Dueling Couches Podcast: NFL Playoffs

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Conference Championship Preview: NFC

Packers at Bears

The first game on Sunday’s docket features divisional foes, the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The game will be played at Soldiers Field in downtown Chicago kickoff is slated for 3pm.

Packers and Bears split their regular season series, each winning on their home field. While some question the climate of the second matchup, in which, Green Bay needed to win in order to clinch a playoff spot, unlike Chicago who had already clinched the number 2 seed in the NFC and essentially had nothing to play for. However, contrary to that idea, head coach Lovie Smith kept his starters in for the entire game and the Packers were able to edge the Bears 10-3. In their first matchup, special teams proved to be the deciding factor in a 20-17 Bears victory. Devin Hester was able to return a punt 62-yards for a touchdown, which supplemented Chicago’s stagnant offense. A pair of Robbie Gould field goals, the latter of which was drilled with :04 seconds left, sealed the win for the Bears.

So what did we learn from the first two games, these two teams are very even. This game is certainly going to come down to a lot more than Aaron Rodgers vs. Jay Cutler. Both teams are going to rely on their defense and/or special teams units to come up with points, or at the very least, a turnover.

While neither team was able to show a formidable running game in the regular season, they cannot abandon the ground game completely. In their first game in Chicago, Jay Cutler was the Bear’s leading rusher with 37 yards; the Bear’s cannot expect to win on Sunday if this is the case. Likewise, Rodgers led the Packers in rushing yards in their victory over the Bears in week 17.

It will be important for both teams to establish some form of a rushing attack. For the Packers, I think the answer is 6th round draft pick, James Starks. Starks has shown that he is more explosive than Brandon Jackson, incumbent to injured starter Ryan Grant, and he is more versatile. On wild card weekend, Starks torched Philadelphia for 123 yards on 23 carries. Even though he was slowed down against a tough front seven from Atlanta, Starks still carried the ball 25 times, providing balance to the Packers “pass happy” offense. However, the real challenge will be taking on the Bears second ranked rush defense.

For Chicago, the key to running the ball will have to be a healthy mixture of Matt Forte and off-season pick-up, Chester Taylor. Since it is quite evident that neither back is capable of managing the load, both must be used to keep the Packers guessing. Forte has good explosiveness and is an elite pass-catching back, while Taylor is a better blocker and more of a north-south type runner. If these backs together can total 100 yards, Chicago will be in good shape.

As far as passing is concerned, Aaron Rodgers is playing as well as you can play the position right now. After dissecting the Eagles defense for 3 touchdowns two weeks ago, Rodgers picked up right where he left off against Atlanta, tossing for 3 more scores in a decisive road victory. The Rodgers to Jennings connection appears to be unstoppable and the Bear’s 20th ranked pass defense could be in for a long afternoon if they do not disrupt the league's 5th best passing offense. If Jennings is curtailed by Charles Tlilman on Sunday, look for James Jones and slot receiver Jordy Nelson to create mismatches against a porous Bears’ secondary. As mentioned earlier, if the Packers offense can have the benefit of 30+ combined carries from Starks and Jackson, their play action calls are going to give Chicago nightmares.

On the other side of the ball, Jay Cutler will look to bring his playoff record to 2-0. That’s right last Sunday marked the first post-season game of Cutler’s life. He never qualified for a bowl while playing at Vanderbilt, and failed to make the tournament in any of his four previous seasons as an NFL starter. Although his lack of experience in late January is worth noting, Cutler was able to silence all the critics last week with a 4 TD (2 passing, 2 rushing) performance last week against Seattle. Crucial to Cutler’s success is his ability to remain upright in the pocket. Green Bay will dial up every blitz in the book to pressure Cutler into making mistakes, which has been his downfall throughout his career. He should be especially weary of blitzing duo Clay Matthews charging off the edge, and Charles Woodson coming on the corner blitz, a specialty of Green Bay’s stout defense.

Defensively, Green Bay has to depend on their defense to do what they do best, create turnovers. Aside from maybe the Baltimore Ravens, the Packers are the best in the league at hurrying the quarterback and forcing him to throw before he is ready. Defensive tackle, B.J. Raji, makes things very difficult for opposing offensive linemen. He commands a double team on virtually every snap. This leaves an empty gap for Matthews to rush free causing the quarterback to either wet himself or throw the ball too quickly, or sometimes both. Their lockdown secondary consisting of Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, and Nick Collins have essentially clinched the previous two playoff games. The first of which was a Collins interception to prevent a game winning touchdown against the Eagles, and most recently, Williams’ pick-six of Matt Ryan at the end of the first half from which the Falcons never recovered.

