Marino2Clayton
I'm too drunk to taste this chicken.
I previously posted this in the VIP forum:
WILD CARD WEEKEND:
WILD CARD WEEKEND:
- WASHINGTON OVER TAMPA BAY - After starting out the season at 5-6, the ‘Skins have run off five straight wins. Outside of the Seahawks, no one in the NFC is playing better football than Washington. You have to love it for Coach Gibbs who proved to everyone that wrote him off, that he is still a great football coach. This should be a hard-nosed and closely fought mirror image of their earlier game, a classic that was decided by a controversial last second Mike Alstott two-point conversion. This time the Bucs will not get the benefit of a bad call.
- NEW ENGLAND OVER JACKSONVILLE - Whether its Byron Leftwich of David Gerrard, the Jags don’t have enough offensive fire power to play with New England. The Patriots have been devastated by injutries, but they still have Tom Brady and the best front seven in football. The champs are at home and playing their best football of the season.
- CAROLINA OVER NEW YORK - I’m very hesitant to go against the G-Men at home, because they play at an entire different level in the Medowlands. I also wana’ be a homer and go with Eli Manning. However, the Giants are a really beat up football team right now. I mean, who is goina’ play outside linebacker for them, Pepper Johnson? I think experience and great defense will win out in this one. Plus the Panthers are on a roll and have the most exciting player in football, Steve Smith. This could easily end up being the most entertaining game of wild card weekend.
- PITTSBURGH OVER CINCINNATI - Marvin Lewis and the Bengals have been one of the best stories in football this year, However, they haven’t closed the season strong at all, and have played absolutely no defense for the last month. Another problem for Cincy is that Carson Palmer is not 100%, even though he says his groin feels fine. I’ll be rooting for Palmer and Co. but once again I have to side with defense and experience.
- INDIANAPOLIS OVER PITTSBURGH – I believe we have already seen this one and it wasn’t pretty. To tell the truth I can’t see this one being any different that week 14’s 26-7 blowout. On a separate note, my favorite memory of the 2005 season occurred last week when Tony Dungy getting the game ball from his team. To me that’s what football is all about.
- NEW ENGLAND OVER DENVER – It’s hard to go against Denver in Mile High. But in a battle between the two best coaches of the last 10 years, Shanahan versus Belichick, I’m going with the World Champs. I think that New England’s front seven will be able to somewhat nullify Denver’s tremendous running game. So then the game boils down to Jake Plummer versus Tom Brady. Plummer has had a great year, but no way in hell am I going against Brady.
- SEATTLE OVER WASHINGTON – Seattle has been the best team in the NFC all year long, but I think the ‘Hawks will get a real test from Gibbs’ Redskins. In my opinion this is the real NFC championship game. As much as I like the ‘Skins I think that Shaun Alexander and one of the greatest blocking tandems of all time (IMHO), Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson will be the difference. I also think that Seattle’s defense will make just a few more plays than Washington’s underrated unit.
- CHICAGO OVER CAROLINA – Is their a better playoff setting than Soldier field? It’s been a story book season for Lovie Smith and his Bears. No one in the entire league has played better defense than the new “Monsters of the Midway.†Against Carolina, Chicago’s defense will take DeShaun Foster away and make the Panthers one dimensional. On offense, Rex Grosman will do just enough for the Bears go from 5-11 to the NFC Championship game.
- INDIANAPOLIS OVER NEW ENGLAND – Would this really be the NFL playoffs if these two didn’t square off? Everyone knows that New England has had their way with Peyton & Co. in the past, but the Colts finally get the Pats at the dome. I think that this is where New England’s injuries in their secondary finally show up. The Patriots will not be able to contain the Colts mired of weapons. Brady will press and the opportunistic Colt defense will take advantage.
- SEATTLE OVER CHICAGO – It would be a great story if the Bears were able to take that final step to the Super Bowl. Just like most of the country, I will be rooting for the Bears, but I just don’t think they have enough on offense to beat the Seahawks. Seattle’s ability to remain two dimensional on offense will be the difference. Plus, I think that all the pre-game talk about Chicago’s defense will motivate Seattle’s more than formidable unit.
- INDIANAPOLIS OVER SEATTLE – I know, I know… I’m going out on a huge limb here by picking both number one seeds to make the Super Bowl. But how can you go against either of these two? They have been, head and shoulders, the best two teams in the NFL this year. The colts and “Hawks make for a great match-up. But I’m an unashamed homer! As long as my blood runs orange I’m not picking against Peyton. I think Manning puts all his critics to rest by finally winning the big game. And Tony Dungy finally gets his due as not just a great man, but a great football coach as well.
