Lots of people including me thought the Falcons and Colts would certainly move on, but the Cardinals and Chargers and other thoughts.

Arizona played very good Saturday at home. They stopped Michael Turner which helped them big time and they also put pressure on Matt Ryan. Next week will be a big challenge for them as they would like to get revenge on the Panthers for their 27-23 week 8 loss to them.

San Diego better keep Darren Sproles next year. He almost single-handedly beat down the Colts accumulating over 350+ total yds and 2 TDs. LT was gone, even though he had the one TD, he still wasn't a factor in this game (despite the injury). They will have a bigger challenge next week as they go to Pittsburgh and face that ferocious Steel Curtain Defense, while trying to sneak a win back after their crazy 11-10 week 11 loss to the Steelers

Baltimore played like world champs as they dominated the Phins. Their defense was spectacular especially Ed Reed who forced 2 INT and 1 for a TD. Joe Flacco played very well; he will have to play even better next week to have a chance to win. They will have to face the Titans again and try to avenge their 13-10 week 5 loss to the Titans.

Minnesota was looking pretty good after the two Peterson TD's, but it was Philly that come out on top after the big plays they made with Samuel's INT for a TD and the screen pass to Westbrook that put the game away for the Eagles. Philly run defense was very good allowed one big run to AP, but that was it. Philadelphia will look to take the season series from the Giants as they split the season series. The Eagles have the win in NY.

It will be a very interesting divisional round this weekend in the NFL.