Chicago, like Green Bay, will need to diagram some creative blitz packages to throw the unflappable Aaron Rodgers off his rhythm. Easy for me to say, but very difficult to execute. Veteran linebacker core led by Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs have to eliminate all underneath routes and force Rodgers to throw to the sidelines. Like I mentioned before, both teams need something special to happen on defense and or special teams, this applies double to the Bears. Their offense is suspect at best and with Cutler’s inconsistent play, this game weighs heavily on the broad shoulders of the Bears’ defense. If the Packers play turnover free football, it could be curtains for Chicago’s playoff run. However, if the Bears are able to generate a strip-six or a punt return TD from Hester, this could put Chicago in a fortuitous position of playing with a lead, something they do exceptionally well.

Normally these games go down to the wire, but I am picking the team that can get out to the quick lead. I think both defenses are good enough to protect it for their respective offenses. In the end, I do not see Chicago having the firepower to contend with a dangerous Packers team.

Packers 21 Bears 13

Conference Championship Preview: AFC

Jets at Steelers

For the second year in a row, the New York Jets will be playing in the AFC championship game. Similar to last season, Rex Ryan will take his show on the road for a chance to reach the Superbowl. The only thing standing in their way is the AFC north champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 Sunday night at Heinz Field.

The Jets have already proven that they can win at Heinz field, something only two teams (Jets and Patriots) have accomplished since Ben Roethlisberger returned from suspension in the middle of October. The Jets won a hard fought battle, 22-17, with help from their defense (4th quarter safety) and special teams (97-yard kickoff return by Brad Smith). Jets’ quarterback, Mark Sanchez, was held in check completing 19 of 29 passes for 170 yards. New York’s balanced offense (27 rushes, 29 pass attempts) confused the Pittsburgh defense and although Sanchez was not able to throw any touchdowns, he orchestrated two drives resulting in short field goals, on top of running in the Jets only offensive touchdown. Pittsburgh came up just short, with the ball in Roethlisberger’s hands in the final seconds, he was unable to complete what would have been the game winning pass, Where is Santonio when you need him?

Interestingly enough, the Superbowl XLIII hero was traded to none other than New York Jets following another disastrous off-season that netted Holmes a 4-game suspension of his own to start the season. Since returning, Holmes has had a remarkable impact on the Jets offense, hauling in 52 catches for 746 yards and 6 touchdowns. His specialty has always been the clutch touchdown. This year was no different. Holmes had game winning catches in back to back games against Cleveland and Houston. Most recently, Holmes sealed the victory over the Patriots with a magnificent catch late in the 4th quarter. Alongside fellow cast-off, Braylon Edwards, they have created a dynamic duo. Holmes has great hands and can be very explosive in the open field. Edwards is more of a deep threat whose long body can make for a challenging assignment to shorter cornerbacks.

Despite having two very good receivers, the strength of the Jets offense is their 4th ranked rushing attack. A year of resurgence from LaDanian Tomlinson has paid off with a chance to play in the Superbowl, something Tomlinson has yet to accomplish in his illustrious career. Spelling Tomlinson is second year back, Shonn Greene, many envisioned a bigger role for Greene coming into this season, however, the balance between LT and Greene has worked out favorably for both backs, limiting their carries to a manageable amount and preserving their legs for the postseason. Greene has posted back to back 70+ yard games in the postseason, and put the Jets up two scores in the closing minutes against New England. Look for these backs to get around 30 total carries for 150 yards if the Jets want to have any success on offense.

Another element the Pittsburgh defense should be concerned with is tight end, Dustin Keller. DK has been relatively silent the last month of the season, but out of sight does not mean out of mind in the eyes of an NFL head coach. The Patriots were able to dismantle the Steelers by matching up their tight ends against the slower Pittsburgh linebackers, if this is the case on Sunday, Pittsburgh could be in for a long evening.

Fortunately for Pittsburgh, as I mentioned, the Jets ability to win games is largely in part of their stellar ground game. However, Pittsburgh boasts the league’s best defense against the run, holding opponents to 62.8 yards per game. Defensive tackle Casey Hampton is superb at clogging up the middle and often commanding two lineman to prevent him from blowing up running plays before they can start. Lawrence Timmons led the team in tackles with 135, and remains a very underrated piece of the Steelers championship caliber defense. Both James Harrison and Lamar Woodley had 10 sacks this year. It marks the third straight season that both men had 10 or more sacks, and Harrison’s second year of 100+ tackles and 10+ sacks, the first time coming in 2008, when he was named the league's defensive player of the year and a Superbowl champion. Monitoring the secondary is All-Pro safety, Troy Polamalu. It is imperative that Polamalu finds a way to force a turnover; he is a menace in the backfield and plays a great center field for a strong safety. Sanchez has been known to leave a lot balls hanging up in the air this postseason. It is only a matter of time before one of those ill advised throws winds up in the hands of an opposing defensive back. The Jets did not have a single turnover in their first matchup one month ago, if they play turnover free football; they are almost impossible to beat.

The proverbial trick up the sleeve for Pittsburgh is breakout wide receiver, Mike Wallace. This guy can change the momentum of a game in an instant. His explosive speed has haunted defensive coordinators all season long. He has the ability to turn an 8-yard crossing pattern into a 75-yard touchdown in the blink of an eye. It will be interesting to see which of the Jets cornerbacks checks the speedy Wallace. Antonio Cromartie might make the most sense; he is a little bit faster than Darrelle Revis, and typically covers opposing teams’ deep threats. The Jets must also attempt to shut down future hall of famer, Hines Ward. In plain terms, Ward is a pest. He is the ideal Pittsburgh Steeler. Ward gives 100% on every play, a rarity for wide receivers, he can catch, run, and block at a very high level and always seems to play above his head in the playoffs.

The Jets 3rd ranked rushing defense will have the challenging task of stopping Rashard Mendenhall. He was limited to 46 yards on 20 carries against Baltimore on Saturday; however, he was able to find the end zone twice. The Jets had an ideal game plan last weekend against the Patriots holding running backs Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to 89 yards on 23 carries. Although Mendenhall is a better runner than those two backs combined, the Jets have only allowed one 100-yard rusher the entire season (Matt Forte, 135 yards).

Seeing as both teams have solid defenses, and equally strong supporting casts on offense, I think this matchup will boil down to Mark Sanchez vs. Ben Roethlisberger.

On paper, it’s an easy pick. One guy is 9-2 in the post season and owns two Superbowl rings. The other is in his second year, has never played in a Superbowl, but he is 4-1 in the playoffs. Conventional wisdom would say that the better quarterback is going to win at home. However, seeing as I am neither conventional nor do I have much wisdom, I am picking the New York Jets. There is something magical about the Jets in the postseason and I can no longer deny it. Last year I wrote them off as lucky after they were one win away from a Superbowl berth. This year, I thought they had the talent but no leadership and no quarterback. And now, I can admit, that I was wrong. This team is spectacular and they know how to win playoff games. Not to take anything away from Pittsburgh, they are an excellent team but the Jets are playing possessed football, and I am not sure anybody can beat them.

J-E-T-S 20 Steelers 16

BMack's Reaction To Patriots Loss

Yea, I know 3rd post about the Patriots, you're sick of it, I'm sick of it, but it wouldn't be right if I didn't put my 2 cents in.

This game was like some odd out of body experience. Just like DP said once the ball was hiked something didn't feel right. The Jets beat the Patriots in every way...

1. Coaching:

Ugh, I could write about this for hours. Belichick gets all the credit when the Patriots are dominating, it only makes sense for him to take shit when the choke. Why did Woodhead have 20 touches in this game compared to Green-Ellis 11? Why are they faking punts in their own end? Why when down 10 points in the fourth quarter do you run a 8 min drive? They didn't rush to the line at any point in that drive, and they made the whole game shorter, which seems stupid to me when you are down by more then 1 score.

So, even though Belichick in my opinion was the best regular season coach this year, he chocked yesterday. Even if Chung called that fake punt by himself yesterday, it was still a terrible game. Plus, why does Chung even have that option in his own end? Yea, doesn't make any sense.

2. "The Patriot Way"

I love Welker. I though his "foot" press conference was funny, but it's not the way the Patriots run things. We have heard from the start of the Belichick/Brady era that there is to be "no bulletin board material". Welker gave the Jets a reason to rally around their coach. I'm not saying it was the difference in the game, but it's just not the way they run things.

But it doesn't stop there. Branch was yelling at the Jets sidelines during the game (I think it was at Rex). Listen, I am sure there is a reason why he was, and the Jets aren't known to be very classy, but at the end of the day when you see the Patriots change like this you know they got to them. Once again, every un-Patriots like.

3. Brady

He didn't have his best game. He wasn't terrible, but for the Patriots to win he needed to play the way he did through 95% of the season, which was lights out. Plus I put some of the blame on him for that long drive that resulted in nothing in the 4th quarter. He has the power to change the plays, he controls the flow of the offense and how fast they get tot he line, so he has to take some of the blame.

Also, he is an odd stat. The last time an MVP won a Super Bowl was 1999 Kurt Warner. There is nothing really behind that, just an interesting stat.


So, Patriot fans they lost. The Jets outplayed them in basically every way. They were out-coached in this game, they were outplayed, there is nothing we can see. Still, don't get too far down. The Patriots should be right back next year. The defense is so young, and only going to get better. Brady, even with 2 subpar playoff outings is still one of the best QBs, and they have 2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds of the draft.

Patriots need to sit at home, eat their "humble pie" and get back to what they were 6 years ago.... quiet assassins who let their play do the talking, and don't change their gameplan based on the other teams mouths.

Dueling Couches Podcast: NFL Playoffs Round 2

BMack and DP preview all the NFL Playoff games for this weekend...

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Divisional Round Breakdown

Ravens at Steelers

Arguably the two toughest teams in the NFL will square off at Heinz field in Pittsburgh, at 4:30 Saturday afternoon. No two teams have the familiarity that these two divisional foes share. Just three points have decided five out of the last seven meetings between the two AFC north powerhouses.

The Steelers have not lost a game at Heinz field in nearly a month. It is a difficult place to play on a warm September afternoon, it is exponentially more difficult in January when the stakes are high and the temperature drops to chilling lows. However, Baltimore is not afraid of cold weather, nor the confines of Heinz field. Having defeated the Steelers at Heinz already this season (albeit without Roethlisberger). The Ravens face a much more challenging task this time around, beat Big Ben in Pittsburgh… Something they have not done since 2006.

The Steelers love to get Rashard Mendenhall going early and often. The third year running back out of Illinois has certainly proven worthy of his first round selection back in 2008. Mendenhall rushed for nearly 1,3000 yards and scored 13 touchdowns this season. What makes him so dynamic is his ability run inside and out. He can power through defenders to pick up tough yardage as well as bust out a big play that can shift momentum in a heartbeat. Stopping Mendenhall will be a difficult task for the Baltimore front seven.

Even if the Ravens can contain Mendenhall, they still have to deal with a plethora of options that Roethlisberger has it his disposal. Chief among them, speedy receiver, Mike Wallace. Wallace led Pittsburgh in receptions, targets, receiving yards and touchdowns this season. The most staggering statistic for Wallace is his 21 yards per catch average, the highest in the NFL (min. 50 rec.). He had 26 catches for 20+ yards this season. Translation, once he gets the ball in the open field… Look out. Aside from Wallace, Baltimore has to find some way to deny Roethlisberger’s security blanket, tight end Heath Miller, from getting the ball on third down. Miller was held in check in the most recent meeting between these two teams (1 reception, 9 yards). Also, feisty receiver, Hines Ward, cannot be overlooked in this game. He’s a killer when the game is on the line and always seems to bring his level of play up a notch in big games.

Defensively, the Steelers have to force Joe Flacco to beat them. Their top priority will be to limit running back, Ray Rice. Rice was stymied in their last matchup, netting just 50 all purpose yards. While Rice is able to bring quickness to the Baltimore backfield, veteran Willis Mcgahee, can bring the boom. Mcgahee looked very impressive in a limited role against Kansas City last weekend. He’s the perfect change of pace back for Baltimore offense. The Steelers get a huge boost with the return of All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu. Considered one of the biggest game changers in all the NFL, Polamalu knows how to step it up in the post season. As always when these two teams play, whichever defense makes the big play typically wins the game. With big time players like Polamalu and linebackers, Lamarr Woodley and James Harrison, Baltimore knows that one turnover could cost them the game.

The Ravens have rattled off four consecutive wins, all by 10 points or less. This is their type of game. They tend to excel in the physical, low scoring type of contests. For Baltimore, it all starts on defense.

With perhaps the best front seven in football, the Ravens were able to hold opponents to 94 rushing yards per game this season, good for 5th in the NFL. Up front, Haloti Ngata has elevated his play and is now considered among the elite defensive linemen in the league. Behind him, All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis, who faced criticism earlier this year with regards to his age and perhaps having lost a step. The critics were answered when Lewis turned in one of his best seasons in recent years netting his 12th pro bowl appearance. In the final layer of defense, ball hawk Ed Reed leads a young secondary.

Despite just 4 losses on the season, the Ravens defense has cost them several times this season. They allowed Matt Ryan and the Falcons to come back in the fourth quarter despite Atlanta having only 1:14 seconds on the clock for their final possession. They also allowed 10 unanswered points against Pittsburgh, giving up their 4 point lead in the fourth quarter. A month ago, they surrendered 15 fourth quarter points to the hapless Houston Texans before returning an interception for a touchdown in overtime to save face. These are mistakes that they cannot afford to make against a polished Steelers team.

Offensively, they need to establish a ground game. In two games this season Ray Rice has been effectively shut down by Pittsburgh. It is imperative to get him going early and use Mcgahee (as I mentioned earlier) to change the pace. Once they are able to pick up first downs on the ground, it opens the play action game. The Ravens are an elite play action team and are nearly impossible to stop once they get going.

The addition of Anquan Boldin has certainly paid dividends for the Baltimore’s passing game. Putting a superstar wide receiver on the opposite side of the sure handed Derek Mason allows Baltimore to throw the ball down the field. Something they have been trying to do since they drafted big-armed quarterback, Joe Flacco, two years ago.

After a so-so start, Flacco turned it on December posting a 7/2 touchdown to interception ratio. He finished the season with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He set career highs in touchdown passes, passing yards, and quarterback rating. For the Ravens to win, Flacco will need to play mistake free football and avoid interceptions and strip sacks at all costs.

Look for a low scoring hard fought battle between two very physical teams. This is a great way to start off the divisional round, and hopefully will set the tone for the entire slate of games this weekend. Expect both defenses to play major roles in their teams’ success. Despite the Ravens inability to beat the Steelers at home with Roethlisberger at the helm, it seems as though they have all the right weapons to pull off the upset. Anquan Boldin is going to come up big in the clutch and the Ravens will be the first team into the conference championship Saturday evening.

Ravens 24 Steelers 23

Pats vs. Jets in Rubber Game

You get the feeling that it had to be this way. Even Rex Ryan seemed to be anticipating this Divisional Round matchup when last week he unfavorably compared Tom Brady's work ethic to Peyton Manning. Or maybe he was just putting his foot in his mouth. Or someone else's.

These teams not only split the season series, they've split their last 6 games. It makes sense when you consider how well their different strengths matchup. The Patriots pass first, ask questions later. The Jets run. The Pats have a young, sometimes shaky defense. The Jets have more experience, and are far sturdier. The Patriots keep their mouths shut. The Jets are a reality TV show.

I think the Patriots' ability to distribute the ball to multiple offensive weapons will allow them to regularly beat the Jets' defense. The Jets do have some exceptionally talented guys on defense, but Brady is the master at finding the weak spot, and hitting the open receiver.

However, I temper my optimism knowing that for many of the Pats' weapons, this will be their first postseason game. This past weekend, we saw playoff newcomers drop passes, fumble the ball, and generally fail to execute as they had in the regular season.

Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis have never played postseason football. Danny Woodhead has 1 career touch in the playoffs. Even Wes Welker has only 3 playoff games under his belt. The defensive side of the ball is hardly any better. McCourty, Chung, Spikes, Cunningham, and so on, are all newbies to this scene. And while veterans like Brady, Branch, and Wilfork might settle locker room nerves, it only takes one or two players making one or two mistakes to screw up an entire game (See: Pierre Woods, Super Bowl XLII).

The Jets actually bring more playoff experience, or at least have theirs distributed more evenly throughout their roster. Sanchez already has 4 games under his belt. Guys like LT, Braylon Edwards, Shonn Greene, Santonio Holmes, and so on, have all been in big games. And won them. That's something to keep in mind.

The health of Danny Woodhead is also something to keep in mind, as he made nothing but big plays in the 45-3 win a few weeks ago. We know that it was a concussion he suffered. We know that he's been practicing with a non-contact jersey.

The key to this game will be how the Patriots do against the Jets' rushing attack in the early stages. In that 45-3 win, the Jets ran for 152 yards, but most of those came when the game was essentially over. The Jets can run (148.4 yards per game, 4th in the NFL), and run well. The Pats have a depleted defensive line. It will be up to guys like Wilfork and Mayo to contain the running attack, and to limit rushes to 3 or 4 yards at the most.

It will also be up to Brady and the offense to hold onto the ball, and to score. The best way to stop an opponent from rushing is to build a lead.

I think the Patriots will be hurt by the Jets' RBs, but not killed. The Pats' offense will score enough to force Mark Sanchez to try to make plays, and we all know what happens next.

Patriots win 28-17.

-The Commodore

Patriots 38, Dolphins 7

This game felt like the preseason. Even the weather was warm, at least for January. There was nothing at stake, a few players didn't even dress (Welker, Branch, Hernandez), and the starters weren't expected to play the full 60 minutes.

I approved of Bill Belichick's usage of Tom Brady and other key players in this game. The more worrisome Pats fans out there were concerned that there'd be a repeat of last year's Welker injury. But with a first round bye secured, it's kind of silly to sit players for 3 weeks.

I'm sure the practices weren't as rigorous this past week. And when Brady was in the game, the play-calling was run heavy, and there were few long passes. He got hit a few times. But survived.

Danny Woodhead may have suffered a concussion. He may not have. As of now, the Pats are only saying he has a "head injury."

BJG Ellis surpassed the 1,000 yard mark. I'm convinced that Belichick went for it on 4th & 16, just so Ellis could reach 1,000, then be pulled from the game. Ellis is the Pats' first 1,000 yard rusher since Corey Dillon in '04. His contributions this season have been invaluable.



There were many positives to take from this game, but much like after a big preseason win, it's important to keep things in perspective. Julian Edelman's afternoon, for instance, was world class. Will he do that against an elite team, that's playing an important game? It's difficult to gauge performances in a game like this.



The Patriots have 2 weeks off, and will host a Divisional Round game on Sunday the 16th, at 4:30 PM. They'll play either the Jets, Ravens, or Chiefs. Here are the scenarios:

The Patriots will play the Jets if the Jets beat the Colts on Saturday. No matter what happens in the other AFC playoff game. If the Jets win, they come up to Foxborough as the 6th seed. Simple as that.

If the Jets lose, then the Patriots will play the winner of the Ravens/Chiefs game, which will be played Sunday afternoon.

-The Commodore

30 Colts, 17 Jets

I think it's time we all start thinking of Peyton Manning as the best QB that has ever lived. The man is a machine, he can read defenses and and rip apart defenses like nobody else.

The Jets put a valiant effort by being up at halftime and running out to a score 14-6. Mark Sanchez (17-30 257 2 TDs and 1 Int) threw one touchdown to Braylon Edwards for an 80 yard bomb and hitting Dustin Keller for a nine yard score. But once halftime passed and the Jets missed a field goal it was Peyton Manning time. Peyton threw for 26 for 39 for 377 yards and 3 TDs. Because of "Revis Island", he made Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon look like Hall of Famers as both combined for nearly 300 yards total and 2 TDs.

Like I said earlier the Jets put their best effort forward, but what killed them was Shonne Greene. Shonne had 10 rushed for 40 yards but more importantly he was injured in the 2nd and didn't return. He was a important part of this teams offense especially in the playoffs and him missing the second half really killed their rushing game.

Either way, it's good to see the Jets out of the playoffs

BMack's NFL Picks

DP already broke the games down for you guys, so here are my picks...

Saints over Vikings 27-24 (Favre pick ends the game)

Colts Over Jets 24-10

Playoff Game Previews

Saints vs Vikings
Much like last weeks game this game will be about who makes the mistakes and who doesn't. To be perfectly honest, I have no worry about the Vikings defensive line. Even though they may have the best defensive line of all time, the Saints offense is built to counter a heavy pass rush. A lot of their passing plays are quick release type of plays so even if the pressure is heavy Drewbreesiana has a knack of finding is WR. Last time the Saints played the Vikings they had the genious idea of taking a tight end out and using a backup offensive lineman as the tight end. Since the Saints have a billion offensive threats they can get away with this strategy.

On the Vikings side it all depends on Brett Favre. With Adrian Peterson not playing like he should and a banged up Percy Harvin, Brett is going to have to make a lot of plays on his own. That could be huge for the Saints. Even though Brett might have had one of his best years statistically, the guy who throws reckless picks is still in there somewhere. With that and a turnover happy Saints defense I think that will ultimately be the difference.

Saints: 45-28

Colts vs Jets
I don't know what to think of this game. Part of me just wants to say that the Colts are just going to kick the shit out of the Jets and another part wants me to root for the Jets because I can't believe what they have accomplished. The Colts will win this game because Peyton Manning is the best qb that has ever lived. (yes I changed my mind about him) Carson Palmer and Phillip Rivers can't handle the heavy blitz attack of the Jets, Manning can and will. This game will not be pretty.

Colts: 35-10

Favre's Gayness Gives Harvin Headaches

Percy Harvin has had migraines all season, and even though he had thought he had them under control they came back this week. Terrible timing for the Vikings and Harvin. So what causes these migraines? Well no one really knows, but I have a good guess.

I am thinking it is Brett Favre. There were no reports that Harvin suffered from these headaches before Favre showed up. The season went on, and my guess is that Harvin ignored Favre, thus the headaches went away, but then Favre had to go and be a youtube sensation by ripping off "pants on the ground" from American Idol (if you want to see the video CLICK HERE----Yea, very gay).

Well there you have it. There is really no point to this post other then to warn all of you that Favre's gayness causes extreme headaches, but then again if you have watched ESPN at all over the past 4-5 years you probably have one already.

Breakdowns Of This Weekends Games

The only one that mattered:
45 Saints, 14 Cards

Hahahaha, I am so happy Kurt Warners career ended on a terrible loss to New Orleans. And the fact he is 0-3 in the dome brings a smile to my face. I haven't been right about a lot of things this playoffs, in fact my picks are 2-6, however, I was spot on with this one. New Orleans will make it to the superbowl because their defensive backs make big plays, on big days, and will continue to do that. Also, Reggie Bush had the best game of his career amassing over 200 total yards. He will kill an aggressive pass rush of the Vikings next week, as they march into the Superbowl.

20 Colts, 3 Ravens

Duhh. This was obvious. I don't want to waste time on it anymore.

34 Vikings, 3 Cowboys
Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre,Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre,Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre,Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre, Fuck Favre.

17 Jets, 14 Chargers
They fucking did it to me. I finally thought this was going to be their year, but they choked again. Fuck that team. How are the Jets still in the playoffs?

BMack's NFL Picks (Round 2)

Well I went 1-3 last week and watched my beloved Patriots and Packers season end. Hopefully I do better this week...

Saturday:

Cardinals @ Saints 4:30pm

I want to pick the Saints, but Warner and the Cardinals are deadly in the playoffs.

Cardinals 31-27


Ravens @ Colts 8:15pm

Colts have Manning. Game Over.

Colts 24-13


Sunday:

Cowboys @ Vikings 1pm

Cowboys are on the rise, and the Viking didn't look good to end the season. Still, I got no faith in Romo.

Vikings 28-24

Jets @ Chargers 4:40pm

I really want to pick the Jets, because the Chargers love to choke, but they aren't good and this ends their run.

Chargers 24-10

Marion Barber Injury Update

"Cowboys running back Marion Barber is headed home to Minnesota for a playoff game on Sunday. Whether he gets to play - or how much he plays - depends on how his left knee heals this week. Coach Wade Phillips said Monday that Barber won't practice Wednesday as a precaution. He missed some practice time last week, tried to play Saturday night then was stuck on the sideline after three carries netted just 4 yards. "He's already better than he was last week and better than he was after the game," Phillips said. "So we think he's going to be all right. And I know he wants to play going back to Minnesota. But we'll monitor it (ESPN)."

Whether he plays or not I don't think it will matter. This game will be decided by the arm of Tony Romo. The Vikings have one of the best defensive lines in the league, so you have to pass on this defense. Barber would be nice if they got close to the goalline, but whether or not he plays will have very little affect on this game, since the Cowboys have 2 very good backup running backs (Jones/Choice).

My Playoff Predictions

OK, now that I am 0-4 thus far this playoffs, here is my round 2 playoff prediction:
Dallas/ Minnesota

Dallas

New Orleans/ Arizona

Who Dat?

Indy/ Baltimore

Indy

San Diego/ Jets

San Diego


I have San Diego/ New Orleans in the Superbowl with New Orleans winning it.

NFL Playoff Recap

Baltimore 33 New England 14

DP already did a recap of this game, so I am not going to say a lot about this. It was Brady's worst game as a Patriot, but it doesn't just end there. The dynasty is over, and there are certain things that have to change. 1. Stop being so pass happy. 2. Get a running game. 3. Get better secondary. 4. Get a defensive line that will get pressure on the QB. 5. Get rid of the arrogance and comeback with a chip on their shoulders.

NY Jets 24 Cincy 14

Mark Sanchez did what he had to do, which was not turn the ball over. The Jets defense is outstanding, and they just completely shut down Palmer. Still, the Bengals were able to run on them, which could be a problem for the Jets down the road. It has been a long hard season for Cincy, but they will be back.

As for the Jets, they need Sanchez to play exactly like this for the rest of the playoffs, and the Jets should feel good that they have 2 very strong runninbacks in Jones (34 yards 1 TD) and Greene (135 yards 1 TD).

Philadelphia 14 Dallas 34

Well the Cowboys proved me wrong. Romo played very solid, mistake free football (244 yards 2 TDs 0 Ints), and the Cowboys got everything they wanted to from their runing game (Jones 148 yards 1 TD). The real story is the Cowboys defence though. They made McNabb's life miserable all game long, and completely shut down any running game for the Eagles.

I hate Romo, but you have to give credit to him and his squad. Dallas had not won a playoff game since 1996, so this is really a big deal for this franchise, and right now there is no one playing better football in the NFL then these Cowboys.

Green Bay 45 Arizona 51 (OT)

By far the best game of the weekend. Rodgers and Warner put on a show that you will rarely see in the NFL. Warner threw for 379 yards and 5 TD with 0 INTs, and Rodgers wasn't far behind with 422 yards 4 TDs and 1 pick. The difference was the two turnovers by Rodgers. If the Packers hadn't started the game out so slowly they probably would have won, but you have to give credit to the Cardinals for playing so well even with Boldin on the sideline. This game had to give the Cardinals confidence, since they proved they can win without Boldin, and may have found a new #2 WR in Doucet (77 yards 2 TDs).

The Cardinals seem to be able to turn it on when it counts, and I wouldn't count them out against anyone. If that offensive line can protect Warner like they did yesterday then this offense could be one of the most deadly in the NFL, which is saying something when you are missing a player like Boldin.

BMack's NFL Playoff Picks: Round 1

Jets @ Bengals 4:30pm Saturday:

Winner: Jets 20-17

Eagles @ Cowboys 8pm Saturday:

Winner: Eagles 27-21

Ravens @ Patriots 1pm Sunday:

Winner: Patriots 27-17

Packers @ Cardinals 4:40pm Sunday:

Packers 34-21

Randy Moss Hurt? (UPDATED)

"Randy Moss was not present at the portion of Patriots practice open to the media today. Moss has been a full participant at practice and has not been on the injury report all week, but yesterday he limped out of the locker room, and on Wednesday he had his knees heavily wrapped in ice (Boston.com)."

Moss will most likely play this weekend, but can things get any worse for the Patriots. They have already lost Welker, they aren't sure what they are going to get from their defense or running attack, and now Moss is not 100%. Hopefully he will be fine, but this is certainly giving me a reason to be nervous...


***UPDATE***

Not sure how much you can believe this, but....

"Update from Foxborough: Bill Belichick just said that the absence of Randy Moss from practice today was not injury related (Boston.com)."

Anquan Boldin Injury Update

"After the Cardinals showed some optimism with Anquan Boldin's ankle injury on Monday, the news wasn't as good on Tuesday. ESPN reports that the Cardinals are no longer optimistic that Boldin can play in the team's Wild Card Game vs. the Packers following MRI results Monday evening. Those results aren't known, but Boldin was spotted walking with a crutch on Monday (CBSSports)."

This would be a big loss for the Cardinals. It will be interesting to see what teams shows up for them in the playoffs. At times this season they look like the best team in the NFL, but then at other times they look like they shouldn't even be in the playoff picture. If I was a Cardinals' fan I wouldn't be overly worried, because this is exactly how they played last year, but I would be worried about this injury...